Horse Drawn Vehicle Books

3D Wagon Reference. Terry A. Moore. Actual 3D images of a typical farm wagon running gear and box views with gear and what each part of the wagon is called. Also an Index on parts, Wagon Dictionary and a list of wagon makers. Terry also sells wagon parts. 25 pages, soft cover 8½" x 11"

$29.95

Abbot, Downing Co Their catalog & price list from 1895 with pictures and drawings of their Coaches, buggies and wagons. 32 pages, soft cover 5½ X 8½"

$4.00

American Carriages, Sleighs, Sulkies and Carts Don H. Berkebile Accurate representation of the vehicles used from 1850 -1900 including carriages, carts and sleighs.168 pages 8½ x 9½"

Now out of print but I have a couple used copies in stock $15.00 each + s/h

American Horse-Drawn Vehicles Jack D. Rittenhouse. One of the greatest books with a wide variety of buggies and wagons of all kinds. 8 ½ X 11". The book is out of print - but I have found a few copies with the dust jackets. Some jackets have slight tears but the book is in very good condition.

$40.00 gently used

The Art of The Wheelwright. Dave Engel This is a two tape set - Evaluating Wheels and Building Traditional Light Wheels, showing start to finish how to build a wheel with lots of valuable information on what to look for on an old wheel. This takes the mystery out of the craft of wheel making. Now on Flash Drive

Bohon's Blue Grass Buggies. The D.T. Bohon Co. Harriodsburg, KY. This is the 200 page catalog from 1916 scanned on four CDs. Extremely detailed with many illustrations of buggies, surreys, spring wagons, pony vehicles and harness. Color and black and white.

Civil War Caisson, Field Artillery - No. 62. Book is too big to scan, at 11 x 17". Details on the Caisson including the wood work, irons, bolts, rivets, mails. Complete details, measurements, drawings and dimensions to help you build or restore a Caisson. 120 pages soft cover. See the other plans at Civil War Era

$35 + $14 s/h

Carriage and Wagon Makers' Machinery and Tools Kenneth L. Cope As the title suggests this is about the machinery used by the wagon builders and especially wheelwrights.  This may not be of interest to hobbyist - but this would interest anyone making wheels, or historians following the industrial age. The book lists many of the machinery makers alphabetically in 200 pages. 8 ½ x 11" soft cover.

$25.95 + $12 s/h

The Carriage Collection The Museums at Stony Brook In these pages you can see the various types of vehicles in production including personal vehicles, Gypsy wagon, Coaches, Pleasure Driving, Sleighs, Freight & Trade, public transportation and fire-fighting vehicles. Details include the vehicle name, maker, date (when known), dimensions and condition of the vehicle. Soft cover,127 pages. This is out of print but I have two gently used copies. $30.00

Carriage Monthly - April 1890 & March 1891 combined - Loopfront Phaeton, Omnibus, Wagonette, Vis-à-Vis, Kensington, Cabriolet, Wagon Truck, Laundry Wagon. $10.00

Carriage Monthly - August 1881 - Standing Top Wagon, Rockaway, Buggy, Wagonette, Cutters & Sleighs. $11.50

Carriage Terminology Don Berkebile One of the most important books for your library. Detailed entries explain the use and appearance of each carriage or wagon with 539 illus. This is the best book for identifying of almost every vehicle. 488 pages, Cloth bound, 8½ X 11" 

Carriage Trimmer's Manual: written in 1881 by William N. FitzGerald, the most comprehensive addition to trade literature on the subject at the time. For curators and carriage collectors, this in-depth and practical book is an invaluable resource that provides descriptive text and illustrations of numerous carriage interiors: from the everyday model to those suited for royalty. The book describes the complexity of leathers, silks, laces and range of skills (tufting, stitching and binding, welting, fabric selection, etc.) required for this branch of the carriage trade. It also includes recipes for cleaning, oiling and blacking leather, polishing metals and restoring ivory, among others. 400 pages. 6 x 9". Illustrated with B&W pictures and drawings. Soft cover.

$32.95 + $9 s/h

Collection of Essays on Horse Drawn Carriages & Carriage Parts Dr. Gordon S. Cantle. Taken from various publications on carriage design and construction, wheelmaking and other parts, this book is a technical reference for the serious builder. B&W drawings, 81 pages. Soft cover. 8 X 12"

$24.50

Competition Vehicles Walter Lorch A well illustrated book to assist in maintenance and the construction of competition vehicles, including metal wheels, brakes & hydraulics. 74 pages. Hardcover with dust jacket. 8 ½ X 10" Out of Print

$95 I have one gently used copy in stock.

