City Blindness

“City” horse blinders  / leather, brass / c. 1880s

Antique leather horse blinders emblazoned with the word “CITY” in brass characters, c. late nineteenth century. Though meant for horses, to my mind the object is an potent found material metaphor. Few things could capture the essence of city life so succintly, which often requires us to become blind to poverty, tragedy, and crime in order to simply go about our daily lives in urban environments.

These leather blinders were designed to limit the sight of horses, blocking out peripheral vision to prevent horses from distraction and upset in the crowded and chaotic city streets of late nineteenth century America. In 1880, over 150,000 horses plodded the streets of New York City alone, each requiring such blinders to ensure the city’s carriages, carts, and horsecars went on without the danger of the animals succumbing to natural distraction and fear along their often disordered and dangerous routes.

Consciously or not, we often wear blinders along our own well-trodden urban routes. As material metaphor, perhaps this object could serve to make us think about what we don’t see along the way — and why.

Condition

Good antique condition with wear and a couple old repairs.

Measurements

2 feet tall when hung from a wall-mounted hook

Shipping

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