"Taking the Reins"
date: label: Date made
content: 1869
name: label: depicted
content: Grant, Ulysses S. (Ulysses Simpson)
label: depicted
content: Bonner, Robert
label: photographer
content: Kurtz, W.
label: artist
content: Ehninger, John W.
notes: label: Description (Brief)
content: Sepia photograph of a drawing of two men (General Ulysess Grant and Robert Bonner) in a wagon pulled by a trotting horse (Dexter).
label: Description
content: A sepia photograph of a drawing of two men, General Grant and Robert Bonner, seated in a four wheeled vehicle similar to a deep sided box buggie which is pulled by the famous trotter, Dexter, at a high speed on a country road. Grant holds the reins. Draft poles are securely fastened to the light harness. The men wear double breasted overcoats and top hats. They converse.
label: Description
content: Dexter was foaled in Walden, Orange County, New York in 1858 by Jonathan Hawkins. His sire was Hambletonian and his dam was Clara. Dexter had four white stockings, which was traditionally considered unlucky in a racing horse, but it was superstition he proved to be worthless. In 1862 he was sold for $400 to George B. Alley, who broke him into racing. In 1863 he was sent to Hiram Woodruff and showed 2:42 pulling a wagon. George Trussel paid $14,000 for him in 1866 and placed him in the hands of Budd Doble. Dexter followed Flora Temple as the world’s premier trotter, dominating races between 1864 and 1867. His fastest time was 2:17 1/2, recorded in Buffalo on August 14, 1867. Following this record, he was purchased by Robert Bonner for $35,000. His versatility made him very desired, as Dexter could trot under saddle, in harness, and hitched to a wagon. Dexter’s main rival was Ethan Allen, and on June 21, 1867 on Long Island he raced Ethan Allen and his mate, Charlotte, F. Dexter lost the race but his performance was still considered impressive since he raced the pair alone. Dexter died in 1888 at thirty years old and was inducted into the Harness Racing Hall of Fame as an “Immortal” in 1956.
label: Description
content: Kurtz was a crayon portraitist and photographer. He was probably German by birth, he came to the US prior to 1861 and exhibited at the National Academy from 1865-1882. William Kurtz was one of the first lithographers to utilize color in his prints, favoring three color relief blocks.
label: Description
content: Ehninger was born in New York City in 1827. He graduated from Columbia College in 1847, and hten went abroad to study in Europe before returning to New York in 1853. He spent the next six years exhibiting in New York City, including at the National Acadmey which he became a member of in 1860. He moved to Saratoga in 1872 to be with his wife and he remained there until his death in 1889.
label: Location
content: Currently not on view
place: label: place made
content: United States: New York, New York City
topic: label: Subject
content: Communication, newspapers
label: Subject
content: Chronology: 1860-1869
label: Subject
content: Bridges
label: Subject
content: Horses
label: Subject
content: Carriages
setName: label: See more items in
content: Home and Community Life: Domestic Life
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content: Clothing & Accessories
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content: Art
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content: Peters Prints
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content: Domestic Furnishings
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content: Horses
creditLine: label: Credit Line
content: Harry T. Peters "America on Stone" Lithography Collection
dataSource: label: Data Source
content: National Museum of American History
identifier: label: ID Number
content: DL.60.3587
label: catalog number
content: 60.3587
objectType: label: Object Name
content: photograph
label: Object Type
content: Lithograph
physicalDescription: label: Measurements
content: image: 15 3/4 in x 20 7/8 in; 40.005 cm x 53.0225 cm