The Scott Harrison Carousel Project

Scott bought the frame of a 1910 Looff carousel in 1986 and has designed and carved 33 all new animals for it. The frame itself has been in large part restored and some metal parts have been rebuilt with newer materials for safety reasons. New wood has replaced old and new decorative rounding boards which incorporate 18 paintings from 1915 have been carved. The carousel is therefore a combination of new and old: new art decorates a grand old machine, almost 100 years old. The soul of the machine remains after turning millions of times for children screaming with delight. New animals now await new children to continue the cycle of fun and joy.

The Carousel of Happiness
This carousel is unique in a number of ways. While maintaining the iron center pole and as many gears, brackets and machine parts from 1910 as possible, it has been brought up to modern safety standards where needed. Thirty-three animals have been carved from basswood the same wood that carvers used to carve carousel animals from the late 1800's to the early 1900's.
There is no plastic on the machine: it is made of iron, steel, wood and paint. Unlike most carousels, each animal is different, with only one horse, an Indian pony, in the collection.  Three benches accommodate -disabled riders and those who don't want to climb onto a figure.  The benches incorporate swan figures, a bear and a gorilla!

Above the animals are 18 newly designed rounding boards which frame original paintings from a different carousel built in 1915 by Frank Dolle. In between these rounding boards are 18 small "stages" each of which holds a differently carved sculpture. As the carousel turns, the sculptures will form a simple animation in which a small girl transforms into a white swan which changes into a green frog which then morphs back into the girl. Here is something for the waiting adults to enjoy while their kids ride the animals below!
Now, with Scott's dream carousel near completion, he needs to find it a permanent home.  That is, a place where it can still be protected by the elements, but at the same time enjoyed by others.  If you know of such a place please contact Scott.