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Posts Tagged ‘Coney Island’

Photo of the Day: Target the Coney Island Arcade Cat

Posted in Animals, Photography, tagged Bowery, cat, Coney Island, Coney Island Arcade, Target the Cat on March 26, 2012| 1 Comment »

Target the Coney Island Arcade Cat. March 23, 2012. Photo © Tricia Vita/me-myself-i via flickr

POW! Target the world-famous Coney Island Arcade Cat agreed to a photo session atop the freshly painted tables on the Bowery. His human is Manny, the owner of the arcade and the games. During the season, Target can be found lounging on the counter calling in customers.

Photo of the Day: Cherry Blossoms on Wonder Wheel Way

Posted in Photo of the Day, Photography, tagged cherry blossoms, Coney Island, Spring in Coney Island, springtime, Wonder Wheel Way on March 24, 2012| 4 Comments »

Young Cherry Blossom Tree on Wonder Wheel Way, Coney Island. March 23, 2012. Photo © Tricia Vita/me-myself-i via flickr

It’s time to sing “Sakura, Sakura, ya-yo-i no so-ra wa…,” the Japanese folk song about cherry blossoms waving in the breeze. Yesterday in Coney Island, we happened to notice the littlest cherry tree beginning to blossom on Wonder Wheel Way. The sapling was planted last spring, when this section of the new pedestrian street was built between Stillwell Avenue and West 12th Street. Deno’s Wonder Wheel, the Astrotower and Scream Zone’s Steeplechase Coaster are seen in the background. Designed to connect the Parachute Jump, Wonder Wheel and Cyclone, Wonder Wheel Way will eventually extend from West 12th to West 10th Street.

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Up for Auction: Coney Island Parachutist Shooting Gallery Target

Posted in Amusement Game, Artifacts, Auction, tagged antique, cast-iron target, Coney Island, Parachute Jump, parachutist, paratrooper, shooting gallery target, William F Mangels on March 23, 2012| 3 Comments »

Cast Iron Paratrooper Shooting Gallery Target. Made by W.F. Mangels Co., Coney Island, NY. Morphy Auctions

This rare and delightful cast iron shooting gallery target made by Coney Island’s William F. Mangels is on the auction block at Morphy Auctions. The April 20-21 sale is in central Pennsylvania with online bidding via Live Auctioneers.

The catalogue description says “Made by W.F. Mangels Co., Coney Island, New York. Professionally made mounting stand. Two piece casting. Minor crack on the head of the parachutist. Superb surface and paint. Rare carnival shooting target. Condition (Excellent). Size 18″ T. Estimate: $2,000 – $2,500.”

William F. Mangels, the Coney Island-based inventor of such early 20th century thrill rides as the Whip and the Tickler, also held the most patents on shooting gallery targets. From the early 1900s until 1969, well after other manufacturers had gone out of business, Mangels’ Coney Island shop turned out cast-iron and sheet-metal targets in the shape of birds and beasts, stars and moons, cowboys and Indians, and soldiers and paratroopers.

The target also evokes memories of riders on Coney Island’s landmark Parachute Jump, which closed in 1964. Originally designed by retired Naval commander James Hale Strong to train military paratroopers in the 1930s, parachute towers were modified into amusement attractions when civilians clamored to ride. Coney Island’s Parachute Jump first wowed visitors at the 1939-40 New York World’s Fair. Afterwards, the ride became the star attraction at Steeplechase Park.

Update: The price realized for the target was $1,020.