The
Carriage Trimmers' Manual: Guide Book and Illustrated Technical
Dictionary, written in 1881 by William N. FitzGerald, a veteran
of the carriage industry, was the most comprehensive addition to
trade literature on the subject at the time of its publication.
Rare, hard-to-find and long out of circulation, it is now back in
print to inspire a new generation of carriage enthusiasts. For curators
and carriage collectors, this in-depth and practical book is an
invaluable resource that provides descriptive text and illustrations
of numerous carriage interiors: from the everyday model to those
suited for royalty. Furthermore, the book describes the complexity
of materials—leathers, silks, laces—and range of skills (upholstering,
tufting, stitching and binding, cutting enameled leathers, making
leather sockets, welting, fabric selection, etc.) required for this
branch of the carriage trade. It also includes recipes for cleaning,
oiling and blacking leather, polishing metals and restoring ivory,
among others. For conservators, restorers and dealers in antique
furniture (especially upholstered 19th century furniture), this
is an indispensable guideline and instructive manual for the upholstery
trade in general. Tool collectors will benefit from the descriptions
and illustrations of trimmers' tools such as stuffing sticks, round
knives and shears. In her forward to this reprint edition, Merri
Ferrell (former curator and carriage historian) compares the book
to “the thrill of opening the door of a Brougham to discover a world
of upholstered damask, coach lace, mirrored vanities and pleated
headlining.” Let The Carriage Trimmers' Manual take you back
to that fascinating time as it brings a long-forgotten trade back
to life.
