Did You Know? Carousel Trivia Part 2

Thanks for coming back for the second installment of carousel trivia.  Yesterday we talked about the design of carousel animals.  Today we'll discuss the actual construction.

3.  Is it true that the two sides of an animal are different?

Yes, it's true.  They even have different names.  The "romance" side is the one that faces the outside of the carousel.  As you might expect, it's the most elaborate side, since it's the one that's most obvious to riders.

The designs on the romance side are intricately carved and painted -- lots of detail.

At first glance, the other side might appear identical to the romance side, but it isn't.  There's minimal carving on this side.  Instead, the details are simply painted, and some of them are omitted.  For example, look at the pink ribbon near the goat's head on the romance side.  It's nowhere to be seen on the inner side. Reducing the amount of carving and painting saves a lot of time and also means that less talented artists can work on that side.  That's why the inner side is called the "apprentice" side.

4.  Did you ever notice that each successive row has smaller animals?

The reason for this is that the carousel platform is circular, and as you approach the center, there's less and less space.

What may not be obvious is that the inner horses are also simpler in design.  Like the apprentice side of the outermost horse, these have fewer details, and many of those details are painted rather than carved.  Why?  Cost.  There's little reason to lavish a lot of time on the inner horses when they're not the focus of riders' attention.

We'll have our final installment of carousel trivia tomorrow.  But if you want to learn more or are curious about how my fictional carousel carver Jonah's  profession affects his relationship with Lorraine, an heiress who's in danger of losing her inheritance unless she marries the right man, here are buying links to Sincerely Yours.

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