Kielce Carriage

A Kielce-type britzschka in a natural wood colour intended for a pair of horses in a collar harness. The Kielce-type britzschka is the only carriage in the Łańcut coach house that belonged to another family in the past and was marked with other emblems. It was manufactured in the FK Buraków Carriage and Britzschka Factory in Kielce for an unknown nobleman ˗ on the label attached to the body of the carriage, there are two emblems (Przyjaciel) of the wife and Jastrzębiec (of the husband). Originally, it was also kept in an unknown landed estate in the Kielce region, from where it was purchased by Jerzy Potocki for his brother Alfred Antoni to Łańcut. The country Kielce-type britzschka used for outings has two ˗ one behind the other ˗ double seats upholstered with beige corduroy with a possibility of their replacement. The front seat in the form of an upholstered bench without a back rest and with low side walls is upholstered and has low walls/ supports lined with brown leather on the outside. The main seat with analogous side walls has a high full back rest, which is quilted with buttons and trimmed with brown leather on the outside. Over the main seat, there is a canvass roof in a natural colour that may be disassembled. At the front of the body, on its sides, there are two handles for mounting two rectangular carriage lanterns. The simple front fender and the lateral arched mudguards, connected with an openwork footboard suspended on the footstool, are made of wood. The undercarriage is varnished in black with yellow lining. The Kielce-type britzschka was used in Łańcut by Alfred Antoni Potocki to get to hunting appointments. It was also one of two carriages used during the visit paid to Łańcut ordynat by the contemporary President of the Republic of Poland, Ignacy Mościcki in 1929. The guests and the host went for an outing in the park in the Kielce-type britzschka pulled by a team of two horses. Professor Ignacy Mościcki, President of the Republic of Poland, occupied the main seat at the front (without roof). The Kielce-type britzschka of the Potocki family is one of few vehicles of this type that have been preserved and the only Kielce-type britzschka in the original condition. Aldona Cholewianka-Kruszyńska