Sunday, 22 April 2007

Merry-Go-Round - # 85


This week-end a small travelling fair came to Ham Common between Richmond and Kingston upon Thames. This magnificent hand painted Merry-Go-Round was built in about 1889, and originally steam driven. The superb air-pipe organ, built in Belgium in 1920, had a wide variety of "Olde Time" and modern music all printed out onto huge punched cards: truly a miracle of technology and hand craftsmanship that brought fun and enjoyment to kids and "techno-freaks" like me.

6 comments:

  1. One fine nightshot and a nice colorful one.

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  2. Your mention of "huge punched cards" made me prick up my ears. I had a post on 20070313 about a shop that repairs mechanical musical devices. I've been wondering if the disk used as a shop sign is an actual disk from a giant music box, perhaps you have an idea?

    http://tinyurl.com/26fm9m
    Villigen, Switzerland

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  3. I went by early on Saturday, as they were setting, kick myself now for not going back..

    great shots
    :o)
    T

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  4. Brought back memories...

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  5. Beautiful carossel, especially the first photo.

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