Summer is here and many of you will be enjoying rides on the carousels at amusement parks and county fairs. Carousels have become a symbol of summer and are a large part of our American heritage.
 
The word carousel is derived from the Italian word garosello ("little war"), which was used to describe a 12th Century jousting exercise and game in which riders on horseback would throw clay balls filled with scented water at each other.
 
Carousels as we know them today evolved gradually in Europe, but the industry did not reach its height of development in America until the 1870's. At that time, immigrants who were masters in their homelands brought the art of carving the magnificent steeds that made up the carousel to America. Among the best known early manufacturers of carousel horses were William Dentzel, Carl Muller and Allen Herschell from Germany; Charles Carmel and Stein & Goldstein from Russia; Charles Looff from Denmark; and Charles Dare, from America. Most of them set up shop in and around Brooklyn, NY. Two notable manufacturers who set up outside of New York were William Dentzel in Philadelphia and Charles Parker in Abilene, Kansas.

There were three major styles of carving; Standers, Prancers and Jumpers. Standers have three legs down and one leg up, Prancers have their two front legs up and both back legs down and Jumpers have all four legs up. Carvers constructed the horses from thirty pieces of basswood which would then be intricately carved into beautiful shapes. The bodies would always remain hollow with paint, jewels and gold leaf applied after the bodies were finished.
 
There were also three distinct classifications of carousel horses. Country Fair style horses were very plainly decorated; Coney Island style horses were heavily jeweled and lavishly decorated; and the Philadelphia style horses were known for being very realistic. Styles were influenced by the need for packability, portability and large scale production.
 
Amusement Parks were in their heyday in the United States until the 1930's when the Depression made their survival almost impossible. As parks began to shut down, these magnificent carousel horses were used as firewood or abandoned in the nearest river or bay. The few parks that survived, in an effort to keep costs and upkeep down, began ordering zinc, and, later, fiberglass animals made from molds of the originals.

In 1980, early carousels were designated American Folk Art and insurance companies removed them from their park ride policies. Because of this, many amusement parks began to break up the carousels and sell the individual horses at auction. At one time, there were over 7500 complete, original carousels in America. Today, less than 60 of those carousels remain.
 
While enjoying your summer, you might want to see some of the original carousels at Glen Echo and Ocean City in Maryland and Watkins Glen in New York. You will surely appreciate the magnificent carving of the old masters!

 

Photos:

Top Left:

Dentzel Stander, Glen Echo Park  Middle Right: Dentzel Jumper, Glen Echo Park
Bottom: Dentzel Carousel, circa 1921 (Philadelphia Style), Glen Echo Park, Maryland