Accompanied by over 400 color photographs, a guide to the art of the carousel, or merry-go-round, traces its development by describing style variations and identifiable features of carousel animals produced by the major American carving companies; and includes descriptions and illustrations of restoration techniques; advice on buying, shipping and insuring carousel animals, and a census of operating carousels in the United States and Canada.

From glistening white unicorns to winged elephants and roaring tigers, this celebration of carousel animals takes a colorful look at an art form that's one part fantasy and two parts exceptional craftsmanship. 100+ photos, some in color.

This lavishly illustrated volume explores the history of the carousel from its evolution.

Over two days in 1982, Jim Lommasson photographed the strange and beautiful paintings that decorated the center column of the historic carousel at Oaks Amusement Park in Portland, Oregon. The original carousel images - painted by German and Italian immigrants around 1912 - were an exotic assortment of Edwardian pastoral scenes featuring western explorers, Native Americans, an Arab riding a camel, and idealized women. When these paintings began to show signs of wear in the 1940s, two itinerant artists brothers from Vashon Island, Washington - were hired to paint over the eighteen panels with depictions of such local landmarks as the Columbia River Highway, Mount Hood, Multnornah Falls, and scenes from the Oregon coast. Eventually, the surfaces of these new paintings also began to flake and fade, revealing parts of the original images in unusual and unexpected ways. The resulting double exposures or "pentimentos" included a ghostly sailboat gliding through a forest, an Indian chief looming over the Columbia River Gorge, and a parasoled woman with the road to Crown Point emerging from her loins. Each new image created a completely accidental, even surreal, story about the juxtaposition of two generations of paintings. Just three years after Jim Lommasson captured these images on film, the original paintings were restored and the mysterious double exposures disappeared under yet another layer of paint. Oaks Park Pentimento preserves these haunting photographs and also includes an appreciation by art historian Prudence Roberts and a look at Oaks Park, past and present, by journalist Inara Verzemnieks.

What begins as an ordinary ride on a carousel turns out to be an afternoon of magic for Dana and Lisa. Their two black horses suddenly leap off the Central Park carousel and carry them away through the streets of New York City made beautiful by Christmas decorations.