Portland-Style Sleigh

This sleigh was made around 1850 and represents the type of vehicles made in Portland, Maine, beginning in the early 1800s. Nathaniel Currier (1813-1888), founder of the print-making firm Currier & Ives, is thought to have been the owner. Currier kept a vacation home on Lions Mouth Road in Amesbury until his death in 1888.

This single seat sleigh has wood runners with iron rims. The iron fittings are hand-wrought which help give it an early date. It has a red cotton plush upholstered seat with cushion fall and a black nylon rug (replacement).

The exterior is painted yellow with red trim and green stenciling. “W” is painted on the side panels and “1775” is painted on the back. The shaft is wood, painted yellow with red trim.

Dimensions: 6 feet 4 inches long (not including shaft), 3 feet wide, 3 feet 8 inches high.

This sleigh is in good condition, with some obvious repairs to the upholstery and rug.