Coach Lace for Passenger Vehicles by Susan Green The most comprehensive book on the subject of a woven textile trim known as coach lace used for trimming around the upholstery of horse-drawn vehicles, early automobiles, and early trains. Includes a chapter on weaving it starting in 1871 to the present weaving of coach lace. There is a comprehensive list of 18th and 19th century manufacturers and anything that is known about for both American and Great Britain. The book is profusely illustrated throughout with color photos of coach lace and how it was used on upholstery. Includes several 1000 illustrations. Hard cover, 548 pages. Only a few left in stock by the publisher.
$120 plus $14 s/h

Coson Carriage Collection at Beechdale Beautiful color photos of an incredible collection of coaches and carriages. Great reference for painting & refinishing vehicles. Soft cover book in a hard protective case. 175 pages, 11 X 8"

$65.00

The Great Blue Army Wagon Thomas Lindmier Wagons used and developed by the Quartermaster Department of the US Army were perfected over the years. The six and four-horse or mule wagons and the Army Escort Wagon were used from the Revolutionary War into the 20th century. This book offers the dimensions, drawings, correct paint colors and harness details. 136 pages, 8 ½ x 11"

$30.00

The Gruber Wagon Works, The place Where Time Stood Still by Carol J. Hunsberger presented by the Society for the Preservation of the Gruber Wagon Works. If you are interested in the history of the company - this book is for you. Hardcover, 196 pages 8 ½ X 11 ¼"

$35.00

Harness Racing Vehicles Michael P. D'Amato, Esq. & Susan Green This is a one of a kind book dedicated to a variety of two wheel and four wheel vehicles used for racing including the Road Rider and Speeding Wagons. It is a benefit to the restorer providing identification tools for almost every historical cart, wagon and sulky known and there is a list of current tracks. Many wonderful color plates by Currier and Ives of harness racing . Also construction information, detailed descriptions of many vehicles, measurements and a fold out Working Drawings for building an 1885 Sulky. Hardcover 204 pages approx 6 x 8 ½"

$32.50

Historical Guide to Wagon Hardware and Blacksmithing Supplies Part of the 1909 Geo. Worthington Co. catalog of Cleveland, OH. This is a great reference to identify pieces and parts of wagon hardware and tools. (The cover is black with gold lettering but it just didn't scan very good so I used the first page in the book for cover picture.) 202 pages, soft cover, 8 ½ X 11"

$24.95 + $14 s/h

Historical Vehicles in Miniature The Genius of Ivan Collins, Ron Brentano. This amazing collection has been re-photographed for this newer, improved edition. Helpful for model makers to see the finished vehicles and the colors they were painted. Color photos, 104 pages, soft cover. 9 x 9"

$21.95 Many of the plans for vehicles in this book are available - click here to see all the Plans

Hitch Wagons for City Driving Compiled by The Carriage Museum. This book is full of information on the hitch wagons and has plans for many types. No other book offers this much information on the 5th wheel wagons. 392 pages, soft cover, 10 X 12"

 $53.00 + $12 s/h

Horse-Drawn Cabs by the Carriage Museum of America. Now in a three-ring binder of historical facts, engineering drawings, construction details and turnouts from the 19th century. This book has the specifications and drawing for the Two-Wheeled Cabs; the Four-Wheel Cabs; Historical Notes and Turnouts. Most of the information comes from the Carriage Monthly and The Hub the two leading trade publications from the 19th century. 300 illustrations, 198 pages.

$32.00 + $8 s/h

Horse Drawn Carriage Construction, John Thompson. Structure and methods of building vehicles from the lumber to painting. Of interest to carriage enthusiasts and model builder. 76 pages 7 ½ X 9 ¾"

$21.00

Horse Drawn Carriages John Thompson. 19th Century carriages, plans, Illus and ads from trade journals in England with detailed information on the Barouche, Landau, Victoria, Phaetons, Brougham, Gigs and more. 100 pages. 7 ½ X 9 ¾"

$21.00

Horse-Drawn Commercial Vehicles, Don Berkebile. Very well illustrated resource book covering hundreds of 19th century vehicles used in business including stagecoaches, deliver wagons, fire engines & more. 255 photos & Illus.160 pages. Soft cover 8" X 11"

$19.95

Horse-Drawn Farm Implements Part l Ploughs Compiled by John Thompson No. 3 in a series of sourcebooks. Soft cover 76 pages 7 ½" x 9 ½". Contains a selection of engravings, plans and descriptions of ploughs, harrows, horse hoes and cultivators from 19th Century agricultural encyclopaedias, text-books and manufacturers catalogs." This series of 4 books are mostly about the British farm implements.

