NON-SPORTING CARRIAGES
Body painted dark green, green gear. Trimmed in green leather.
The story of the origin of the brougham about 1837 was published in 1889 by George N. Hooper—at that time president of the Institute of British Carriage Manufacturers. Lord Chancellor Brougham, lawyer, orator, writer, innovator and originator of many ideas on many subjects, took his plans for a refined and glorified vehicle similar to the street cabs, just then making their appearance in London, to his carriage maker who refused to produce the vehicle because it was light and lacking in dignity in his estimation. A neighboring coachmaker accepted the challenge of this new type of carriage and in gratitude Brougham did his best to influence the world of fashion to purchase this vehicle which revolutionized the old methods of carriage building as regards lightness, handiness, ease of access and economy.
This brougham was built for Dr. and Mrs. Webb by Brewster and Company of New York.
Gift of the Webb family in memory of Dr. and Mrs. W. Seward Webb
(Above) The brougham, formerly owned by Dr. Webb, parked outside Trinity Episcopal Church in Shelburne, Vermont during the marriage ceremony of Miss Frederica Webb and Mr. Ralph Pulitzer in October of 1905. After the wedding, Dr. and Mrs. Webb returned to their home at Shelburne Farms in the brougham and the lower photograph shows the carriage entering the home grounds.
Body painted dark green, black trim with straw color striping. Trimmed in dark green morocco leather and blue broadcloth.
The landau originated in the German town of that name and was used from mid-18th century as a posting (traveling) or dress vehicle. About 1850, coachbuilders began to use the lighter elliptic springs on the landau and the whole vehicle became more miniature in size. The landau combined the virtues of both an open and close carriage, as the folding heads could be dropped and the windows lowered.
Landaus with curved body lines were known as Sefton landaus and those with angular lines as in this example were called Shelburne landaus after the Earl of Shelburne who had the first of this pattern built to his order.
This carriage was built by the famous Brewster and Company and belonged to the Theodore Havemeyer family.
Gift of Mr. Henry O. Havemeyer, Mahwah, New Jersey.
Body painted black with black wheels. Trimmed in navy blue broadcloth.
The victoria became the fashionable park carriage when in 1869 the Prince of Wales imported one from Paris for his mother, Queen Victoria, for whom the carriage was named. When she appeared in it for her daytime drives, it soared in popularity. Known at first as the victoria phaeton, it was in truth a faithful copy of the George IV phaeton with a box added for the coachman to drive from. It was always turned out in formal style and is somewhat of a symbol of the reign of Queen Victoria.
This carriage was built by Henry Hooker and Company of New Haven, Connecticut, and tradition has it that both Presidents Arthur and Harrison were passengers in it during their visits to New Hampshire.
Note the “slip linings” on the boot and the leatherette apron pulled over the interior upholstery. These served as dust protection for the finer vehicles in the coach barn.
Gift of Mrs. Charles E. Tilton, of Tilton, New Hampshire.
Body painted dark olive green, green gear. Trimmed in dark green.
The handsome victoria was well suited for the formal call and the promenade on wheels. In 1877, Mrs. E. B. Duffey, in herLadies’ and Gentlemen’s Etiquettebook warned her readers that “morning calls should not be made earlier than twelve noon, nor later than 5 P.M. and the lady should be more richly dressed when calling on her friends than for an ordinary walk.” A lady should “never lay aside her bonnet during a formal call even though urged to do so.”
The rules were just as rigorous where her carriage was concerned. Her coachman, stately in bearing, should be taller and more portly than the footman, but he too should be of more than average height, thoroughly well trained and preferably slim.
This victoria was built by Brewster and Company of New York in 1904.
Gift of the Webb family in memory of Dr. and Mrs. W. Seward Webb
Photos above and below were taken in the courtyard of the coach barn at Shelburne Farms about 1905 and show the victoria turned out, ready for a formal call.
Fine carriages were never neglected. Each vehicle was thoroughly washed off as soon as it came in the coach barn; grit was carefully removed from hinges and joints; only the finest chamois were used to wipe dry the painted panels. Linseed oil was applied to the folding leather tops, and all metal parts on lamps and moldings were kept brightly polished. This was routine care in well-regulated stables.
Body painted dark olive green, green gear. Trimmed in dark green.
The vis-à-vis was known as the sociable in England and appears with a panel body (as in this example) or with a basket-work body. When it was properly turned out, it was formally horsed with two horses of fifteen hands each and carried either one or two “trim dapper servants,” the groom being a trifle smaller and shorter, as it was not good taste to have the groom or footman show more height on the box than the coachman.
Given by the Webb family in memory of Dr. and Mrs. W. Seward Webb
Body painted dark olive green, green gear. Trimmed in green leather.
The omnibus, one of the larger carriage types, was intended for owner driving as well as coachman driving and could be used with two horses; three horses abreast with an adjustment of the two poles, and for long distances over heavy country roads; or (even though it did not class as a proper four-in-hand vehicle) with four horses. At coursing and race meets, the omnibus made an admirable and roomy grandstand.
The lazyback and cushion on the roof seat were removed when the omnibus was servant-driven unless the seat was needed for the transporting of house servants. When the omnibus was temporarily transformed into a four-in-hand and owner-driven, the servants in undress liveries rode inside, with the owner and his guests occupying the box and roof seats.
This omnibus was built in 1891 for Dr. and Mrs. Webb by Brewster and Company, of New York.
Given by the Webb family in memory of Dr. and Mrs. W. Seward Webb
Body painted dark olive green, green gear. Trimmed in morocco leather and broadcloth.
