A chance to buy a piece of history is up for grabs this weekend, after a fruitless search to find a buyer for one of the largest collections of vintage fairground rides in the world.
Last year, Carters Steam Fair brought to an end more than 40 years of touring with a final visit to Reading’s Prospect Park.
For generations, the fair, its rides and its side stalls have entertained children, been the venue for romantic dates, and a gathering for friends on a night out. But the Carter family decided to bring down the curtain and focus on sharing their knowledge not just of steam-powered fairground rides, but the ephemera and signwriting that goes with it.
Headed by Joby Carter, the family have been seeking a buyer for their entire collection – including Walzters, merry-go-rounds and a helter-skelter.
Carters Steam Fair is a unique piece of British social history featuring a curated collection of restored vintage fairground rides from the 1890s to the 1960s. Founded by John and Anna Carter in 1977, the fair toured around the South of England and became the world’s largest travelling vintage funfair.
Joby Carter and team rescued rides from scrap heaps and spared no expense on restoring them to the condition they once were when they were new, even painting by hand and using real gold leaf.
The fairground rides have been featured in blockbuster movies such as Paddington 2 and Rocketman, and primetime TV shows including Worzel Gummidge and Call the Midwife.
They have had talks with heritage and the arts groups, government representatives, national organisations (including the National Trust) and various potential investors, in the aim of finding a permanent home and new owners for the complete collection.
But, the Carters say, the discussions highlighted a demand for the sale of selective rides rather than as a collection. At the end of the month, the items will find new homes, thanks to a two-day sale at its Waltham St Lawrence base.
Items for sale include their Galloper horses (the British version of a carousel) dating from the 1890s, and their stylish dodgem cars which featured in an art installation at Somerset House in London in 2021.
Alongside the rides, there are rare British vintage vehicles which are used to pull and power the fair, all of which have been restored and painted by hand using traditional coach painting and signwriting techniques.
Mr Carter said that while fans would be sad to see the collection split up this was the only way forward to ensure that the rides would continue to be enjoyed.
The popular Chair-O-Plane ride has already been bought by the Hymans family who usednto tour with the fair and who currently have residency in the Black Country Living Museum.
He is open to sensible offers: a good home might sway the decision as to who it is sold to.
“I know that our fans will be sad to see the collection broken up and we have been humbled by the outpouring of support we had throughout our final 2022 tour and ever since,” Mr Carter said.
“I’ve always said that I am merely a custodian of these heritage rides and if we need to find individual homes for their legacy to continue then it feels like the right thing to do.
“The positive side of this is that the rides can now be experienced and enjoyed by an even wider audience geographically if they are bought by attractions in locations where we did not take our annual tour.”
He is now looking to find new owners for each of the remaining rides and vintage vehicles.
On Saturday, October 28, and Sunday, October 29, between 10am and 5pm, fans of the fair will be able to say a final farewell at their public open day.
The rides will be assembled for photo opportunities and any remaining funfair merchandise, signage or staff uniform will be available to buy.
Following the sale of the fair, Joby will continue with other creative projects including the launch of his second book All The Fonts Of The Fair, his successful traditional signwriting courses and a new website featuring a brand new range of fine art prints.
For more details, or to see what’s available, log on to: https://www.carterssteamfair.co.uk/october-open-weekend-and-sale/
