Collections record Beta

Sled

2018-24-1

Child's sled of wrought iron and wood. Wooden seat shaped like an elongated shield, painted with a red border and central image of a brown horse with black mane and tail galloping through grass painted in greens, browns, and yellows. Seat is nailed to three wooden horizontal braces, which are themselves nailed to three U-shaped wooden braces. Both the horizontal and U-shaped braces attach to wood runners with wrought iron bottoms. Components held together with a combination of nails, pins, iron loops, rounded brackets, and wrought iron braces (three on each side, joining the horizontal braces to the U-shaped braces). An additional turned wood brace joins the runners at the front. A pull rope is tied to the runners right above and below the front brace. Evidence of gold or bronze paint on visible metal surfaces.

The sled was passed down in the Colvocoresses family, of Litchfield, to the donor. He remembers riding the sled once or twice on the hills near the Litchfield Country Club.

c.1885

Overall height 10.75", length 29.75", width 12.625"

• paint
• wood
• rope
• iron