Object Description
SAMUEL HOBSON
(fl. 1815-1837)
Carriage Design
Signed l.r.: S Hobson. 121 Long Acre
Bodycolour, gum arabic, gold paint and pen and ink
Unframed in conservation mount only
18 by 31 cm., 7 by 12 ¼ in.
(mount size 34 by 46 cm., 13 ¼ by 18 in.)
Samuel Hobson was one of London’s premier coachbuilders catering to a royal and aristocratic clientele. He has been credited with revolutionising English coach design – having lowered the carriage towards the road and improved access. Having been and apprentice with Barker & Co of Chandos Street, Hobson started in business in Long Acre in 1815, gaining a reputation for innovation in design before financial troubles forced the closure of his business in 1837.
This design comes from a collection which includes a number of designs by Samuel Hobson who was widely believed to be the most influential carriage designer of the 19th century. Writing in 1877 George Thrupp remarked, “Samuel Hobson … may be truly said to have improved and remodelled every sort of carriage which came under his notice, especially as regards the artistic form and construction both of body and carriage.” Hobson initially worked as an apprentice with Barker & Co of Chandos Street, setting up his own business in Long Acre in about 1815. Despite being a successful draftsman and designer, he was not a good businessman and was forced to sell his business in 1837. At that time Peters & Sons acquired the designs and combined them with their own archives. In 1932 Peters & Sons were acquired by Offords & Sons, who were by then building bodies for motor cars. At around this time the archives were dispersed. Half were later acquired by the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York and these form the majority of those remaining and come from a private UK collection.
Other designs from the collection are also available. Please contact me for further details.