Born in Germany, Gustav learned the skills of carousel carving from his father in Germany. After immigrating to America, Gustav changed the family cabinet shops name to G.A. Dentzel, Steam and Horsepower Caroussell Builder, thus the beginning of the American Carousel movement.

Before engaging full time into manufacturing, Gustav toured the country with a small portable carousel. What he found was a great deal of enthusiasm for riding the wild ponies. William, one of his sons continued the carousel business after Gustav died in 1909. Some of Gustav’s notable carving characteristic on his carousel horses were his Roman nose, he liked large motionless standers, liked "flop-ears", he liked the thoroughbred breed of horses, liked to use real horse hair tails, another notable feature was the roached-mane.

Most of the famous carvers to follow work in the Dentzel factory at one point or another.

Daniel, the more famous of the two Muller brothers, is best known for his artistic ability in carving carousel horses. His attendance and training at Pennsylvania Academy is the basis for the development of his talents. Both brothers worked for the Dentzel Carousel Company until then decided to start their own company, which brought the wrath of Gustav Dentzel. In later years, William Dentzel hired both men back after their small company failed.

Daniel was a true artist and is best known for some of the following features. He was intrigued by the military and his creations were unbelievably accurate. He was a stickler for detail in his carvings of military items. He chose to make powerful horses and they were lifelike. He later liked to adorn his horses manes with flowers and ribbons. Most unique were his presentation of sensitive and expressive eyes on his horses.

The Muller brothers small company completed 12 carousels while in operation.

The Philadelphia Toboggan Company (PTC) was the first business be deal with the idea of an amusement park. PTC was started by business people instead of carvers and still operates today. One of the first carvers to work for PTC was E. Joy Morris. His style was flowing manes with ringlets and some unique carving behind the saddle.

Later a young man Salvatore "Cherni" Cernigliaro began his apprenticeship with PTC, but after work ran out temporarily at PTC, "Cherni" went to work for the Dentzel Company.

John Zalar, who tutored under Charles Looff, designed and carved fairly ordinary horses for PTC in the early 20’s. Due to ill-health, Zalar had to return to California, where he continued to carve for PTC and ship the carvings to Philadelphia via the Panama Canal.

Charles Looff, produced the first carousel to operate at Coney Island. Because of the popularity of the Coney Island Carousel, Charles Feltman commissioned Looff to make a carousel for him. Looff built his first three carousels entirely by himself. Because the carousels were so successful, he started his company. Looff’s style included pleasant faces on the horses, open mouth with teeth showing. He liked to vary the color and design of his trappings. Because he loved his country, many of his trappings were patriotic. Looff built some 40 carousels during his lifetime. One of the most famous Looff carousels still operates at Crescent Park, Riverside, Rhode Island.

Looff was one of the first to build an amusement park empire. He built a west coast factory in Long Beach, California. He started several amusement parks on the west coast. This self-made millionaire moved to California and managed all his properties until his death in 1925.

Marcus, a Lithuania immigrant, son of a horse trader linked up with William Mangels in the restoration of the Feltman Carousel on Coney Island which was partially destroyed in a fire. With Mangels development of the overhead crank mechanism, which allowed the up and down movement of the horses, Illions began designing his horses with more movement. Horses now could gallop, hoofs in the air, manes blowing in the wind. He introduced gold leaf manes, flowers on bridles.

Because Illions was an avid horseman, he rode daily and was constantly trying to incorporate the actions of his horses into his wooden carousel pieces. Among the most impressive actions was that of featuring speed. The Depression of 1929 caused the business to fail, but Illions provided for himself restoring his horses, until he died at the age of 84.

Both immigrants from Russia were influenced by the famous Coney Island carvers, Looff and Illions. They were successful for more than a decade. Their style was unique. They introduced a new scale to carousel horses, that was large. Besides the scale of their horses, they adorned their pieces with large buckles and fish scale armor and trappings. They incorporated fiercely aggressive expressions particularly on their armored horses. Influenced by Illions, they often softened their powerful steeds with additions of floral arrangements.

Harry Goldstein, 15 years older than Solomon Stein, survived Solomon and continued to operate a carousel until he died in 1945. During their partnership, they built 17 carousels and operated 11 as a business venture.

Carmel, another Russian immigrant, worked for most of the carvers and carousel companies. Because of this work situation, Carmel’s styles are hard to distinguish from many of his contemporaries. Because of his exposure to the workings of his contemporaries, Carmel carving and artistic ability could produce well proportioned horses with many of the different features of other carvers. To his dismay, his best customer, M. D. Borielli, bought hundreds of Carmel’s horses and studded them with lots of gem stones. His most recognized decoration style was the placement of the hunter’s kill attached behind the saddle.

Diabetes and arthritis crippled Carmel in the last 10 years of his life. He died in 1931 at the age of 66.

Charles Parker, often referred to as the "Amusement King" and most notable known for the "Jumping Horse Carry-Us-All", traveled through out the west with his portable carousels bring amusement to the early west. All the carousel manufacturers were either on the east or west coast. Parker started his company in Abilene, Kansas.

Parker’s horses were almost exact copies of the Armitage Herschell Company. His horses were small, because they had to be portable and easy to handle. They were wild and long expressing the wild nature of the sparsely settled west compared to the east. Often Parker liked his horses to look skyward and were called stargazers.

Parker was born in Illinois and died in 1932 at the age of 68.

An immigrant from Scotland, Allen Herschell operated in a similar manner to C.W. Parker in Kansas. He produced portable machines and traveled throughout the country bringing entertainment and amusement to folks in small towns and the countryside. Herschell is recognized at the developer of the Tonawanda carousel center in New York. Some of the following names were given to the portable carousels that Herschell produced: "Flying Dutchman", "Riding Gallaries", "Flying Horses", "Hobby Horses", and "Flying Jennys".

The Armitage Herschell Company produced several hundred carousels that were sold around the world. Primarily responsible for providing power for their carousel with the steam engine. The carving style for the Herschell horses were boxy and stiff. Many resembled Looff’s horses. The roached mane was the recognized style of Herschell horses.