Duc

A duc is an elegant gentlewoman's carriage accommodating two passengers, with a back seat for a servant, pulled by two horses. It was purchased by Roman Potocki in the Austrian company Nesselsdorfer Wagenbau for driving without servants for his second wife, Elżbieta née Radziwiłł. In Łańcut, the countess used it for her outings. The Łańcut duc in the natural wood colour is a luxury country carriage with a roof made of black varnished leather over a two-person main seat. Behind the seat, there is a suspended rear bench, i.e. a seat for one servant who offered assistance to the driving lady. At the front of the seat, there is an impressive fender on a frame, made of brown patent leather with nickel-plated arched rein holder with adjustable height and with two small lanterns in the front corners. The hood is attached to the front fender with a band with double stitching, equipped with a nickel mechanism that enables to fold it quickly and easily. Above the footstool, there is a folded apron made of black leather by the front fender, attached with two belts (spread over the knees of the driving lady during rain or heavy dust). The metal parts of the chassis are covered with black varnish, without any stripes. The main seat with a soft wedge for driving is upholstered with sand-coloured corduroy and decorated with silk haberdashery trim. The seat of the servant’s bench is upholstered with the same type of corduroy. The hood is lined with a soft fabric in a similar sandy colour. The duc of the Potocki family from Łańcut is the only carriage of this type in Europe. It has been preserved in the original form, which is also quite exceptional. Aldona Cholewianka-Kruszyńska