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• Auction House:
  Donington Auctions
• Sale Name:
  Collectors' Motorcycles, Cars & Horse Drawn Carriages - Featuring the Private Museum of Racing Driver Bryan Thomson
• Sale Date:
  20 Jun 2021 ~ 2pm (AEST)
• Lot #:
  46
• Lot Description:
  THE DUNHILL MINIATURE PHAETON, 18th Century
  The wealthy Dunhill family, who amassed a fortune through tobacco plantations in the 18th century, commissioned this beautiful miniature vehicle for their children in the 1750s, for use on their Welsh country estate. Miniature Park Phaetons were designed to be drawn by two large dogs, or two goats, and led by a groom, for the entertainment of children and also to help teach children to drive a full-size horse drawn carriage. Toys of the wealthy, the vehicles were of exceptional quality and featured beautiful carved frames and elaborate paintwork and trim. This charming example, extraordinarily rare in Australia, carries the Dunhill family crest on the backboard, and has seating for one, with four raked wooden hub wheels with iron tyres and facility for a pole. Part of a famous carriage driving collection in Wales, it was gifted to a student in the 1970s and brought to Australia. Although extensively affected by old woodworm, this delightful 18th century vehicle is mainly intact and eminently restorable, and while its driving days may be over there can hardly be any more interesting and earlier carriage in any Australian collection.
• Provenance:
  Private collection, Wales; Private collection, Sydney; Mill Pond Farm Collection, Braidwood NSW; Private collection, Goulburn NSW
• Estimate:
  A$2,000 - 3,000
• Realised Price:
  $0.00
• Category:
  Automobiles & Accessories

This Sale has been held and this item is no longer available. Details are provided for information purposes only.