Front:
25USA
SANDUSKA
ОСТ
1988
34870
ChuisCalle
OH
Back:
A CAROUSEL MENAGERIE
First Day of Issue: October 1, 1988
First Issue Location: Sandusky, Ohio
The beautiful carousel, with all of its gilt and glitter, goes
back as far as the ancient sports arena. For, the roots of the
magnificent carousel we see today trace to the Byzantine
empire in 500 A.D. Then, “riders" held on to ropes and
were spun around roughly by mere centrifugal force.
Centuries later, Arabian horsemen displayed their skill in
a “live” version of the carousel. Called "carosellos," the
game they played tested hand-eye coordination, as well
as riding skill. They tossed clay eggs filled with perfume
back and forth until the loser was doused in the female
fragrance. In France, great noblemen – astride their
mounts — lanced small rings suspended from colorful rib-
bons. To practice, they constructed a machine to spin the
riders past a practice ring. Thus began the carousel and
the tradition of the “brass ring." In England, the "merry-
go-round" attracted rich and poor alike as steam-pow-
ered carousels came into their own. And, once introduced
in America, the carousel became a fabulous ride, with all
of the showmanship creative Americans could give it.
No. 88-61
©1988 The Maximum Card Collection
A Division of Unicover Corporation . Cheyenne, WY 82008-0007
Original painting by Chris Calle
