Kinross Perth Cart

The ex Alan Bristow Kinross Perth Cart or Dog Cart sold for £3,500 at the Thimbleby & Shorland Reading Carriage Sale on Wednesday 5^th March 2003.  It is now in private ownership in Northern Ireland, and was repainted yellow in September 2005.  Lot 64 in the auction catalogue was described as follows:

“PERTH CART by William Kinross & Sons of Stirling to suit a 15-2 to 17 hh pair; repainted in 1999 by Barry Burnel and now finished in black and maroon with red lining, and upholstered in black leather, the sides bearing family crests.  An unusual sporting Dog Cart, which was formerly the property of Alan Bristow and in the Malverleys Collection, with a flat body on full elliptic springs, louvered side panels below spindled sides and ample seating for four passengers. With a handbrake and team pole.”

Kinross Perth Cart Sep 2005.

This vehicle was sold on 4^th April 1990 for £3,500 by Alan Bristow of Baynards Park, Surrey, (of Bristow Helicopters fame) when he stopped driving.  The dispersal sale description below attributes the Perth Cart design to ‘Thompsons of Perth’, but George Thomson started up in Stirling as a competitor to Kinross in the 1830s, taking advantage of the supply of trained apprentices.  Thomsons gained a reputation for their dog carts and wagonettes, but their a self balancing dog cart at the 1851 Great Exhibition was overshadowed by the silver medal winning Kinross omnibus.

“FOUR-WHEELED DOG CART by William Kinross of Stirling, with a very appealing symmetrical louvered & spindled body in the style of a design produced for the Colonies by another Scottish firm, Thompsons of Perth.  This one has exellent ironwork and has been painted to show standard in blue, red & black, with black trim.”

On 20^th June 1998 the Perth Cart was resold at Reading for £2,800 as part of the Malverleys Collection of Paul Morgan, Newbury, Berkshire.  It was still painted in the red, black and blue livery of all the Bristow vehicles, as described and pictured below.

“FOUR-WHEELED DOG CART or PERTH CART by William Kinross of Stirling to suit a 15 hh upwards pair or team, having a pole; in blue, black and red with buttoned black leather upholstery.  This is an appealing and unusually shaped vehicle, with louvered side panels surmounted by spindles, handbrake, carved dub ends and patent dash board.  The high driving position provided makes this a very sporting vehicle with ample seating for four.”

Spot the differences between this vehicle and Walter Gilbey's Kinross dog cart photographed in Stirling in September 1958.

Note that this Perth Cart has 12-spoke front and 14-spoke rear wheels.

This smart Kinross Perth Cart was sold for £4,300 as lot 58 in The Reading Carriage Sale on 7^th March 2007 by Thimbleby & Shorland, Auctioneers. 

“PERTH CART by William Kinross & Sons of Stirling, circa 1900, to suit 15 to 16 hh, single, pair or tandem;  in a show finish of black and dark green, with red lining and buttoned black leather upholstery.  A good quality and unusual vehicle, which is believed to be only one of three in existence, with the distinctive construction of flat based body with louvered panels, spindled sides and back to back seating.  Previously owned by Sir Sanderson Temple and presented for sale in pristine condition having been fully restored by Whittaker of Gisburn, Lancashire.  To be sold with shafts and a pole.

Note that this Perth Cart has 14-spoke front and 16-spoke rear wheels, an extended grab rail, only 6 louvres and a slightly straighter brake lever than the Bristow Perth cart.

Kinross Governess Cart.

If you know where this vehicle is now, or the whereabouts of the third surviving Perth Cart alluded to in the sale report, then please email me.

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