The calèche was a grand carriage and belonged to the “state” order. As Francis Underhill wrote in 1896: “It is not at all suited unless the stable be supplied ... with numerous carriages. It is intended simply for the most formal calling or for park work.” The horses required were of the finest breeding, perfectly matched and with faultless manners. The harness was elaborate and included breeching (that part of the harness which passes around the hind quarters of the horse) and loin straps.
This calèche was ordered in Paris, France by Dr. and Mrs. Webb in 1890 from the famed French carriage maker, Million et Guiet. It was used in New York until about 1900 with the two superb Webb horses “Chilcat” and “Chilcoot,” (17.1 and 17.2 hands respectively). After the death of one of these perfectly matched big horses, the calèche stood unused in the Webb coach barn for many years.
Gift of the Webb family in memory of Dr. and Mrs. W. Seward Webb
(Above) Watercolor of the calèche painted by Max Klepper about 1895.]
(Below) Detail showing elaborate springing, carving and C springs at rear of calèche. Note buckle for tension adjustment of leather strap.]
Body painted dark olive green with deeper green trim, green gear. Trimmed in green silk satin.
One of the first carriage forms, the berlin was invented about 1660 in Germany, and much used on the European Continent for royal traveling with two or four horses, two men on the box, two grooms standing on the rear, and out-riders for protection.
When the berlin here illustrated was harnessed à la grande daumont, the box was removed by loosening the bolts, and the mounted postillions then drove from the two near side horses. The berlin was truly a state carriage with its well-balanced lines and air of luxury without ostentation.
This berlin was built for Dr. and Mrs. Webb in France by Million et Guiet, and imported to America in 1890. It was used with the marvelously matched Webb horses Chilcat (17.1 hands) and Chilcoot (17.2) in New York.
Gift of the Webb family in memory of Dr. and Mrs. W. Seward Webb
On the festive occasion in October of 1905 for Miss Frederica V. Webb’s wedding to Mr. Ralph Pulitzer, the berlin was harnessed à la grande daumont, with Mr. J. Watson Webb on the leader and Mr. W. Seward Webb, Jr. on the wheeler. This equipage, with the two brothers riding postillion for their sister, brought the bride and groom home to Shelburne Farms from Trinity Episcopal Church in Shelburne after the ceremony.
Black with white striping; gear is black with yellow striping. Trimming: gold-on-gold damask.
An unusually fine example of a private coach of the mid-19th century, made to carry six persons in addition to the coachman and footman.
The woodcarving trim on this coach, which originally was owned by George W. Carroll of Carrollton, Isle of Wight County, Virginia, is of especial note. The carved double leaf motif is in keeping with the size of the coach. TheCoach Makers’ Illustrated Hand-Bookin its chapter on woodcarving warned that “The coach and carriage of smaller dimensions will not admit of great boldness in design, but every portion requiring decoration will admit of a well-conceived design and delicacy of workmanship.”
This coach has an unusual amount of white striping on the body and the carving has been emphasized by the addition of a white outline.
Body painted dark green with black top. Trimmed in dark green leather and broadcloth with dark green padded satin ceiling.
Traditionally, one of the first carriages in England was the coach brought out of the Netherlands by a Dutchman as a gift to Queen Elizabeth “who had been seven years a queen before she had any coach.”
The coach through the years maintained its place as the “chief of every class,” and so while many vehicle-constructing concerns could add the designation—“carriagebuilder”—after their business names, only a few deserved the appellation—“coachmaker.”
This formal or dress coach was used in and around Bennington, Vermont. It was built by Jas. Cunningham Sons & Co., Rochester, New York.
Gift of the directors of the Henry M. Tuttle Company, of Bennington, Vermont, in memory of Mr. Fred Stickles, for many years president of that company.
Body and wheels painted black.
Also known as outside car, Irish side car, jogging cart. In 1889, the Duke of Beaufort writing his volume onDrivingfor the Badminton Library Series pointed out that “the outside car, so common in the land of Ireland itself, has made little way elsewhere. It may be described as a dog cart body hung sideways, but the similitude goes no further, for it is suspended on a pair of low wheels which revolve inside, or rather under the body.... The driver sometimes sits on a separate seat in front and at other times on one of the side seats. To ride on or drive an Irish car requires a certain amount of teaching, training or practice. Visitors from other countries are very apt to be thrown off into the road if the driver is humorous or lively and turns a street corner quickly; any stranger who rides on an Irish car ought to be advised to hold fast and not relax his hold till he has safely ended his drive.”
This car was made in Dublin, Ireland for Mr. William C. Indicott who in 1930 presented it to Mr. Charles Sumner Bird.
Gift of Mr. Charles Sumner Bird of East Walpole, Massachusetts.
Body painted black; gear painted red. Trimmed in black leather.
Joseph Hansom, the inventor, patented this type of cab (which is the shortened form of cabriolet) in 1834. Forder, another coachbuilder, redesigned it in 1873 and it became a popular carriage for hire, both in this country and in even greater numbers in England where it was known as the “gondola of London.” Limited amounts of luggage could be carried on top of the cab and in the space between the apron and dashboard.
This hansom, as evidenced by the baggage rail on the roof, was a public conveyance, but these vehicles also found a place in town stables as private cabs during the latter years of the 19th century. Essentially a man’s carriage for town use, they were often finished in flash colors. The servant who drove the private hansom wore a dark cutaway, trousers and high felt or derby hat. In cold weather he was supplied with a cloth overcoat and a lap rug; in rainy weather an “upper benjamin” or poncho-like garment in a waterproof material and a weather-apron to protect his trousers.