Carousel Figure Identification: Fiberglass Replicas

By Elizabeth Salenius

Fiberglass carousel figures are very common, often appearing on modern carousels or as replacements for antique figures, they can also be purely decorative figures. 

It is essentially impossible to create a fully comprehensive guide to all fiberglass carousel figures--there are just too many! However, this article will go over some of the most common designs and how to differentiate between wood and fiberglass. 

Please refer to the Rotocast Replicas guide by clicking here to view fiberglass horses made using rotational-mold casting by Rotocast.

Some of the most common fiberglass figures are:

• Gustav Dentzel Stander

• Philadelphia Toboggan Company Stander

• Charles Looff Prancer

• C.W. Parker Jumper

• Looff Jumper (Red Robin Restaurant Horse)

• Bruce White Jumper (Applebee's Restaurant Horse)

• English-esque Jumper

If you are still unsure about identification, I encourage you to visit and post on the Carousel Figure Identification page on FaceBook.

Wood VS Fiberglass

The easiest way to determine if you have an antique, wood figure or a fiberglass replica is confirming what type of material it is made of. If the figure has chipping or cracking paint, you may be able to see what color it is underneath. Fiberglass can be many different colors whereas wood is varying shades of brown, sometimes with visible wood grain or knots. If the paint is undamaged, you can remove the figure from the pole and identify the material through the pole hole--it should be clear whether or not it is wood.

Dentzel Stander

This style of fiberglass horses has been popular for fundraisers and community art installations. The "Around Town Carousels Abound" project in Meridian, Mississippi is one of many examples.

They are based on a G.A. Dentzel horse, though it is unclear which horse these figures were molded or based off of. They are incredibly similar to the standers on the c. 1896 Dentzel carousel that once rode at Brookside Park, Dover, PA, such as the horse pictured bottom right.

PTC Stander

These fiberglass standers are based on a PTC horse, likely an inside row figure due to the simple trappings, though the exact horse they were molded or based off of is unknown. It is possible that it was a chariot figure, placed next to a chariot on the carousel, like the example on the right.

Looff Prancer

These fiberglass prancers were based on a c. 1895 Charles Looff horse, similar to the one pictured on the right. The fiberglass replicas have flatter trappings as well as significantly thinner legs, elongated hooves, and a pinched face. Some have fiberglass tails while others have horsehair or faux hair tails. They also typically have the same paint as the example pictured on the left, though as with all replicas they can be repainted. Some of the replicas also have faux jewels or metal studs on the trappings.

Parker Jumper

These fiberglass jumpers, based on a somewhat infamous Parker jumper, are recognizable for their strange, cut-off manes. The original horse was badly damaged, including the missing chunk of mane, so when the mold was created it kept the damaged mane and various cracks. 

The original horse appeared for sale online in 2024, however, the photos were poor. The best of those photos is on the right. Note that its tail and all four legs are broken, and that it is missing jewels and eyes. While these horses usually have the same paint as the fiberglass example to the left, some have been repainted.

These replicas were sometimes used in Applebee's and Red Robin restaurants. 

An example of a similar Parker horse with its mane intact can be seen on bottom photos--the aforementioned damaged horse would have likely had a similar mane.

Looff Jumper

These fiberglass horses are molded off of a Charles Looff horse, though it is unclear what carousel it was from. It is a distinct jumper with a butterfly or moth on the rump.

The fiberglass replicas were formerly used as decoration in Red Robin restaurants, usually with a shield added to the chest reading "RR." They were typically painted white with a black muzzle and pink, blue, red, purple, and brown trappings.  

Barrango, a modern carousel manufacturer, also offers horses of this mold for sale.

A photo of the original horse can be seen on page 34 of Introduction to the Carousel by Maurice Fraley. 

Bruce White Jumper

These fiberglass horses appeared in Applebee's Restaurants across the United States (though please note that some restaurants used Rotocast replicas instead) in the late 1990s and up until the mid-2000s. They were molded from a horse carved by Bruce White of Kinsley, KS which rides aboard the carousel at the Patee House Museum in St. Joseph, MO. 

Approximately 1500 of these horses were produced and painted by employees at Bruce White's studio. They are usually signed "B.A. White" or "Bruce White," sometimes carved on the rump or painted on the belly. Some also have a date, serial number, and/or name of the painter, though not all. They are easily identified by the apples hanging off the saddle, in addition to flowing ribbons and tassels. They typically have the same paint: white body, gold mane and tail, and red, blue, green, gold, and purple trappings, though they can be repainted. 

English-esque Jumper

These fiberglass horses are not based on a real carousel figure, though they are reminiscent of some English horses, such as those pictured in the photo on the right. Note the scroll-work, banners on the necks, and style of bridle. These replicas are purely decorative and always have the same base and pole.