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Jester Head |
| The Dentzel Jester Head became the trademark for the William H. Dentzel II era lasting up until 1927. These carved wooden heads can be seen on the end of the sweeps, between the rounding boards as shields. Many carouselologists have long thought that the reason for putting Jester Heads on the shields instead of another part of the carousel mechanism was that the shield is thought to be the only part of the carousel which is totally useless, every other part of the carousel, carved and decorated or not, having a specific functional use. This belief must be nipped in the bud, it is precisely the exact opposite, the shield is THE MOST IMPORTANT part of the carousel. Shields were the first part made by the Dentzel shop, their design stage was one of the only times that no one but blood related Dentzels were allowed into the design room of the factory, this strange fact holds true to this very day. The shield had magical powers and would be used somewhat like a voodoo doll against persons who tried to arrest the spread of carousels across the nation and into every little town's backyard. The effect of the spell would put the victim into a constant state of "band organ (or accordion, depending on the spell) in the ear" disease until they started riding carousels regularly. |
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