ADVENTURES IN ANTIQUING
ON THE WEST COAST
By John S. Carini
Some people go on vacation to relax, and others use peanut machines, but that's
their vacation for adventure. Our family falls into the not too bad since this is my
latter and there is no greater adventure than searching main collectible. We also
for antiques. So, this past June we took the family on saw slot machines from the
vacation to the west coast. Even though the west coast '30s and '40s, Mills and Pace.
isn't known for lots of coin-op machines, we found We saw some scales and a
plenty. We started in Seattle and ended in San whole lot of old brass cash
Francisco, antiquing all the way.
registers. In one shop we
picked up an old English type
First stop - Seattle. We decided to mix sightseeing with vending machine (see photo).
antiquing and started at the Pike Place Market. The This isn 't in the Silent
Pike Place Market is known for its fresh fish (so fresh, Salesman book, so any help
some are still alive), crafts and even a few antique you can give me identifying it
stores. We didn't find anything exciting in the market- would be appreciated. The
place, but just a few blocks east were several large machine was made by
antique malls. In one large shop we found a 1930s National
Automatic
Stewart and McGuire machine. I had actually missed it Machines, LTD in London
and on my way out asked the clerk if they ever got in NWlO. I can't really identify
any gumball machines. She said, "did you see the art the coinage because it has a 2
deco machine way on top of a shelf in the back?" I followed by a slash ( or maybe
hadn't, so I made my way back there and discovered the a crooked exclamation point).
Stewart and McGuire machine, in good original condi- My wife told me the machine
tion. There was no price tag, so I asked the clerk the was there two years ago when
National Automatic
price. She didn't know and tried to contact the owner, she visited, and I used that
Machine
who wasn't home. We made an offer of $350 for the information to negotiate a lower price. I bought that
machine and left. Later, we checked back with the shop machine and a couple of old tobacco baseball cards in
owner and found they wanted $625. We passed.
Snohomish.
Next, we checked other shops along the waterfront and We also stopped in a couple of other antique cities south
found old scales priced between $200 and $400. We of Seattle. Puyallup and Centralia, both known for their
found a few pinball machines (priced high) and a many antique shops, had a lot of coin-op, including
Seeburg C jukebox. A lot of stuff was new, from the gumball machines, jukebox and soda machines, but
were either priced out of range or just didn't thrill me.
'80s.
Next stop was Snohomish, Washington, located about After a scenic drive through the Columbia River Gorge
50 miles northeast of Seattle. The town had over 25 (beautiful waterfalls), we made out way to Portland.
small antique shops and a couple of large antique malls. We visited their antique district - 12 blocks of antique
I learned about Snohomish from my wife who had vis- shops on both sides. It was raining, but well worth the
ited this town two years ago on a business trip. We soaking we took. One shop had a duck shoot - too bad
explored the town and found an old pawn shop that had it was overpriced at $1 ,000. Another had a Lawrence
a Short Case Pulver Machine in the window, but it was Bulk Vendor on a stand at $155. It was rough, so I
priced at $2,400. Wow! We found mostly gumball and passed. One little shop (it looked more like a house),
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