First published in 1881 by veteran carriage craftsman William N. FitzGerald, The Carriage Trimmer’s Manual is a rare and richly detailed resource for anyone working with or studying antique carriage interiors and 19th-century upholstery techniques.
This 400-page softcover reprint offers a wealth of historical information, including detailed illustrations and descriptive text covering a variety of carriage interior designs, trim techniques, and authentic upholstery tools used in the trade. From stuffing sticks to round knives and shears, the book showcases the essential tools and their proper use.
Ideal for conservators, carriage restorers, upholsterers, and antique furniture professionals, this manual also features original recipes for cleaning, oiling, and blacking leather, preserving authentic 19th-century methods for maintaining materials.
Whether you're a tool collector, historical researcher, or hands-on craftsman, this long-out-of-print guide is an essential addition to your workshop or library.
Specifications
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Format: Softcover
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Pages: 400
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Size: 6" x 9" x 1"
- Illustrated with black-and-white drawings and diagrams
- Includes leather care recipes, tool descriptions, and upholstery techniques
Contents:
CHAPTER 1: Carriage Trimmers' Materials
- CARRIAGE CLOTHS
- Clean stock vs. Shoddy-Weighting-Domestics, English and German Cloths-Unreliability of colors- Indigo and Wood dyes, Wool and Pieces Dyed- Lustrous and Dull Surfaces- Piece Lengths, Widths, Weights and Prices.
- PATENT AND ENAMELED LEATHER
- Hides Used- Tonnage- Methods of Splitting- Machine Buffing - Grading, Measuring, Cutting, Etc.
- HARNESS LEATHER
- Weights Most Available- Cutting - Finishing- Oak Tanned vs. Hemlock- Long, Weight and Trimmed Stock- Backs- Morocco
- COACH LACES
- Their Long-Continued Use- Past and Present Styles-Amount Used- Classification- Colors and Shades- Worsted and Silk Laces- Rep and Cut- Width- Length of Pieces- Tufts, Tassels, Gimp Nails, Cords, Etc. How Laces are Woven- Machine vs Hand-made.
- THREADS AND SILKS
- Linen Thread- Numbers and Sizes- Silk- Skein Thread
- CURLED HAIR, MOSS, ETC
- Qualities of Hair- Market Price- Process of Manufacture- Picking- Black Moss-How Cured- "Excelsior"- "Rowen."
- TRIMMERS' PASTE
- Wheat and Rye Flour Pastes- How to Cook-Prepared Paste for Summer Use
CHATPER 2: TABLES OF TRIMMING MATERIALS
- Cheap materials not a Requisite for Medium Grades of Work- Wastage in Cutting Stock- Trimming Cheap Work- Profits- Little Things to be Looked After Leave Low-Priced Work to large Manufacturers-The Work that is the Most Salable- Value of the Trimming Tables
- TABLES
- Road Wagon, No. 1: Top Wagon, No.2; Whitechapel Buggy, No. 3: Britton Buggy, No. 4; Goddard Buggy No. 5: Jenny Lind, No. 6; Coal-Box Buggy, No. 7; Doctor's Phaeton, No. 8; No-Top Surrey, No.9; Top Surrey, No. 10; Standing-Top Wagon, No. 11; Pney Phaeton, No. 12; ladies' Phaeton, No. 13; Ladies' Phaeton, with Rumble, No. 14; Half-Top Four-passenger Phaeton, No. 15; Extension-Top Four- Passenger Phaeton, No. 16; Extension-Top Six-Passenger Phaeton, No. 17; Close-Quarter Four- Passenger Rockaway, No. 18; Curtain Rockaway, Four Passenger, No. 19; Square-Box Four Passenger Rockaway, No.20; Glass-Quarter Six Passenger Rockaway, No 22; Cabriolet, No. 23; Victoria, No. 24; Round Cabriolet, No. 25; vis-à-vis, No. 26; Extension-Top Brett, No. 27; Coupe, No. 28; Brougham, No. 29; Landau, Leather top, No. 32; Landau, Glass Front, No. 33; Glass-Quarter coach, No. 34; Dog Cart, No. 35; T-Cart, No. 36; Mail Phaeton, No. 37; Dog Cart, No. 38; Boston Chaise, No. 39; Two-wheel Stanhope, No. 40; Village Cart, No. 41; Extension- Top Wagonette, No. 42; Jump Seat, No. 43; Depot Wagon, No.44; No-Top Beach Wagon, No. 45; Portland sleigh, No. 46; Russo-Canadian Sleigh, No. 47; new York Cutter, No. 48; Albany Cutter, No. 49; Albany Pony Sleigh, No 50; Albany Six-Seat Sleigh, No. 52; Wagonette, No-Top, No. 53.
