Carousel for sale: Woman looks to sell mechanical ponies

Callander’s Edna Scott is seeking a buyer for her cherished garden carousel. Eric Taschner explains.

Edna Scott has always loved horses and carousels.

Over the years, Scott has collected antique carousel animals that date back to the early 1900s. She was also the project manager who helped design the two carousels at the Lake Nipissing Waterfront in nearby North Bay.

“I’ve had some wonderful, wonderful stories,” Scott said.

In 2009, a mechanism had to be restored in the larger carousel at the waterfront. Scott told the person doing the restoration work that it was always her dream to have a smaller, private carousel for her garden.

That person was Todd Goings, founder of Ohio-based Carousels and Carvings.

“He said, ‘I’ll do it.’ So, he designed this carousel, which is a little bit different than a normal one,” she said.

“It’s overbuilt because all of the pieces were meant for a much larger carousel.”

The carousel plays music, lights up, spins and supports her vintage animals, including horses, ponies, a pig and a goose.

The carousel also features pictures Scott painted of animals that visit her garden, as well as Callander Bay.

Now in her late 80s, Scott said it’s time for her to find a new home for her carousel.

“I don’t want to leave it to other people to deal with. No one in my family has the same passion,” she said.

Scott said the carousel has been appraised at $114,000, but she’s willing to sell it for $70,000. She’s hoping a buyer will come forward with the same love for carousels that she has.

The purchase would include the entire mechanism, animals, all the artwork and carousel schematics. Assembly and disassembly take three to four hours.

“I would love to see it stay in the area. I’d love to see it go to the town of Callander or something like that,” Scott said.

“I have put feelers out to them, but I haven’t heard back.”

When asked if she reached out to any local groups such as the Heritage Railway & Carousel Company, she said “they’re very busy with the train and the carousels” they already have.

Her carousel has been on the market for 12 days and she’s already received a few emails and calls from interested parties.

The only piece she plans to keep is an antique white horse, which was a gift from her late husband.

“He put an ad in the Toronto paper for a carousel horse for me,” she said.

“So that started the whole thing.”

Scott said her carousel meets Canadian Standards Association regulations, but additional licensing from the Technical Standards and Safety Authority may be needed depending on its use down the line.

“If you were going to do it commercially, then you have to have it approved,” she said.

“But there shouldn’t be a problem because, as I said, it’s over and above the usual, for a carousel.”

Scott said it’s a straightforward process for non-commercial setups.

While she’ll be sad when it leaves her home, she said the memories that have been made over the years with it will always fill her with joy.

“I have a lot of wonderful letters and notes from kids with drawings and paintings of the carousel and how much fun they had,” she smiled.

Anyone interested in learning more about it or to make inquiry can contact Scott directly at [e-mail].