Book Description

Writing at the turn of the century, Francis T. Underhill provided horse and carriage owners with a comprehensive guidebook that described how a well turned-out carriage should look and be handled. An expert in coaching and equipage, Underhill wrote with enthusiasm and a thorough knowledge of the subject, offering his readers a wealth of information about horses, harnesses, coaches, stables, and liveries, as well as useful "suggestions to the inexperienced." Republished now in its entirety, this delightfully entertaining volume depicts in more than 100 black-and-white captioned photographs of scores of vehicles: a "turned out" road coach, hooded gig, an elegant George IV phaëton, a Paris lady's chaise, hansome cab, landau, coupé d' Orsay, omnibus, depot wagon, buckboard, a smart "lady's country trap," and many more. In addition to elegant carriages, practical buggies, and cozy carts, this remarkable archive provides a fascinating visual commentary on nineteenth-century culture and life, recalled in vintage photographs of coachmen and grooms, stable and coachroom interiors as well as "night and dress clothing" for the properly accoutered horse. Reprinted from a rare original edition published at the height of the age of horse-drawn transportation, this authentic sourcebook will be welcomed by model builders, transportation buffs, artists in need of authentic period illustrations, and anyone interested in the bygone era of leisurely pre-automobile travel.