D.C. Müller & Bro.

Daniel Carl Müller was born in 1872 in Hamburg, Germany. 

In 1880, Daniel’s father Johann Müller moved his family from Germany to the United States, settling in Brooklyn, NY and doing carving work for Charles Looff. They later moved to Philadelphia, PA. 

Johann was friends with Gustav Dentzel, another German immigrant, who ran his carousel business known as G.A. Dentzel Steam & Horsepower Carrousell Builder out of his Germantown, PA workshop. Johann began working for Dentzel, with both Daniel and his younger brother Alfred joining as apprentices. 

In 1887, Daniel and Alfred’s mother, Wilhelmina, died of the flu. Only a few years later in 1889 Johann also passed, leaving their teenage sons orphaned. Gustav Dentzel took care of the Müller brothers, taking responsibility for their education and training them into master woodcarvers and artists. Both brothers attended a local art school, and at twenty-four years old Daniel enrolled in the Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts where he studied on and off for twelve years.

Daniel and Alfred left the Dentzel workshop around 1900 as a result of disagreements with Gustav. During this time, the brothers did freelance carving work for other ride manufacturers.

In 1903, the Müller brothers founded their own carousel company called D.C. Müller & Bro. Based out of Philadelphia, the company carved horses, menagerie figures, and decorative panels, though they never manufactured any mechanisms. They also owned and operated multiple carousels during this time--in fact, during the carousel season, Alfred operated the ride at Palisades Park in NJ.  

Like other carousel manufacturers, the Müllers hired other artists for their workshop. While we do not know all of Müller's employees, we do know some: Ernest Krause, Jonas Muhe, Charles Leopold Sr. and Jr., David Lightfoot, and Dan Buxton. 

According to payroll records, Alfred carved mostly during the winter when he was not occupied with the Palisades carousel. Daniel did not spend as much time in the workshop, instead focusing more on the business side of things. However, most Müller designs and patterns are attributed to Daniel.

It is believed that D.C. Müller & Bro. filled around a dozen carousels during the company’s operation, in addition to carving figures used in mixed carousels (rides with carvings from multiple manufacturers). Today, only two all-Müller carousels remain in operation: the Forest Park Carousel in NY and the Midway Carousel at Cedar Point in OH.

The Müller workshop struggled to compete against bigger, more established carousel companies. It is also believed that Daniel's focus on producing incredibly detailed figures caused slower production times. As a result, they began doing freelance work again in 1914. During this time, it is believed the brothers did some work for the Philadelphia Toboggan Company.

In 1917, D.C. Muller & Bro. closed due to a shortage in materials and lack of orders caused by World War I. The brothers returned to the Dentzel company, now run by Gustav’s son William, renamed as William H. Dentzel Steam & Electric Carrousels.

At some point, Alfred left the Dentzel company and moved to NY, where he did at least some work for carousel manufacturer M.C. Illions.

In 1925, Daniel went into pseudo-retirement, doing occasional carvings for the Dentzel company until it closed following William’s death in 1928. 

Daniel continued doing miscellaneous carousel carving, repairs, and worked on other art up until his death. Daniel died in 1952 at his home in Brigantine, NJ.