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Brass Ring Entertainment's
August/ September 2000
CAROUSEL NEWSLETTER
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IN THIS ISSUE
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1. ELK CITY OK CAROUSEL COMING TOGETHER
2. SAN FRANCISCO ZOO CAROUSEL CLOSED FOR THE WINTER
3. ALBANY CAROUSEL RESTORATION UNDER WAY
4. THE OUT OF PRINT CAROUSEL BOOK "INTRODUCTION TO THE CAROUSEL",
A FEW COPIES LEFT SIGNED PERSONALLY TO YOU BY AUTHOR! GET THEM BEFORE THERE GONE!
5. LAKE HAVASU AZ CAROUSEL HAS A DELIVERY DATE
6. ALLAN HERSCHELL BACK IN BUSINESS, THOUSANDS OF PARTS IN STOCK
7. CAROUSEL.COM FREE CLASSIFIEDS IS NUMBER ONE
THANK YOU FROM THE STAFF OF BRASS RING ENTERTAINMENT
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1. ELK CITY, OK CAROUSEL COMING TOGETHER
This is a momentous time for the project. Ed Roth is finishing the last of the horses,
the trim is looking good, and the frame is ready to put up in the shop. With a delivery
date of December, everyone at Brass Ring is excited. Whenever we put up a center pole
and start to hang the trim, we know the project end is near.
We are waiting for the final major components. The center and ring gear. Brass Ring
Entertainment is the only company that uses hardened steel gears for their carousels.
Original gears were cast iron. All of the other carousel companies today either use cast
iron, multiple new gearboxes or chain drives. We still believe in the "sister gear drive".
Most of our contract carousels are still operating on 80-year-old cast iron gear drives.
They're wearing out but still running. Our new gears are cut from a solid block of steel
on a precision CNC machine to the carousel's specification then flame hardened. The final
out come is a gear manufactured within thousandths on an inch not like a cast gear that is
visibly untrue to round. Cast iron gears last around 80 years. Hardened steel will last
forever, yet hardened steel gears cost 10 times as much to produce.
At Brass Ring Entertainment we aren't in the business of cutting corners or making more
carousels then anyone else...we just want to make the best. Some people say isn't 80 years
enough? We say no. If wooden horses will last forever so should the frames.
Check back to the Elk City carousel website at http://www.carousel.com/elkcity to watch
and see step by step how a carousel is assembled. From the crane lifting the center pole,
to the installation of the sweeps, you will be able to watch it.
The raising of the pole should start around the first of October. To see the animals and past
progress visit us at:
http://www.carousel.com/elkcity
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2. SAN FRANCISCO ZOO CAROUSEL CLOSED FOR THE WINTER
After Labor Day, the carousel closed for the winter. Brass Ring Entertainment will be
dismantling the frame and starting the restoration of the drive.
Just as in our new carousels, the zoo carousel will get a set of hardened steel gears cut
to the original Dentzel specifications. No alteration of the frame will be necessary.
Rosa Ragan has finished the original color chart for the machine and Lise Liepman and
Pam Hessey are busy at work painting the first of the animals. The wood repair is under
the direction of John Hughes. John is the foremost restorer for carousel animals. With
John's direction and the Brass Ring staff as well as John's brother Bill and Tim Racer the
animals will be perfect.
This is with out a doubt the finest staff of carousel artist ever assembled. San Francisco
as a city has made a major commitment to the restoration of their carousels. It first brought
back the original Playland at the Beach carousel, then it went ahead with the mechanical
restoration of the carousel at Golden Gate Park, and now it is committed to restoring the SF Zoo carousel.
Under the direction of Debra Lehane at the San Francisco Arts Commission, the City of San Francisco
is setting a new standard for all other cities to follow.
http://www.carousel.com/sfzoo
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3. ALBANY CAROUSEL RESTORATION UNDER WAY
The Albany carousel is looking good. Last month, Brass Ring's owner, Daniel Horenberger,
and Rosa Ragan went and visited the carousel museum at North Tonawanda, NY. It is the
finest carousel museum you could ever visit and it's even getting better.
The staff was more then helpful in the discovery of the original paint on the frame of the
Albany carousel. Plus they have a great website at http://www.carrouselmuseum.org/
If you're in the area, you need to stop by.
All of the information has been gathered for the restoration of the carousel. The paperwork
is over a foot tall! The staff of the State museum has compiled even more about the carousel's
history. It may be the most documented carousel ever.
The first of the horses has been started and it's hard to believe--NAILS EVERYWHERE. One of
the first horses had 32 nails in 2 ears. It might be a record. Of the first 6 horses started, an
average of 2 pounds of nails has been removed from EACH horse.
