I always think this passage from chapter 7 shows that John Thorpe was born two centuries too early: he would have been a second –hand car salesman supreme.

“Curricle–hung, you see; seat, trunk, sword–case, splashing–board, lamps, silver moulding, all you see complete; the iron–work as good as new, or better. He asked fifty guineas; I closed with him directly, threw down the money, and the carriage was mine.”

It might have been cheap…but I have my doubts….

John Thorpe kept of course with Catherine, and, after a few minutes’ silence, renewed the conversation about his gig. “You will find, however, Miss Morland, it would be reckoned a cheap thing by some people, for I might have sold it for ten guineas more the next day; Jackson, of Oriel, bid me sixty at once; Morland was with me at the time.”

“Yes,” said Morland, who overheard this; “but you forget that your horse was included.”

“My horse! Oh, d — it! I would not sell my horse for a hundred.

I’ve looked at my facsimile copy ofA Treatise on Carriages. Comprehending Coaches, Chariots, Phaetons, Curricles, Whiskies etc by William Felton, Coachmaker , which was originally published in 1792.

Here is Mr Felton’s description of the curricle hung gig ( as illustrated from the book ,above)

The carriage made with shafts and a pole, for alternative use; a light dashing leather in front; a small platform boot behind; straked wheels; common axeltrees and boxes. The Body, a step piece, with sham doors, and sword case; lined with second cloth; trimmed with two- inch lace; a pair of wings with plated frames; and a middle –sized knee-boot. The Plating with Silver , on a 4-8yh moulding round the sham doors, on the floorboard, and at the top of the sword-case back. The Painting of the body and carriage picked out in one colour, and crests on the side pannels. The Braces in front placed round the fore-springs, with jacks fixed on the bottom of the body; common pole-pieces.
p97.

This would have cost as follows:

PRICE.

£ s. d.

First charge for a curricle made a gig 39 13 9

EXTRAS.

A dashing leather in front………………… ........... 2 10 0

A small platform-boot behind with wood
sides ………………………………………....................... 3 0 0

Sham doors………………………………..................... 0 15 0

A sword-case back ………………………................ 1 10 0

The trimming of 2 ½ inch lace ……………......... 0 3 6

A Pair of middle sized wings with plated
Frames……………………………………........................ 3 2 0

A Middle sized knee boot…………………............. 2 0 0

A pair of sword-case frames………………........... 0 9 0

Twenty feet of 4-8th moulding ……………......... .2 5 0

The body and carriage picked out
in one colour……………………………….................... 0 19 6

Japanning the doors and side pannels(sic)……… 0 10 6

Two small crests on the side pannels(sic)……… 0 6 0
Five feet five of two-inch brace for the
fore springs………………………………….................... 0 10 0
A pair of small spring jacks………………….......... 0 15 0

Making a total of £58, 9 shillings and 3 pence.

Taking all that into consideration , I’m not at all sure John Thorpe’s second hand gig, costing him initially £50 was such a bargain ( for when he bought it ,the “ bargain” did not include a horse………)He couod have bought a brand new one for only £8 9 shillings and thruppence more......

Perhaps he would not have been such a good salesman, after all:-)