Bidspirit auction | Derby Racer Carousel Horse Riverview

Derby Racer Carousel Horse Riverview Park - Circa 1919 hand carved wood horse from a Derby Racer carousel. Has glass eyes and carved wood tail. It is in ORIGINAL paint and in very good condition with minor seam separation in the wood. Horse has 2 seats and comes with 2 sets of metal foot rests. There is a metal “T” handle mounted behind the carved mane for the rider to hold onto. It measures 7’ long, 44” tall. The Derby Racer is a vintage, high-speed variation of the traditional carousel designed to simulate a competitive horse race. Invented by Thomas Prior and Frederick Church in 1913, these rare mechanical marvels feature rows of hand-carved wooden horses that shift forward and backward via a cable and pulley system underneath the platform, allowing riders to dynamically change positions and ”take the lead” as the ride spins. Reaching thrilling speeds between 15 and 25 mph, they are significantly faster than standard carousels. Only three operating models survive worldwide. Given the fact that this horse and the one in the next lot are in original paint and came from the estate of a long time collector in Chicago, we believe they came from a ride at Riverview Park in Chicago called, The Winner. The Winner was a Derby Racer built by US manufacturer Prior and Church Company for Riverview Park in Chicago, Illinois. The racing carousel had 56 double-seated horses carved by Theophilus Williams’s R.C. Amusement Company of Denver, Colorado. The ride opened in 1919. After the 1925 season it was removed and its building used for a bicycle rentals concession known as the Cycle Whiz. Then in 1928, a Tilt-A-Whirl was installed in the building instead. The ride was most likely put into storage and sold when the park closed in 1967.