Brass Ring Entertainment has brought in a local wood expert, George Herczak, to spearhead the
restoration of the animals. We are happy to include George in our staff. George has more years
of experience in the art of woodworking then anyone else on our staff. You can see George at work
in the website at http://carousel.com/albany/index4.htm
This sounds redundant but new gears for this carousel are being made. Yes, hardened steel gears
made to Spillman and Herschell specifications. This carousel will run forever. The horses have
worked in NY since the 1880's and the frame since the teens. We hope it likes it short stay in
CA before it goes home.
Visit the Brass Ring Entertainment site showing all of the work including the nails at
http://carousel.com/albany
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4. OUT OF PRINT CAROUSEL BOOK, INTRODUCTION TO THE CAROUSEL, A FEW COPIES LEFT.
SIGNED PERSONALLY TO YOU BY AUTHOR! GET THEM BEFORE THERE GONE!
This is the book that started it all. Maurice and Nina Fraley were the originators of taking
carousel animals and making them fine art. Followed by their son Tobin, the Fraley family
has made carousel art what it is today.
They have directly or indirectly influenced the restoration of EVERY carousel piece today.
This book has been out of print for years. The other day Maurice found some new in the box at
home and asked, "do you think anyone would want these?" This book is 53 pages of the finest
carousel photography ever done. Maurice's expertise in knowing not only the manufacturer of
the animal but also the era makes this book a tool for every collector today.
You can see some of the images by going here http://www.carousel.com/fraley
Here is your chance NOT to buy a used copy from eBay for a bunch of money, but to get a new,
personally signed copy from the author to you for $15.00 plus $3.50 shipping. There are not
that many available and when they're gone, you're out of luck.
Click here to order the book http://www.carousel.com/fraley
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5. LAKE HAVASU AZ CAROUSEL HAS A DELIVERY DATE
Well, it's been 4 years, but the State and the City may be ready to install the carousel.
The State of AZ owns the carousel and the City of Lake Havasu will run it. As you might
expect, it is a contract nightmare.
The nightmare is almost over (we hope) and the carousel will be going up in January of 2001
next to the aquatic center. Brass Ring Entertainment will be standing the center pole at the shop
next month and hanging the trim. It will be up and operating at the shop for a few months before delivery.
The staff and their children will get a lot of riding in before it gets to its new home.
To see more about the carousel visit the Brass Ring Entertainment site showing the restoration
at http://www.carousel.com/havasu
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6. ALLAN HERSCHELL BACK IN BUSINESS, THOUSANDS OF PARTS IN STOCK
While Dan was back at the carousel museum in North Tonawanda, he had a chance to visit
the new shops of Allan Herschell.
Under the direction of Ed Janulionis, the shop is making parts for AH amusement rides.
For years these where available from Chance Industries, and they still make some parts for
AH carousels.
Today the parts, pieces, patterns and drawings for the other rides are all safely protected
and being used. If you have an AH ride other then a carousel that needs parts call Ed at
716-692-1884 he might just have it in stock or make it for you. If you need a manual for
your ride he just might have that too.
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7. CAROUSEL.COM AND THE FREE CLASSIFIEDS IS NUMBER ONE
Carousel.com and our carousel-only classified site is the number one place to see carousel
art for sale. Everyday thousands of people come and take a look at what's new. We thank
everyone for the nice emails thanking us for the free classified site.
The biggest question is "how can you do it for free, there must be a catch?"
No, the carousel industry has been very good to all of us and it's our way to say "Thank you".
Most of our work is for cities and states--in essence you the public. Everyday we get questions
and we answer them the best we can. The most asked question "where do we buy carousel animals
and related items"
We don't have a store so the classifieds has worked well to put people of the carousel community
together. In the future the classifieds will break off to it's own site, carouselclassifieds.com.
Carousel.com has become very popular, especially the classifieds section. This has caused some
problems with the ability to get through. We hope in the future to split the sites to make it better
for everyone to enjoy.
To visit the classifieds section, follow the link below:
http://www.carousel.com/cgi-bin/classifieds/classifieds.cgi
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THANK YOU FROM THE STAFF OF BRASS RING ENTERTAINMENT
The staff at Brass Ring Entertainment wants to thank everyone that supports their local carousel.
We currently maintain over 20 antique carousels on the West Coast and it's quite a job during
the summer months.
Brass Ring Entertainment knows all-to-well from our days of operating carousels that there
are 16 weeks in the summer to make 90 percent of your income for the year.
Not all carousels are operated by the cities that own them. These independent operators work
day and night to keep their rides open for the summer. Only those who have done it know the
work involved in keeping an old carousel running every day. Operators forsake family and
friends for the summer. We tell our friends "if you want to visit, come to the carousel.
When we close you can help polish the brass".
You are the ones that make a difference. PLEASE, when you visit a carousel anywhere in the
country, tell the people running it thank you. A thank you means a lot to them. We also want
to thank you for all of your nice emails about our newsletter. It does make a difference.
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Brass Ring Entertainment
11001 Peoria Street Sun Valley, CA 91352
818-394-0028 fax 818-394-0062
sales@carousel.com
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