Above are two incredible artifacts from the Fabienne & François Marchal Collection of Fairground Art to be auctioned off in Paris on September 28-29. From the press release:
Among the historic and/or rare items will be some 80 wooden horses and 160 other carousel animals, dating from 1850-1960, including a Van Guyse Noah’s Ark; Spooner centaurs; and rare animals by Mathieu & Bayol. Various target games, wheels of fortune and a music hall shy or bouffes-balles will be among the historic fairground games. There will also be numerous decorative items (monumental figures, caryatides, stall fronts, merry-go-round elements), including large triumphant figures by Alexandre Devos, and salon carousel decorative elements by Anton Benner.
“Master Pieces from Itinerant Art, Auction Sale of the Fabienne & François Marchal Collection of Fairground Art at Drouot Montaign, Paris” (Morbid Anatomy)