This is the souvenir sheet for the Vintage Carousels stamp issue from Canada Post. The sheet features all 5 stamps in a carousel-inspired design.
This stamp issue features vintage carousels from five locations across Canada: Lakeside Park Carousel (St. Catharines, Ontario), Bowness Carousel (Calgary, Alberta), C.W. Parker Carousel No. 119 (Burnaby, British Columbia), Roseneath Carousel (Roseneath, Ontario) and Le Galopant (Montréal, Quebec).
Each stamp depicts an animal from its carousels, with the location noted at the bottom. The featured carousels demonstrate high artisan craftsmanship and impressive technological advances for their era.
Carousels originated as a military training game in the 12th century. By the mid-19th century they were mechanically-powered fairground rides with elaborately carved and painted animals and cheery band organ music.
Four of the featured carousels in this issue – Lakeside, Bowness, C.W. Parker No. 119 and Roseneath – were built in the United States in the early 1900s, while Le Galopant was manufactured in Belgium circa 1885.
Built by Kremer’s Carousel Works in 1903, this impressively large carousel boasts 68 animals and four chariots in four rows. This iconic carousel has been at Lakeside Park in St. Catharines, Ontario, since 1921. It still costs only a nickel to ride.
Built by Herschell-Spillman Co. in 1904, this rare three-row track machine arrived at the Heritage Park Historical Village in Calgary, Alberta, in 1969.
Built in 1912 and now fully restored, this carousel features 36 jumping horses, four stationary horses, a chariot and music provided by a 1925 Wurlitzer band organ. This carousel first came to Canada in 1936. It has been at the Burnaby Village Museum in Burnaby, British Columbia, since 1993.
Built by C.W. Parker in 1906, this was originally a portable carnival carousel. It is the only Canadian carousel to receive the National Carousel Association (U.S.) Historic Carousel Award – in 2010. This carousel has resided at the Roseneath Fairgrounds in Roseneath, Ontario, since 1932.
Built circa 1885 in Belgium, this was originally a travelling carousel powered by steam. This carousel has resided at La Ronde amusement park in Montréal, Quebec, since 2007. It was brought to Canada for Expo 67.