(Swipe to see the cats discovering the pony!)

“Whoa… who put this here?” Savitri.
“Hey, there’s a critter in the studio!”  Gibbs…
“He’s not a cat….But he’s a cheery fella!  Just my size!”

It is a shame the C.W.Parker Carousel restoration was put on hold.
We have loads of information and hope to eventually share it with you.

Lions and tigers and bears and ponies!

Below are the benches that came into the studio for assessment
and eventually would have been properly conserved.
In all cases, we proposed going back to oil paint instead acrylic.
Oil is much more durable and has a beautiful depth to the paint.

SINGLE SEAT LION BENCH

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The Lion Bench was buried so deep in the mechanical parts we almost didn’t think it was still in storage!

The carving is so beautiful on this bench seat!

The Lion Bench (our name) has two giant lion heads on either side,
with flourishes of greenery, yellow flowers, and gold swirls.  It sits on a deep red base and is anchored at each end by a deep red flourish.

Unfortunately, at some point the seats themselves were ruined by
improper upholstery; no one in the days these were created would have done
such a shoddy job using foams.  The seats were stripped of their fiber pods,
and they were modified, as originally they would have been comfortable to sit on, extending another few inches forward.  One can imagine a thoroughly modern post-Victorian mother sitting on this delightful bench seat while keeping an eye on her children.

Now one has to Hang On to keep
from slipping off the front edge!

The case for upholstering the benches properly is simple:
foam will deteriorate faster than a traditional buildup, and as it does so
the showcover wears out faster.  If these benches are restored improperly again, they will cost more in the long run due to constant reupholsterings.

The carvings on both sides are in good condition but need repainting.

Jantzen Beach Lady going for a ride
on the single seat Lion Bench!

NATIVE AMERICAN HEAD
DOUBLE BENCH CHARIOT

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The huge heavy double bench chariot was in the farthest right corner, completely hemmed in by heavy objects.

They carry the heavy double bench a few feet, being careful where they put their feet. I am holding my breath.

The bench seat ready for conservation.

The Double Bench Chariot has copper wheels, a carved Native American head at the front, and angels at the back with pink wings.  Green flourishes and golden swirls decorate the sides.

We believe the opposite sides which faced the center of the carousel
were once carved like the front, and lost their carvings.
Our research says scenes were once painted on the outside back of the benches.
We believe in the restoration the scenes should be recreated, even if not historical, for the effect.  Of course, carving the opposite side would be grand, but if it is too expensive, perhaps painted images as an homage could take its place.

And as in the single bench, the upholstery was botched in the same way,
but can be brought back to a proper and comfortable seat!

We hope this project is eventually revived
and the carousel is treated properly!

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Written by Kate Powell  ©MPF Conservation.
May be printed for your own use ONLY, not for use on blogs without permission.