The Last Living Carousel Craftsman in New York
June 8, 2016 5:05 AM Subscribe
“I never approached this saying, ‘This would be a great skill to have because everybody needs an acanthus carver,’” he says, “but it evolved into a passion that became practical.” Bob Yorburg is the man who saves carousel horses from the glue factory. (Ariana Michelle Igneri for Narratively; warning for the first gif, if you are given to dizziness.)
A short video, also by Igneri, of Yorburg at work.
Yorburg's own gallery of creations. And don't you need his handmade band organ playing "Oklahoma!" in your life? More details and the story behind the build here (.pdf).
A short video, also by Igneri, of Yorburg at work.
Yorburg's own gallery of creations. And don't you need his handmade band organ playing "Oklahoma!" in your life? More details and the story behind the build here (.pdf).
Surely they make glue out of real horses, whilst they use glue in the making of carousel horses.
posted by acb at 6:23 AM on June 8, 2016 [1 favorite]
posted by acb at 6:23 AM on June 8, 2016 [1 favorite]
They make real glue out of real horses and carousel glue out of carousel horses.
posted by nebulawindphone at 6:35 AM on June 8, 2016 [3 favorites]
posted by nebulawindphone at 6:35 AM on June 8, 2016 [3 favorites]
That modern SeaGlass carousel looks very interesting.
posted by TWinbrook8 at 6:37 AM on June 8, 2016
posted by TWinbrook8 at 6:37 AM on June 8, 2016
Aww, now I'm having flashbacks of Gigi the Merry-Go-Round Horse. I was definitely obsessed with getting my own dapple-gray carousel horse for a while as a kid.
posted by nicebookrack at 6:40 AM on June 8, 2016
posted by nicebookrack at 6:40 AM on June 8, 2016
A few years ago, I had the opportunity to tour the San Filippo Foundation, a private collection of calliopes, orchestrions, player pianos, etc. One of the highlights was the Eden Palais carousel: there was a craftsman hired full time just to maintain it. I shot some photos.
posted by adamrice at 7:30 AM on June 8, 2016 [4 favorites]
posted by adamrice at 7:30 AM on June 8, 2016 [4 favorites]
That modern SeaGlass carousel looks very interesting.
It's pretty wonderful. I rode it with my husband a couple of months ago. It's a really interesting evolution of the idea of a carousel, with more complex motion. It's dreamlike and I loved it for making every person aboard it smile in a charmed and goofy way.
I've never gotten over seeing the two beautiful carousels in my beach hometown dismantled and sold off. Glad someone is working with people who preserve them and their artistry.
posted by Miko at 7:39 AM on June 8, 2016 [4 favorites]
It's pretty wonderful. I rode it with my husband a couple of months ago. It's a really interesting evolution of the idea of a carousel, with more complex motion. It's dreamlike and I loved it for making every person aboard it smile in a charmed and goofy way.
I've never gotten over seeing the two beautiful carousels in my beach hometown dismantled and sold off. Glad someone is working with people who preserve them and their artistry.
posted by Miko at 7:39 AM on June 8, 2016 [4 favorites]
A row of garishly colored puppets with black, beady eyes, patterned suits and pointy, Pinocchio noses lines a shelf in Yorburg’s home library. They belonged to a Coney Island magician and puppeteer who taught Yorburg, when he was a little boy, how to do magic.
OH MY GOD I DEMAND A CHILDHOOD DO-OVER.
posted by Fantods at 11:38 AM on June 8, 2016 [3 favorites]
OH MY GOD I DEMAND A CHILDHOOD DO-OVER.
posted by Fantods at 11:38 AM on June 8, 2016 [3 favorites]
If you like carousel animals AND doggies, you might like Tim Racer. His website gallery has some good stuff but his Facebook page is where the real treasure can be found, with work-in-progress shots and neat secret details.
posted by Fantods at 11:58 AM on June 8, 2016
posted by Fantods at 11:58 AM on June 8, 2016
wait.... carousel? as in, to carouse? Not carasell, a meaningless word? Mind blown.
I am finally connecting the dots that I put before myself when I asked my husband the other week if maybe when the merry-go-round was first invented, it was actually a high-tech exciting drunk adult party activity, instead of something you put your 2-year-old on until it gets bored.
Now I want to know more about the history of the use of this strange device.
posted by rebent at 1:20 PM on June 8, 2016 [1 favorite]
I am finally connecting the dots that I put before myself when I asked my husband the other week if maybe when the merry-go-round was first invented, it was actually a high-tech exciting drunk adult party activity, instead of something you put your 2-year-old on until it gets bored.
Now I want to know more about the history of the use of this strange device.
posted by rebent at 1:20 PM on June 8, 2016 [1 favorite]
These early carousels had no platforms; the animals would hang from chains and fly out from the centrifugal force of the spinning mechanism
Holy shit! 1700's tech is awesome
posted by rebent at 1:23 PM on June 8, 2016
Holy shit! 1700's tech is awesome
posted by rebent at 1:23 PM on June 8, 2016
Sometimes I still occasionally see chain carousels around, they're not dead yet.
posted by HypotheticalWoman at 1:59 PM on June 8, 2016 [1 favorite]
posted by HypotheticalWoman at 1:59 PM on June 8, 2016 [1 favorite]
the animals would hang from chains and fly out from the centrifugal force of the spinning mechanism
The Flying Horse Carousel in Watch Hill, RI, is one of these. But infuriatingly, they do not let adults ride it.
posted by Miko at 2:22 PM on June 8, 2016 [1 favorite]
The Flying Horse Carousel in Watch Hill, RI, is one of these. But infuriatingly, they do not let adults ride it.
posted by Miko at 2:22 PM on June 8, 2016 [1 favorite]
Miko, if ever you're in Central Pennsylvania, you can ride the carousel at Knoebels. Brass rings!
posted by MonkeyToes at 3:41 PM on June 8, 2016 [1 favorite]
posted by MonkeyToes at 3:41 PM on June 8, 2016 [1 favorite]
You can ride this one, which is on the National Register of Historic Places, every year during the third weekend of July.
posted by jgirl at 4:08 PM on June 8, 2016 [1 favorite]
posted by jgirl at 4:08 PM on June 8, 2016 [1 favorite]
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