ROAD COACH “DEFIANCE”
Body painted black with red gear. Varnished interior; wicker seats.
The DEFIANCE was built by Brewster and Company, New York for Mr. C. Ledyard Blair, father of the donor, and belonged to him over a period of nearly 50 years. Originally painted in his colors, primrose and black, the coach was driven in many parades and on coaching club trips. In 1935 Mr. Blair presented this coach to Mr. Richard V. N. Gambrill, husband of the donor, and at that time it was repainted in the regular Gambrill colors.
These coaches were copies of the earlier English mail coach and each was given its own name. Points of departure, destination and intermediate towns were painted in bright colors to a set pattern, and the names “Vernon Manor, Peapack, Gladstone, Far Hills and Bedminster” appear on this coach.
Gift of Mrs. Gambrill in memory of her husband, Mr. Richard V. N. Gambrill
SKELETON BREAK
Body and gear painted bright yellow with black.
The skeleton break (or brake) was used to exercise the four-in-hand team and also for breaking the team to harness. The driver’s seat was placed high and this offered him some protection in his dangerous task of putting-to and subduing the horses when they first commenced their team work. Youngsters or fresh horses would be put-to in double harness to a break with an old and reliable specially trained “break horse” or “schoolmaster.” An additional stable-helper would usually stand on the front platform holding on behind the box so that he was free to jump easily on or off as occasion demanded, thus leaving the driver free to cope with his inevitable problems brought on by the high spirits of the fresh “young one.”