The Carriage Association of America

a riding horse

Jennifer — Mon, 30 Jan 2012 20:30:27 +0000

The only horse-drawn vehicle in this photo is way off in the background … and driving away, so all we can see is the back of it. But I’m drawn to this photo mainly because of the handwritten note on the back: “Henry D. Johnson & Foxie, July 20, 1890.”

(from the Jack & Marge Day collection)

a man and his horse

Jennifer — Sun, 29 Jan 2012 20:00:18 +0000

… waaaay out on the edge of town, by the looks of it. Judging from other, somewhat similar, portraits, I would venture a guess that the house in the background is probably his. Unfortunately, I don’t have any other information on this photo.

(from the Jack & Marge Day collection)

tandem driving in India, part 10

Jennifer — Sat, 28 Jan 2012 20:30:16 +0000

A little over two months ago, we began a read-along of sorts: small weekly morsels comprising the chapter on tandem driving in the first volume of The Sports Library (by Mr. T. F. Dale), published in 1899.

If you didn’t start reading along with us from the beginning, you can catch up by reading part of the book’s introduction (and the introduction to our look back at this nineteenth-century book) and parts one, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight, and nine of Chapter 10.

Today, the tenth part:

… I have spoken about being run away with in a tandem. My experience suggests that this is a rare occurrence, but it has happened to me, and, as it illustrates the usefulness of being handy with the whip, I may relate my experience here. I had driven out a twenty-mile stage from Dera Ghazi Khan to meet a local dignitary on a tour of inspection, and I had to take him back to the station.

Now I had fever at the time, and was weak, and had, too, a leader which had only been at work in harness a short time. Almost as soon as we got into the cart, the leader, a powerful, rather nasty-tempered, but very useful animal, shied at a loaded camel and bolted. Unluckily the wheeler was fresh, and joined in the game. I took a pull, but found that I was powerless, and, moreover, I recognized that, being weakened by fever, I might easily exhaust my strength and roll off my seat.

The road was clear and rather sandy, so I devoted my attention to keeping the team straight. All was going well if rather fast, and I felt I should soon get a pull at my rebellious team, when I recollected that a short distance ahead was an Irish bridge across a mullah. An Irish bridge is so called because it goes under instead of over the water, and is a favorite frontier method of preserving roads which are liable to sudden floods. The dry watercourse is bricked where the road crosses it, which preserves the road and gives a sound bottom in times of flood. The descents are, however, often steep, and generally, as you approach these bridges the brickwork stands above the road by four or five inches. Knowing the tendency of country-breds in general and my black in particular to shy, I pictured to myself a sudden swerve, the wheeler’s legs caught in the trace, and a general smash up.

I tried a pull, but found they were still full of go. Then the best thing to do was to keep them going, and as we approached the critical point, I hit the leader and wheeler, drawing the whip, as it were, the length of the team, and sat tight. Up jumped the cart, down flew the ponies, their feet rattling on the bricks, and up the further side with the traces as tight as possible. I think the sudden change in the road and the swift descent and the weight of the cart as we scrambled up the far side steadied them, for I found I had got hold of them directly we were once more in the road, and the rest of the drive passed without incident. …

the White Motor Co.

Jennifer — Fri, 27 Jan 2012 20:45:28 +0000

I find this one rather interesting. The building, as you can see, housed the White Motor Company. The photo was taken on May 12, 1913, at the intersection of Mt. Royal and Guilford Avenues in Baltimore. In the photo, we see both automobiles and horse-drawn vehicles.

(from the Jack & Marge Day collection)

As best I can tell, the White Motor Company was based in Cleveland, so I would guess this building perhaps housed offices and showrooms. Interestingly, the building still exists and has, along with several neighboring buildings, recently been turned into apartments. You can read the architects’ report of the entire project and see “before,” “during,” and “after” photos here (this is a rather large PDF, so it may take a while to download).

… and a lot of men dressed in funny outfits

Jennifer — Thu, 26 Jan 2012 20:00:15 +0000

And then there’s this. I’m not really sure what’s going on here, other than the fact that this troupe is ready for the Independence Day parade. The photo is dated July 4, but the information is noted on the back in tiny, nearly illegible writing … so I’m not sure whether the year is 1904 or 1914.

(from the Jack & Marge Day collection)

that’s a lot of firemen

Jennifer — Wed, 25 Jan 2012 19:30:50 +0000

It would appear that the entire fire station turned out for this (undated) portrait.

(from the Jack & Marge Day collection)

the disappearing driver

Jennifer — Tue, 24 Jan 2012 20:30:55 +0000

This man obviously wanted a portrait of his turnout, but all we can see of him are his knees and his hands. This photo appears to have been taken in Manchester, New Hampshire, but I don’t have a date.

(from the Jack & Marge Day collection)

more snow!

Jennifer — Mon, 23 Jan 2012 20:00:19 +0000

Although this old photograph is, sadly, not in the best of shape, it looks like the entire family gathered to have their picture taken.

A handwritten notation at the bottom of the matting reads, “Photograph of Mr. Fear['s] Homplace, taken Jan. 11,1888, Wednesday.”

(from the Jack & Marge Day collection)

snow!

Jennifer — Sun, 22 Jan 2012 20:30:43 +0000

Here in Lexington, we’ve had a rather mild winter so far (*knocks on wood*). But it is January, after all, so let’s look next at a couple of sleighing photos.

I have no idea when or where this photo was taken, but the horses, the driver, and the passengers all look rather cosy in their furry winter coats.

(from the Jack & Marge Day collection)

tandem driving in India, part 9

Jennifer — Sat, 21 Jan 2012 20:00:12 +0000

About two months ago, we began a read-along of sorts: small weekly morsels comprising the chapter on tandem driving in the first volume of The Sports Library (by Mr. T. F. Dale), published in 1899. We missed last Saturday’s installment because I was out of town and reporting on our CAA International Carriage Symposium at Colonial Williamsburg, but Mr. Dale is back this week!

Today, the ninth part:

… Many amusing little incidents I recollect, but only two adventures.

On one stage the evening journey ended at a little police-station. There was no regular rest house, but there were a couple of rooms for the use of European or superior native officers when traveling. This stood in the middle of a wide and treeless plain. One day I was driving along quietly as usual when my attention was attracted by thunder growling on the horizon. I looked up, for rain is rare in those parts, but there on three sides were three separate storms creeping along towards us. Tropical thunderstorms and rain are not pleasant to be out in on a bare plain, besides I had my bedding strapped on under the driving-seat and the nights were chill, so I decided to race the storm. I think the ponies were a bit frightened, for they laid themselves out to gallop well, and soon I had them at full stretch. The thunder growled, the crimson lightning ran along the ground, the darkness swept down over us till I could barely see my leader’s ears, and it was all I could do to keep the team on the road. Soon I did not know where I was, when I saw the dark square of the little police post loom up, pulled up, unstrapped the bedding, and bolted for shelter just as the rain came down in sheets. As it happened the little post was the very center of the disturbance and we were lucky to get the horses and ourselves into shelter. …