$25

Horse-Drawn Farm Implements Part ll Preparing the Soil Compiled by John Thompson No. 4 in a series of source books. Containing a selection of engravings and contemporary descriptions of cultivators, horse-hoes, rollers and harrows, reproduced from 19th Century agricultural books and manufacturers catalogs. Soft cover, 84 pages, 7 ½ x 9 ½"

$25

Horse-Drawn Farm Implements Part lll Sowing and Haymaking Compiled by John Thompson No. 5 in a series of source books. Containing a selection of engravings, plans and descriptions of horse drawn reapers, threshing machines, seed drills and other implements from 19th Century agricultural books and manufacturer's catalogues. Soft cover 80 pages 7 ½ x 9 ½"

$25

Horse-Drawn Farm Implements Part lV Harvesting Compiled by John Thompson No. 6 in a series of source books. Includes many diagrams of the early types of reapers, threshers, etc. soft cover, 72 pages 7.5 x 9.5"

$25

Horse Drawn Farm Vehicles John Thompson. Plans and illustration on English style farm carts and wagons. 80 pages,7 ½ X 9 ¾"

$21.00

Horse-Drawn Funeral Vehicles 19th Century Carriage Museum of America. This is the most comprehensive book on hearses, undertakers' wagons, embalmers' wagons, pall-bearers' coaches and florists' wagons, with specifications and engineering drawings for the different vehicles. There is information on the leading hearse manufacturers; chapters from the old trade journals and a collection of engravings from Harper's Weekly and other sources. Also included are Military Funerals with Caisson and so much more! 800 illustrations, 414 pages.

$35 + $12 s/h Back in print for a limited time! It's soft cover this time.

Horse-Drawn Military, Civilian, Veterinary Ambulances, Carriage Museum of America. Susan Green has done it again! Everything you wanted to know about these fascinating, emergency care vehicles. Part one gathers together the information that had been printed about the Military ambulances including the harness used. This will be helpful for the re-enactors. Part two covers the ambulances used from around 1885-86 for civilian use including specs taken from the trade magazines, drawings and harness used plus the stories about what it was like to be on a call. The third section covers the wagons that were needed to help the sick and injured horses as well as the horse plague, care of the military horse, and other life and death issues. Soft cover, 370 pages 8 ½ X 11"

$35 + $12 s/h

Horse Drawn Omnibus John Thompson. A small variety of plans and illustrations from the early 1800's to 1910 on these vehicles used in England. 80 pages,7 ½ X 9 ¾", Soft cover

$21.00

Horse Drawn Sleighs 2nd edition Susan Green, The Carriage Museum of America. This is the most information you will ever find in one book on all types of sleighs. Taken from trade publications there are construction info, dimensions, materials, paint and other details. Load of illustrations and a few plans. 271 pages. Soft cover, 8 ½" X 11"  

$29.95 + $12 s/h  out of inventory but this is the only book about the subject so I will get more in with request.

Horse Drawn Trade Vehicles, John Thompson. Illustrations and a few plans for a variety of vehicles taken from trade journals in England about 1894. 7 ½ X 9 ¾" 64 pages Soft Cover

$21.00

Horse-Drawn Vehicles Colored Plates from the Hub, Carriage Museum of America Nov. 1882 - Jan. 1892 A unique collection of 150 colored plates with text and additional drawings. Limited edition 9 X 12". Hardcover. This book is beautiful and helpful for paint colors and striping. This is a huge book! Worth the price! Hard cover with dust jacket.

$125 + $16 s/h  Only one left.

How to Build a Bow Top, Walter Lloyd Step by step instructions for building a full size Bow Top Caravan. Soft Cover, 30 pages, small but very helpful. 5 ¾ X 8 ½". This book as been revised and finally available again!

