Gentlewoman’s coach

A gentlewoman’s coach is the oldest horse-drawn carriage in the Potocki Coach House in Łańcut. At the same time, it is one of six “ancient” (as they were called in Łańcut during the Potocki times) carriages, which in the past belonged to the former owners and ancestors of third ordynat Roman Potocki, which he kept from the old Łańcut coach house and which were set in the new one, constructed by him at the beginning of the 20th century. The coach, similarly to some other “ancient” carriages was sent to Vienna at the same time, where its restoration was carried out. It is the only one on which the date of completion of the renovation was placed on the chassis: 19.02.1904. The coach, in the Łańcut inventories also known as cariole, was a carriage which belonged to Marshal Izabela Lubomirska née Czartoryska, and was used for outings in Łańcut. She drove it on her own. The rear bench was occupied by a stable boy who accompanied the Marshal Princess and sat facing backwards, with his legs dropped down. This was a fixed rule applied for carriages driven by owners: the accompanying servants (in Poland known as stable boys and in Great Britain as grooms) were not only ceremonial assistance ˗ they brought and took back the carriage and the horses ready for an outing, took care of the horse and the carriage when the drivers ˗ a gentlewoman or a gentleman ˗ left it during the outing. The coach is varnished in yellow and black colours, with patent leather elements in black and metal parts. The body has a conch-like shape, suspended on four “C” springs and a perch structure of the undercarriage with regulation gear. It may be driven by a team of two ponies, or alternately by a team of three ˗ at the right-hand side, there is a special hook for this purpose by the front spring. This coach of the Potocki family from Łańcut has been preserved in the original condition and is exceptional in Europe. Aldona Cholewianka-Kruszyńska