Executed in Germantown, Pennsylvania, circa 1902.

David Wheatcroft Antiques, LLC, Westborough, Massachusetts

For a similar example, see Charlotte Dinger, Art of the Carousel (New Jersey: 1993), p. 200. Other Dentzel Ostriches are in the collections of the Philadelphia Museum of Art and the Heritage Museums and Gardens, Sandwich, Massachusetts.

Surface appears to be original with minor abrasions and losses consistent with age and used of object.
In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective qualified opinion.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING CONDITION OF A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD "AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF SALE PRINTED IN THE CATALOGUE.

On Gustav Dentzel’s carousels created after 1897, most machines carried an extensive variety of animals. On the outside row were single examples of a lion and tiger, but the inside rows usually came in pairs. Ostriches were also one of the most time consuming of the figures to create based on the extraordinary detail included in the feathers.