Mr. Frederick Dolle: A Look at a “Carousel King” in his Heyday
Brother-In-Law of Charles I. D. Looff, Dolle Left His Mark on Many Carousels
Silver Beach Carousel rounding board. Ray Simmons, Charles Looff’s great-grandson, donated the unrestored rounding board to the Silver Beach Carousel Society for their museum, where it is now displayed. Photograph provided by Ray Simmons
By William Benjamin, Ph.D., and Barbara Williams
From the January 2010 issue of The Carousel News & Trader
Post card of the Frederick Dolle carousel at Clason Point. Postmarked 1913. Barbara Williams collection
Each reader, for a different reason, may know the name Frederick Dolle. Some may know of him as the brother-in-law of Charles Looff, others as the manufacturer of a specific park carousel. The most extensive description of him in carousel history books, a total of eight lines, can be found in Frederick Fried’s “Pictorial History of the Carousel”. During the course of researching turn-of-the-century newspaper archives for information about Henry Kolb’s carousel at Sulzer’s Park, (see our previous article in The Carousel News and Trader, June 2009), we occasionally came upon mention of Frederick Dolle and felt that there must be much more to his role in the early carousel trade than generally appreciated. This, indeed, proved to be the case.
Tracing Dolle’s Carousel Manufacturing History
It hasn’t been possible to determine how, or precisely when, Frederick Dolle became involved in amusement parks and the manufacture of carousels. It is interesting to speculate that his brother-in-law Charles Looff was an influence. However, we have found no evidence of professional connections between Dolle and Looff. The earliest mention of Dolle in relation to an amusement business was found in the July 3, 1906 edition of The New York Times in an article entitled “ “Little Coney” A Nuisance” “Vice Chancellor Pitney plainly expressed the opinion in Jersey City yesterday afternoon that the pleasure resort known as “Little Coney Island” ought to be closed not only Sundays but weekdays, as a nuisance.” Dolle operated a merry-go-round and a saloon business there.
A number of “For Sale” advertisements by Dolle, representing a series of ventures, in issues of New York’s The Evening Telegram between 1907 and 1910 illustrate the extent of his evolving business and include the sale of a thirty-two foot stationary carrousel, a small Ferris wheel, a skating rink track with an organ and three hundred pairs of Union Hardware skates. Dolle also advertised a Razzle Dazzle, a Gee Whizz, direct current motors, various gas and steam engines, a Frati orchestrion and organs for skating rinks and amusement parlors. In these advertisements, Dolle’s businesses were referred to as F. Dolle’s Carrousel Works (1907), Dolle’s Carousel Works (1909), Dolle’s Carrousels (1910).
Dolle’s role in the manufacture of carousels is best detailed in a letter from M.D. Borrelli to Frederick Fried, dated May 23, 1963 (the Borrelli letter) that was obtained from the Frederick and Mary Fried Folk Art Archives, Archives Center, National Museum of American History, Smithsonian. Borrelli, who subsequently became a business partner with Dolle, relates that he immigrated to the United States in 1907 at the age of 13 and became a “ring boy” for Dolle at his carousel at Little Coney Island. Shortly thereafter, he became involved in the manufacture of carousels with Dolle and indicates that they would build three to four carousels per year during the winters when the parks were closed. “We manufactured everything on the construction of the Carousel except the Horses, they were carved by a man named Charles Carmel…” wrote Borrelli. (Previously, Borrelli has been most known for installing profusions of jewels on certain carousels.) Dolle even placed his name on the facades for band organs as seen in the photograph of a late 19th or early 20th century organ manufactured by Gavioli et Cie, Paris, that used an early version of the cardboard-played key frame system. Charles Bovey purchased this organ in the 1950’s from the B.A.B. Organ Company shop, located in Brooklyn. The site at which this organ was originally placed is not known.
Frederick Dolle’s Family History
Frederick Dolle (1858-1912) came from a family with six children. His father Henry, a shoemaker, was born in Hanover, Germany and his mother Anna (nee Schneider) was born in Baden, Germany. His oldest sister Anna married Charles Looff in 1874. His other siblings were Henry, Rudolph, Lena and Emma. U.S. census records from 1880, 1900 and 1910 show Frederick’s occupations to be a “cigar marker,” “retired,” and “proprietor carousels,” respectively. Frederick married Elizabeth (Lizzie was used in census records) in 1885. Frederick and Elizabeth had no children.
The carousel at Luna Park, Sydney, Australia. Photo courtesy of Bonhams and Butterfields.
A Dolle manufactured carousel located in Manila, Philippines circa 1916. John Caruso collection
Dolle Carousels and Amusement Parks:
– Little Coney Island/Dolle’s Pleasure Grounds, North Bergen, New Jersey (circa 1906)
– Fairyland Park at Clason Point, Bronx, Westchester County, New York (1910)
– Silver Beach, St. Joseph, Michigan (1910)
– Dolle’s Park located at Rexford, New York (circa 1911)
– Park Island Amusement Park, Lake Orion, Michigan (circa 1911)
– Virginia Beach, Virginia (ca. 1912)
– And Other Carousels Constructed by Dolle
Read the entire article on Mr. Dolle and great detail on the parks mentioned above…
Mr. Frederick Dolle: A Look at a “Carousel King” in his Heyday
In the January 2010 issue of CN&T ONINE – CLICK HERE >>
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