Thank you for the Chereau tip.
I swear I thought the Himalaya ride was first built by Zierer or Mack. I had never heard of Chereau.
It makes sense to me that Reverchon would have bought the plans from another French company.
I guess none of this stuff was patent protected in the way that rides are now protected from copying by other companies.
Does anyone know if Zierer made a ride named Himalaya?
Did Heinrich Mack make a ride named Himalaya?
I probably should have worded my reply differently. Instead of saying that Chereau built the original Himalaya, I should have said that Chereau was the originator of the Reverchon style himalaya, or perhaps, Chereau was the original designer and manufacturer of the Himalaya which was later manufactured by Reverchon, before Reverchon acquired the plans to the ride.
Unfortunately, I don't know what manufacturer was first to use the name "Himalaya".
In a special newsletter Reverchon International Design published in 1997 commemorating Reverchon's 70th. Anniversary and their 100,000th. bumper car. it stated, "In 1943 Gaston had the idea to manufacture a revolving ride, the "Bobsleigh", with cars like the ones of the Matterhorn, on which the seats were made of sheet metal". In the same newsletter, there is a photograph of a ride which appears to be a Himalaya type ride with big cars with two or three rows of seats which is identified as, "First Revolving Ride".
In an article in the Oct. 19, 1985 issue of Amusement Business...
Harry Prince, who was 90 years old at the time, was on a study tour of Europe with 70+ other IAAPA members...
The article stated...
"During a stopover in Italy, Prince related that he was the first person to bring a Himalaya into the US. he did so back in 1945 and sold it to Coney Island. He said it was made by Andre Screau [sic], who sold the plans to Reverchon of france when he died".
"That ride costs 220,000 today and it doesn't have one extra light bulb, no changes from the one I brought over" said Prince. "When i bought it, the cost was $45,000 and I think it took another $8,000 to get it over here", he said adding, "I made $3,000 on the deal. then I brought in a Belgian Himalaya".
"Don't forget to be half fair and give a little credit to the small concessionaire"