CHAPTER 3: TECHNICS OF TRIMMING
- General Principles and conditions- Cutting and Tufting Cushions and Squibs- Characteristics of Good Work
CHAPTER 4: SETTING TOPS
- Primary Rule- Leveling the body- Making Working Draft - Locating Props - Cutting Frame - Cutting Bows- Top Frame- Measuring Joints- Bow Supports
CHAPTER 5: COVERING DASHES
- Selecting and Cutting Stock - Grain and Split Dash - Peculiarities of Different Portions of a Side-Drawing on the Leather-Stitching, Trimming and Finishing Edges
CHAPTER 6: SEAT FALLS AND BACKS
- Hard and Soft- Welting-Stitching and Binding- Pipe and Pleated, Quilted and Corded Falls- Cutting and Making Backs- Material Used.
CHAPTER 7: STUFFING CUSHIONS- COVERING GLASS FRAMES AND BOWS
- Material Used for Stuffing- The Stuffing Stick - cotton Overlay- Cloth for Frames- Pasting on- Paste Stick- Bow Covers- Stitching- Welts and Binding.
CHAPTER 8: DETAILED DIRECTIONS FORTRIMMING A TOP BUGGY
- Setting the Top-Obtaining Length of Joints-Making Cushions-Cutting Out and Covering Top- Making and Putting in Head-Lining and Making Curtains.
CHAPTER 9: DETAILED DIRECTIONS FOR TRIMMING AN EXTENSION TOP
- Setting the Top-Cutting Enameled Leather- Getting Length of Joints- Covering- Curtains- Making Cushions.
CHAPTER 10: MISCELLANY-BRIC-A-BRAC
- Biscuit Cushions-Cheap Cushion- Head Linings-Tops- Sponging Cloth- Moths-Lace Falls- Paste-Aprons- Box Loops- Cloths- Curled Hair- Straps- Curtains-Fixtures
CHAPTER 11: HAMMER CLOTH SEAT
- Making Frames- Cutting Patterns- Making Up Foundations- Priming- Covering with Cloth- Colors and Shades of Cloth Used
CHAPTER 12: WHIP SOCKETS
- Sockets of Leather, Metal and Wood-Making Leather Sockets- Peculiarities of construction- Notched Top Rubbers- Soft Rubber Linings- Fasteners.
CHAPTER 13: COACH AND CARRIAGE LAMPS
- Private Carriage Lamps- Candle- Oil- materials- Numbers- Sizes- Measurements- Technical Names- Prices- Styles.
CHAPTER 14: TRIMMER'S TOOLS
- Qualities- How Made- Tool Box- Trimmer's Kit and Shop Outfit
CHAPTER 15: REPAIRING CARRIAGE
- Diversity in Prices- Estimating-Stock-Tables of Repairs of Eastern and Middle, Western and Southern States
CHAPTER 16: RECIPES
- Cleaning, Oiling and Blacking Leather- Polishing Metals- Restoring Ivory- Cleaning Cloths, Glass, Etc.
CHAPTER 17: CARE OF CARRIAGES
- Furnishing a Repository- Lighting-Curtains- Ventilation- Dusting and Washing Vehicles- General Rules for Care of Carriages by Users
CHAPTER 18: TRIMMERS' TECHNICAL DICTIONARY
- Materials Described and Illustrated- Technical and Other Terms.
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