A historic auction with New England roots will take place in Florida as one of the few remaining hand-carved carousels in the country from the "golden age" of carousels goes to bid on April 23rd.
The Coney-Island-style Looff/Mangels carousel was built in 1909 at the Charles I. D. Looff factory in East Providence, R.I. The carousel went from the R.I. Looff factory to Penn. where it would operate for close to 80 years. The ride was purchased there by Alfred and Nettie Wintersteen in 1915 and the family has retained ownership ever since. Through four generations, the Wintersteen family operated the ride at Harvey's Lake Picnic Grove, aka, Hanson's Amusement Park until the park closed in 1984. The classic merry-go-round was later installed in Old Town Kissimmee, FL, where it would operate for another decade and then moved to International Market World in Auburndale, FL in 1996 where it is today.
The carousel will be sold by Norton Auctioneers at its current location. Unlike other carousel auctions that offer the figures individually and then offer the machine intact with the sale going to the highest bidder(s), this prized merry-go-round will be offered intact only.
On this rare wooden carousel, in addition to the figures from Looff, there are figures hand-carved by legendary master-carvers Stein & Goldstein and Charles Carmel. Among the 35 jumping and standing horses are three giraffes, three camels and three goats to fill out the menagerie.
For more information and color brochure on this historic carousel auction, visit www.nortonauctioneers.com.