The $1.5 million masterpiece hidden in a Queens park
In short: In 1988, a carousel operator described buying a masterpiece for the price of a cheap painting. This hand-carved marvel, featuring glass eyes and genuine horse hair, survived a suspicious fire, a relocation from Massachusetts, and years of neglect to become a New York City landmark.
The Forest Park Carousel is a rare surviving treasure from the D.C. Muller and Brother Company. Created around 1903 by German immigrant Daniel Carl Muller—a sculptor trained at the Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts—the ride represents the 'Philadelphia style' of carving. This style is defined by large, realistic animals that project strength and grace, with some observers noting sculptural qualities similar to the work of Augustus Saint-Gaudens. Muller's brother, Alfred, also worked alongside him to master this intricate craft. While Muller's influence is central, the carousel also features individual handiwork from notable carvers like William Dentzel and Charles Carmel.
The ride's history is marked by survival and reconstruction. Originally located at Lakeview Amusement Park in Dracut, Massachusetts, the carousel was moved to Queens in 1972. It replaced an earlier Forest Park carousel that burned down under suspicious circumstances in December 1966. The current 56-foot platform features 52 unique figures, including 36 moving horses, 13 stationary horses, two chariots, and menagerie animals like a lion, a tiger, and a stag. The carousel's rotating platform is arranged in three distinct rows on two levels. The outermost row contains the largest stationary horses, while the inner rows feature progressively smaller moving figures.
The carousel's preservation has been a costly, community-driven effort. After falling into neglect and being graffitied in the mid-1980s, the ride underwent an extensive restoration by the Fabricon Design Group, costing approximately $450,000. Despite the high repair costs, the potential reward was significant, with a Sotheby's specialist valuing the ride at $1.5 million. Today, it remains a designated New York City landmark, featuring a band organ by the Andreas Ruth and Sohn Band Organ Company and murals by Jonathan Lev depicting local history. The surrounding pavilion, designed by architect Victor Christ-Janer, houses the ride within an octagonal wooden structure. This space also contains an 18-panel band organ featuring a drum, cymbals, and nine pipes.
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Sources
- Summary by Intellect · source: Forest Park Carousel
- Also: Forest Park Carousel (U.S. National Park Service)
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