$26.95 currently out of stock

How to Build a Traditional Farm Wagon or Chuck Wagon Fred Hanson. s. This is a huge spiral bound book with 557 pages, 8 ½ by 11". There are loads of photos (some in color) and drawings, dimensions, suppliers and a step-by-step how to build everything from axle setting to water barrels, bows and more. If you are building one of these wagons - you will want this book!

$95 + $14 s/h

The Hub A reprint of the May 1888 editions with working & drawings for phaetons, t-cart, Wagonette, one horse express wagon & Piano truck. 10 X 13 ½"

$15.00

John Deere Wagons Catalog #31. The descriptions, dimensions, capacity and drawings of the John Deere wagons and gears, boxes and other parts. 52 pages 7 X 8 ½"

$16.00

Manual of Falling Bow Tops for Horse-Drawn Vehicles Carriage Museum of America. This covers everything you wanted to know and didn't know who to ask about the tops, and covers on the horse drawn vehicles. 440 pages..Soft cover. 8 ½ x 11"

$75.00 + $12 s/h Only one left.

Manufacture of Carriage Wheels John S. Foggett, The first edition was printed in 1881, the 1892 edition expanded on the information. It details the making of wheels in England, the careful selection and processing of the timber and the construction the wheels; illustrated with four plates showing some of the simple machines used for making wheels. There is a chapter on tires that goes into the different tensile strengths of different metals, and the treatment of. numerous details on the mechanics of wheels such as dish. Susan Green added a huge Bibliography to encompass the other half of the book. 5 ¾ x 7 ¾", Soft cover, 136 pages.

$25

The Old Reliable The History of the Springfield Wagon Company 1872 - 1952 This is a masters thesis presented by Steven Lee Stepp.150 pages filled with history, photos, drawings, prices, part suppliers and the vehicles this company made. soft cover 8 ½ by 11"

$26.00

Painted Carts of Sicily, History on the Road Marcella Croce and Moira F. Harris A wonderful book full of colorful photos and drawings of these decorative carts that were pulled by horses, mules and donkeys. The carts (carretti) were elaborately carved wood and metal parts painted with symbolic designs and figures. Chapters include the history, makers, drivers in Sicily and Americas. Soft cover 108 pages. 9 ½ x 8 ½"

$19.95

Hitching Horse-Drawn Vehicles, double tree, neck yokes, poles, singletrees, traces 1833-1910, six (6) CDs $32.00

Horse Shoes and horse shoe making machines, nail making and related patent drawings $15

Jacks and Wrenches for Horse-drawn Vehicles $15

Springs for Horse-Drawn Vehicles $15

Steps for Horse-Drawn Vehicles $15

Trimming tops, dashboards, fenders, foot rests, step pads, whip sockets, rein holders, chafe irons, curtains, covers, aprons, and more. $15

Patent Drawings for Two Wheeled Carts Includes some additional sulkies. CD Susan Green has compiled a series of patented information with about 1,000 patent drawings. Does not include the patents for cabs and only some of the sulky patents. Includes all the images for drawings but only the first page of the text. Images are in tif format on two CDs. $15.00 CDs

Portfolio and Book: Split Hickory Vehicles for 1910, Ohio Carriage Manufacturing Co, Columbus, Ohio. This book has been out of print for a while and has just become available again. It was 172 pages but has been edited down to 104 pages. Lots of illustrations and information about the carriages and buggies they made, including the individual parts and different types of harness. Soft cover, 8 ½ x 11 ½" 

$45 one copy left

Practical Carriage Building M. T. Richardson. A reprint of Volume 1 and 2 in one book. This covers the making and repair of wheels, making wagons & carriages and a lot more. It is a comprehensive study on building carriages. 280 pages. Soft cover. 5 ½ X 8 ½"

$26.95

Private Stable Its Establishment, Management, and Appointments, James Garland. This book was originally published in 1899 with the pseudonym "Jorrocks". The 2007 edition is updated with a 24 page bibliography of newer and rare books on the stable. It has 24 chapters covering in detail every aspect of the stable from building and figuring out expenses to the proper turnout of horses for driving and different riding disciplines. Some of the information can only be found in this book, such as the making of straw mats or pillikins for decorating the stable. Besides the exhaustive details on everything to do with stable management, there is detailed information and illustrations for driving different carriages, riding side-saddle, riding for men, hunters and hunting, and exhibiting. 630 pages, 50 plates of black and white photographs. Awesome book!

$199 for the 1976 edition + $12 s/h Out of print. Also see Rare Books for other editions.

