Here’s what I want to know: Did the person in charge of the delivery wagon on the right side of this street in Saginaw, Michigan (c. 1908) actually park it there, or did the horse decide to climb the curb on his own?
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March 27, 2014
March 21, 2014
two days with the horse-drawn artillery
Posted by Jennifer under Carriage Journal magazine, harness, reference, upcoming articles[2] Comments
Back in October 2012, at the annual reenactment of the Civil War battle at Perryville (here in Kentucky), A.J. and I met the members of a Tennessee-based horse-drawn artillery unit.
Turns out they host a “horse-drawn artillery school” each spring … and this year’s installment is this weekend. We’ll be there, gathering stories and photos, and probably shouting at each other because, of course, we’ll need to remember to wear our earplugs!
We’re both rather ridiculously excited about this opportunity, and looking forward to sharing photos and stories here on the blog and in an upcoming issue of The Carriage Journal. Stay tuned!
March 20, 2014
flying cars – guest CMA post
Posted by Jennifer under carriages / carriage types, historyLeave a Comment
Here’s our first guest post from Mindy, the librarian for the CMA …
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I’m always excited when someone asks me a research question that takes me deep into the archives. I love any excuse to spend a few hours carefully turning the pages of The Hub and The Carriage Monthly. The articles are gold mines of information, and I never fail to learn something new. But the pages before and after the articles might be my favorite part. I love looking at old advertisements – reading the claims made by competing companies, questioning the way they boast, finding accessories I’ve never seen before and wondering exactly how they work. These ads can often teach us a lot.
Sometimes the advertisements just make me smile. Like this one, for the varnish maker Valentine & Company. Check out this form of “Rapid Transit” envisioned for 1900 – an “aerial dog cart” …
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Valentine & Company was a frequent advertiser in The Hub. This particular ad was published on September 1, 1877 (Vol. 19, No. 6). Looking through Valentine advertisements and catalogs, I’ve noticed that carriage word-play was a common theme throughout their marketing materials. We’ll be sharing more of their entertaining prints in future posts!
Stimson & Valentine was formed in 1832 as a merger of a paint dealership and a commercial varnish producer. Around 1860, Valentine brothers Lawson and Henry became sole partners in the business and renamed it Valentine & Company. They soon made the decision to hire a chemist, Charles Homer, who worked to perfect their product.
Valentine & Company relocated to New York City in 1870, and began specializing in varnishes for vehicle finishing. By the turn of the century, Valentine & Company had branch offices throughout the country, and had won dozens of international medals for its high-quality varnish.
L. Valentine Pulsifer joined the company in 1903, putting his Harvard University chemistry degree to work. In 1907, Pulsifer produced a new product called Valspar, the first clear varnish. In 1932, Valentine & Company began to operate as a subsidiary of the newly formed Valspar Corporation, which is still in business today.
March 18, 2014
I just found out that the CAA’s “sister organization,” the Carriage Museum of America, has a brand-new Facebook page. If you’re so inclined, please do take a look at their page and give it a “like.”
The CMA isn’t actually a museum, but is in fact a library and archives filled with carriage- and driving-related history, images, and research information. Both the library and archives are housed here in our CAA headquarters, alongside the CAA’s own collection of books.
Many of the images, old prints, and stories that I’ve shared here on the blog have come straight out of the CMA’s collections. I’d like to be able to share even more of these reprints with you … and Mindy (the librarian in charge of the CMA’s collection) has agreed to serve as an occasional guest-blogger here. Between the two of us, we’ll attempt to bring you more history, tidbits, and treasures from the CMA’s and CAA’s collections, so stay tuned!
March 17, 2014
I was doing a bit of online research this afternoon and came across a fascinating video, celebrating last year’s 300th anniversary of the Treaty of Utrecht.
If you’re a history buff or a fan of old prints and artwork, you’ll no doubt appreciate the beautiful views … and if you’re a regular reader of the blog, you should certainly appreciate the “carriage ride” aspect of the visit.
Enjoy!
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If the embedded video won’t play on your computer, you can see it on YouTube.
The Slower Road 