Carriage Restoration 1981

After completing a yacht repair for this man, I restored his 100 year old horse drawn carriage.

This was truly a great project and a lot of fun. The picture shows the carriage once it was completed. It looked
a whole lot different when I started.

The original wood, which was quite decayed, was Hickory, Poplar, and Cherry.
The replacement woods were mostly Honduras Mahogany, Eastern Maple, and Western Birch.
Then I spray lacquered everything black. I believe I did all the upholstery work as well.

This coach was, as I say, 100 years old when I did this work. That was in 1981 or so. After completing
this project and presenting it to the ecstatic client, he added a small project for me. I designed, built and
installed coachman’s seat. All suspended on springy wrought iron. Just like old school stage coaches.
As I said, a genuine fun project.

This fellow.....I am guessing at his name, Arnie...or Archie?.....was very proud of this buggy as it was
apparently quite rare. He called it a 'vise a vise', which I am quite sure I have mis-spelled.....it is supposed
to be French for 'face to face'. The new coachman’s seat made it all the more fun for him to use.

I have always been sad that I did not take a picture once the coachman’s seat was attached.