Carousel Animals: Artistry in Motion

by Tobin Fraley, Gary K. Wolf

Who hasnt thrilled to the wonders of the carousel, with its wind-blown manes and fanciful steeds? From glistening white unicorns to winged elephants and roaring tigers, this celebration of carousel animals takes a colorful look at an art form thats one part fantasy and two parts exceptional craftsmanship. More than 100 photographs display the work of the most prolific and skillful woodcarvers of the carousel heyday and examine the loving detail they poured into each of their creations. Collectors, preservationists, and all who have been mesmerized by the undulations of the carousel menagerie will find themselves caught up in the magic on view in these pages.

Genres: Art

144 pages, Hardcover

First published August 1, 2002

Reviews

[J · Rating 4 out of 5]

I am an old school-type of amusement park fan who enjoys the slower rides such as the Ferris wheel and the carousel. They have always been the most magical rides for me as well as most definitely the carousel the ones the captures my imagination the most. And it is to the carousel I believe I owe my fascination of fantastic creatures as at least one in my childhood had a hippocampus although that beast was still unexplained to me.

This book helps to take carousel lovers back to the roots of the magical machine by not only providing some history of the ride but also giving voice to those who helped to bring in the magic, restoring them again from their obscure past. As a result the book fluctuates between sharing small biographies of some of the more well-known woodcarvers and businessmen as well as providing examples of their possible work with some history to the artwork, description of artistic additions that were made as enhancements and/or rarity. There is also a bottom caption that gives the last place where a carousel may have ran, who painted it or what type of paint coat is on it at this moment and also where that particular figure may be found.

The book is provided with photographs both black-and-white and color photographs for the figures that have been included in the pages. As such the reader gets to enjoy these carousel creations in their full beauty and with some eye to the detail given on their fancy side. Most of the pages fluctuated between one or two photographs with the opposite page carrying the captions while it is the case of the two photos I wish the book had focused on just one full page-size photo subject so you could be able to enjoy all the details without trying to scrunch up close to view them.

Something else I would have loved to have seen would have been a nice glossary with perhaps a carousel diagram or two to help readers have a back-up reference point. I only suggest this for those who may be just learning about carousels and new to the terminology. That and the fact the book didn't explore the actual machinations needed to move a carousel.

And my last thing isn't so much a complaint as confusion. I live in Kansas and so visited Abilene where one of the oldest C. W. Parker carousels is still running while open to the public. Besides the fact of the age of the carousel not much else is given about the man whose name is on the carousel. As such it was interesting to see Parker mentioned in the book but he wasn't included in any of the biographies even though his own creations were alluded to time and time again so what ensured that he was left out? Was it perhaps since he wasn't based on the East Coast or was he not an actual woodcarver like these men? That is a definite answer I would love to hear about.

All in all it was a fascinating in-depth look into an amusement park ride that still holds its own today, the types of men it took to make the magic and the knowledge of just how much one small thing can truly affect history whether for good or bad. A must-read for those who like to know how things run, enjoys history and/or are carousel fans.

[Nic · Rating 5 out of 5]

A stunning collection of photographs featuring carousels designed and carved by the most talented carvers of the late 19th and 20th centuries. A must-read for all carousel fans.

[Loren · Rating 3 out of 5]

I read this one as research for a story I've yet to write. In that vein, it focuses more on the carvers and styles of carousel animals and less on the mechanics on how carousels work than I would have liked, but it's called Carousel Animals and not Carousels for Beginners, so I suppose that's all right. The bulk of the book is taken up with lovely photographs of carousel animals -- mostly horses -- and examines in detail what makes each special and different. It's exhaustive in the amount of information about different carvers and the changes they wrought. Wish there had been more variety in the animals, though.

[Theresa · Rating 4 out of 5]

A splendid selection of images of some of the masterworks of the carousel carvers from the golden age of the carousel. The figures selected tend to be more representative of the best of carvers' art rather than typical examples, but the book is a visual feast. Good background information, some interesting historic photos, but an almost total focus on single figures in private collections, which only gives a partial impression of the art form. These carvings were meant by the artists who made them to be seen in a very different context than how they are presented in the book.

[E · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved this one. I didn't take books like this out to learn about how to avoid buying a fake carousel animal, for example...I just wanted to ooh and aah! This book delivered: not too much text, loads of photos. Wish it was longer, though.