If anything concerns Claas Conijn, it is to get the carriage upgraded as heritage. That it is no longer a "hobby object," but just as important to pass on to future generations as the art of the old masters. Speaking of old paintings, to restore them requires a lot of knowledge. Of materials, of the time in which they were made and knowledge of their use. As project manager of Kasteel de Haar, Conijn knows a little bit of everything. But when it comes to certain details?

For example, Professor Dr. T.M. Eliëns, as head of collections at the Gemeentemuseum The Hague and Professor of Industrial Design at Leiden University, is the specialist when it comes to the "technical product" that a carriage is after all. Art historian Drs. W.A. te Slaa had previously done extensive research on the carriage manufacturer Schutter & Van Bakel in Amsterdam, commissioned by Museum van Loon. If anyone can interpret the carriage in the context of fashion, economy and thus, in short, in time, it is him. And then textile curator Mrs. J. Verdegaal-Hoefhamer is part of the committee. Among other things, she takes care of all the fine fabrics at Amerongen Castle and can say how to deal with them or point the way to a replacement fabric.

When the three are hanging on and under the coaches in the restoration center, there is plenty of food for thought. Titus Eliëns on the "robustness" of the model of the break and what technical requirements this placed on the manufacturer. That while Josine Verdegaal soon has a piece of passement in her hands and indicates in which time frame the motif fits. Suitable, unsuitable? Willem te Slaa does have an idea. Over the next year and a half, the committee will meet occasionally to sound out Conijn and the restorers in Balkburg. In any case, they take the carriages of De Haar as serious heritage.

Also read part 3 of the carriage project by Mario Broekhuis

Mario Broekhuis (51), a stewardship graduate, feels completely at home at a historic country estate like De Haar. Moreover, he knows alesson of carriagesand can tell wonderful stories about it. That is why Mario gives us a monthly update on the progress of the restoration of three carriages for De Haar on this page. The three carriages in this project come from the management of Borg and Nationaal Rijtuigmuseum Nienoord and are transferred to long-term loan by Castle de Haar. This project has been made possible by VZW Pater Davids, Prins Bernhard Cultuurfonds, VSBfonds, Stichting Bonhomme Tielens and Stichting kasteel de Haar. The Hippomobile Heritage Foundation is supervising the implementation and providing communication.