Char-á-Bancs

A gentleman's brake to be driven without servants in the four-in-hand configuration. Originally, it was owned by Mikołaj Potocki in Paris, where his coach house was located next to Hȏtel Potocki at Av. Friedland. It was brought to Łańcut in 1923, as part of inheritance after Mikołaj Potocki, who made a distant cousin, Alfred Antoni Potocki, fourth Ordynat, his successor. The brake was purchased by Mikołaj Potocki in the Parisian Kellner company. It Łańcut, it was used to get to hunting appointments and for summer outings with Ordynat’s guests. During the visit of the Duke and Duchess of Kent in 1937, it was used for an outing ˗ Marina, Duchess of Kent, sat next to Ordynat who was driving the brake. Two servants stood behind the back bench. The brake, with a chest-type, simple black and yellow body with a rectangular door, has an elevated gentlemen’s box with a soft wedge seat. In front of the box, there is a front fender made of black leather on a frame, next to which there are three pairs of metal handles for rifles. At the sides of the box, there are handles for two lanterns. Behind the box, in the passenger section, there are two lower two-person vis-à-vis benches and a third bench for servants, lower and rear facing. All the benches are provided with back rests, upholstered with brown leather and metal railings. By the bench, the back side of the body could be folded to form a footstool for the servants who stood on it during the ride (forward facing) and acted as assistants ˗ one of them was sounding the trumpet. On the right hand side, there is leather case for the trumpet, varnished in yellow. The chassis is varnished, yellow, with black stripes and lining. The brake of the Potocki family in Łańcut is one of few vehicles of this type in Europe. It has been preserved in the original condition, which is exceptional. Aldona Cholewianka-Kruszyńska