A Spill-out On the Snow, Currier & Ives, 1870 (Museum of the City of New York, Harry T. Peter Collection, 58.300.100)

Working in a museum brings with it nice surprises, and this happened with one of the Museum’s recent acquisitions. In September 2004, the Museum received an offer of a number of horse–drawn vehicles. The description of one of the vehicles was particularly intriguing—privately I hoped I would find a lovely sleigh like those depicted in Currier & Ives prints. And so, on a beautiful sunny October day, I left with my conservator colleague, Sue Warren, to examine the vehicles on offer. These had been stored in a barn since the early 1960s and covered, more or less, with large sheets of paper.

Albany Cutter (CSTM 2004.0023)

The lines of the first vehicle we approached were indistinguishable in the shadows. We removed the paper and as our eyes adapted to the dim light, they took in the curved outlines of a charming sleigh with decorative design. My wish had come true: this was indeed an Albany cutter. Its provenance and excellent condition made it an ideal candidate for the Museum’s collection, which includes fifty–one runner-mounted vehicles and seventy–six wheeled vehicles of various types.