The Afterlife of Carousel Animals
Not all carousel animals were sold and moved onto other carousels when theirs ceased to exist. Some ended up in much different settings. Here are some photos from the early 1900’s through the 1980’s of carousels animals as treasured backyard playthings, props, and in studio settings. In some cases, the reasons for their departure from their carousels is evident – broken legs, deteriorating conditions – but others bare no evidence as to why they became strays.
Unfortunately, there is nothing on the majority of the photos to indicate where and when they were taken and who the subjects are.
Backyard Playthings
Herschell-Spillman Swings – Perhaps at a shoreline resort with sand, bathing suit and a sign on the posts.
Herschell-Spillman Tiger – A very nice tiger with a replacement tail.
Dentzel – A pretty spectacular stander with an eagle crest on the blanket.
European – A British schoolboy with his pride and joy
Looff – With two broken legs, this horse was probably a discard.
Dare – An interesting notation is on the reverse of the picture.
U.S. Merry Go Round Company – Somewhere in farm country
Unknown Pig – Mounted on an interesting rocking mechanism.
Carousel horse bicycle, early Parker – “Near San Rafael, (CA), 1939”
Posers
Looffs – For photos ops with a carousel in the background.
Dentzel – Sidewalk display horse. This was a 1950’s wallet photo with folds.
Philadelphia Toboggan Company #21 – A fiber glass reproduction of one of the original chariot horses
Looff – A real Looff at the Circus World Museum
Studio Portraits
Looff – Handwritten on the reverse – “Troy, New York, 1914”
Looff Camel – This looks to be a very an early Dare stander camel.
Dentzel Listener – This is the inside of the horse
Dentzel Prancer – A jeweled early Dentzel
Dare – This horse appears to be in good condition
U.S. Merry Go Round Company
Dare – This horse has front and rear leg braces
Dentzels – Professional studio photo shoot.
A rare standing Dare, “The Royal Family, Pleasure Beach, June 21, 1950”
