Loop 030 printable

Volume 2, No. 7. April 12, 2002

Carousel horses at ’bay
What do you get when you cross an old circus performer with an antiques dealer? These days, you get a custom-made carousel on eBay, the Internet auction house.

Arlene Albrecht, owner of Albrechts Antiques in Blakely, Minnesota, has a 1930 C.W. Parker 32-foot (10-meter) carousel mechanism with new horses and rounding boards created by her late husband, Dave. After Dave Albrecht passed away in June 1999, Arlene has occasionally put the unfinished carousel on ebay—where she is listed as a power seller, thanks to her own antiques business—with a starting bid of $45,000.

“It needs a lot of work,” Albrecht said of the carousel. “The big gear is worn, it needs new platforms. To be a real, functional carousel, it just needs a lot of tender loving care.” The price tag doesn’t include shipping. “It’s as is, where it is. You have to come get it.”

The one-of-a-kind carousel does come with a legitimate pedigree. Both Arlene and Dave were born and raised in circus families, Arlene the daughter of Yo Yo the Clown (Bill Alcott) and Dave the son of a dog-and-pony show operator and acrobat, who also built circus parade wagons. Arlene still has one of his Albrecht Circus Wagons with the dates 1918 to 1968. That’s when the couple retired from circus life, she to sell antiques, he to open a body shop.

Dave began carving carousel horses, miniatures and full-size. In 1969 he purchased an original Herschel carousel, restored it with a gas engine and 20 new horses and sold it for $3,800 in 1972. “He always regretted selling it, and said he would start all over again.” That led to his purchase of the Parker, for which he carved 54-inch (137-centimeter), Parker-style basswood horses. Of the 19 remaining horses (Arlene sold one, but is now trying to keep the rest of the carousel together), 17 are hand-painted in oils, two are partially painted. All have glass eyes, some have jewels, and one has a name, “Patriot,” a Star-Spangled-Banner bearing horse the Albrechts’ daughter, Lynn, painted during the Persian Gulf War. One of the two chariots is painted, and all 12 exterior rounding boards have individual hand-painted scenes. Eight of the inside panels also are individually painted.

Dave’s reputation with carousel carving landed him in reference books and magazines, and his body shop became a shrine for bus tours. “It was just like in the circus, it’s all show biz,” Arlene said. “It’s just a different way of performing, and I didn’t have to wear a short wardrobe.”

After Dave’s death, Arlene knew the carousel would never be completed and wanted to find a suitable home. Every time she posts it on ebay, she gets interest, but no takers. Once a town in northern Minnesota tried to purchase the piece, but the attempt fell through. “It’s just not something everybody has to have,” she said. “I keep hoping somebody will have to have it.”

To contact Arlene Albrecht directly, e-mail rsantiques@aol.com.