Keeshan Delight Number 9

The Head was purchased 5 years ago from an antique shop near Gillette Castle in Connecticut after languishing in the elements for dozens of years.
We were told it was created for Bob Keeshen the original ‘Clarabell The Clown’ on the television show Howdy Doody in the late 1950’s. Mr. Keeshan later went on to become Captain Kangaroo after this fiberglas mascott was created. The Head has recieved a major restoration due to the significant damages done by mishandling and weather. We used 300 sq feet of fiberglas cloth and 4.5 gallons of epoxy resin to repair the structure to withstand harsh New England storms with aplomb. The giant clown head will be painted to bear likeness to the original Clarabell in tribute to the late Mr. Keeshen.

This mechanism has been built inside a 40 foot tall grain silo made of stone and brick constructed in the mid 1800’s and is supposedly one of four left in existance.

With the mechanism completed and connecting rod attached the clown head appears as if from nowhere from the top of the silo and peer down to the traffic and with a smooth running mechanism churning away below.

Details of the construction are recorded in a Flickr set. Link -Thanks, Chris Hausbeck!