Secrets of Wheelwrighting -Tyres M. C. Hendrickson Most of the wheelwrights I know have consider this the best book on the subject. This comes from a master wheelwright in Australia. Soft cover 82 pages 8 ¼ X 11 ¾".

$95 - I have two copies - this will be the last  - they won't be printed again! Order it now!

Springfield Wagons Catalog Number 41 This shows a few of their farm, lumber, and log wagons, the gears, wheel sizes, weights and prices from 1915. 32 pages soft cover, 8 ½ X 6"

$20

Springs For Horse-drawn Vehicles, Susan Green, and Don Peloubet published by the Carriage Museum of America. This the first comprehensive book on the subject of body springs on the gears for the horse-drawn vehicles. Soft cover 254 pages, 9 X 12" profusely illustrated. Limited to 250 copies.

$40 + $12 s/h

Stokes & Son Steam Carriage, Van and Waggon Works This is a facsimile edition published by John Thompson in 1988 of the 1890 catalog. This company manufactured a wide variety of vehicles from carts to vans. Well illustrated with a few dimensions on some of the vehicles. 7 ¼  X 9 ¾" soft cover 60 pages.

$25

Studebaker Bros. Mfg. Co. More of their vehicles including the farm, plantation, ranch, freight, coal, ore log wagons and lumber truck, hand carts, dump carts, platform spring and dead axle street sprinklers and one horse sprinkler, ice wagons, light & heavy drays and passenger vehicles. 205 pages, 8 ½ X 11"

$24.95 s/h $11

Studebaker Delivery Wagon Catalog #801 A copy of this catalog showing the vehicles and over all dimensions, and descriptions for commercial use. About 100 pages. Soft cover. 8 ½ X 11"

$15

Studebaker Trade Catalog 1911 This looks like a collection of several Catalogs bound together. Studebaker Wagons #320; Business Medium Grade and High Grade Delivery Wagons #431; Carriages & Passenger Wagons #432; and World Vehicles #433. About 1” thick. No total page count, but it is big.

$42.95 s/h $12

Two - Wheeled Vehicles for Equine Carriage Museum of America, taken from the old Carriage Monthly and Hub magazines. An incredible source of info on the carts, sulkies, gigs and other 2 wheel vehicles. Lots of scale drawings and construction info plus historical info. Soft cover. 342 pages.9 X 12". This book is back in print and a must for your library!

$55 + $14 s/h

Wagon-Making in the United States Paul A. Kube with contributions by Clayton E. Ray & Cathy L. Wegener A study of the Gruber Wagon Works at Mt. Pleasant, PA from 1885 to 1956. 113 b&w figures, glossary, appendices, bibliography, index. Soft cover 6 X 9", 264 pages

$22.95

The Weber Wagon. Lots of information about the wagons made for specific parts of the country, with the specs, equipment and extras, parts and measurements from the Weber Wagons. 63 pages. soft cover 8 ½ x 11:

$20

Wells Fargo Stagecoach, Images of America Dr. Robert J. Chandler. Historic photos representing the banking company, the men and women who worked for the company and the stagecoaches that transported the people, mail and gold. 128 pages, soft cover, 6 ½ x 9 ¼"

$19.99

Wheels Across America: Daniel D. Hutchins Limited edition of 1,000  signed and numbered. Over 5,000 builders listed. B & W and Color advertising posters, photos of vehicles and lots of info! 8 3/4 x 11 1/4", Hard cover, 234 pages.

Volume I - $39.95 + $12 s/h This book is back print!  I have two copies from first printing for $60 each.

Wheels, Wheels, Wagons and More Mel DeWitt. A great instruction book for learning how to build wheels. Full of black & white photos, charts and drawings. Considered one of the best book on the subject. A text book for wheelwrighting instructors. 106 pages Soft cover / spiral bound; 8 ½ X 11"

Out of Print 

Wheelwrighting: A Modern Introduction Bruce & Joyce Morrison. The most comprehensive book on making wooden wheels. making shop tools, source list, and so much more! 372 pages 8 ½ X 11" Spiral bound for easy reference.

$50.00 + $14 s/h

Working Drawings of Horse Drawn Vehicles Carriage Museum of America. This book is one of the greatest collection of plans for building over 100 vehicles. Taken from the trade journals it is to help build full sized vehicles. Comes in a three ring binder. Lots of detail. Over sized book! To see a list of plans in this book click on the Table of Contents

$60 + $18 s/h