King unveils restored Glass Carriage

His Majesty the King unveiled the restored Glass Carriage at the Louwman Museum on Monday, March 16.

With the unveiling, the King opens an exhibition about the restoration of the carriage, which, after two years of historical preliminary research, took five years to complete. The Glass Coach is exhibited as part of the celebration of 200 years of the Kingdom. On 16 March, the day the exhibition is officially opened, it will be 200 years since William I accepted the kingship.

King Willem I ordered the Glass Carriage in 1821 from the Brussels carriage builder Pierre Simons, who delivered it in 1826. This makes it the oldest carriage in the Royal Stables Department, and it is only used on special occasions. For example, the carriage was seen at the wedding of Princess Juliana and Prince Bernhard and at the wedding of Princess Beatrix and Prince Claus.

The Glass Coach has a dark blue body, edged with a wide gilded frame of laurel and oak leaves. The name comes from the glass that protects the delicate ornamental border applied below the windows on the body of the coach. The interior is lined with purple and beige velvet and fitted with embroidered trimmings, and the seat cushions are filled with horsehair stuffing. The canopy is made of embroidered beige and sky blue silk.

From 17 March to 21 June, the Glass Coach and the exhibition about its restoration can be seen in the museum.

( photo source at top of page: National Archives/Spaarnestad Collection/Het Leven/Jan Stevens)