Coin Slot

Coin Slot Magazine - #067 - 1980 - September [International Arcade Museum]
but I just did not have the money at that time (and I did not
dare ask my parents to loan me the money for THAT kind
of purchase). Two weeks ago I paid $1,700 fora restored
Mills 4 Bells (and was glad to get it).
A sadder part of the story is that when I went into the
Army in 1943, I was "broke," and I felt that I should have
some money to carry me over to pay day. I sold all of the
machines I had for "peanuts" (e.g., I delivered "Jumbo" to
Harbin Hot Springs at Clear lake and sold it for $10).
Not too long after discharge from the Army in 1946 I
started a new collection. My first slot was the best "buy" I
ever made. I was going with a girl from Stanford, and in the
summer of 1948 I visited her at her home in Tacoma. I
spent half my time in town playing the pay-out type one-
ball machines. The afternoon I left her father asked me to
stop at a given address fora small gift. It was on theedge of
town. The man in the place told me to open my trunk, and,
when I did so, in he placed a lovely Mills "Silent Mystery." I
was flabergasted.
I am now quite content with my collection, and there
remains but one machine which I "must" have one of these
days—a Paces Races. I have passed up a few oppor
tunities, and I suspect that if I ever purchase one it will be at
a PREMIUM price. C'est la vie. Of course, I am always on
the "look-out" for a machine that tickles my fancy.
Unfortuantely, the center of activity in California is in
Southern California, and my dislike for that part of the
state is greater than my interest in coin-operated amuse
ment devices.
antique but which was manufactured after 1941. I know
that a few courts have ruled post-'41 machines to be
antique, and that helps . . . but it's not enough. Where
would such a definition come from? In terms of understan
ding and knowledge, from the collectors and dealers
themselves; it is not impossible for all of the publications in
the field to agree upon such a definition? In terms of
"respectability," from an institution such as the Smithso
nian Institute. They might be asked to endorse such a
definition. In other words, in addition to the legal definition
of "antique slot machine" (which, as you know, is not the
same in all of the states with such legislation), there should
be a professional definition.
wen, John, this "note" has summarized my reaction to
your article . . . and then some! A multitude of others, like
myself, are most grateful to you, Arrington, Harris,
Bueschel, Mead, etc. who have made collecting machines
interesting, fun ... and, above all, possible.
Most sincerely,
Louis J. Fischl
Dick BuescheVs
Most Wanted List
When the various laws legalizing "antique" machines
started passing, I took an interest in the interstate
shipment of machines, and I commenced researching the
matter. My concern was with the 1962 amendment to
Section 1172 of the Johnson Act: ". . .and provided that it
shall not be unlawful to transport such devices into any
State on which the device is specifically enumerated as
lawful in a State statute" (emphasis added). The California
law (amendment to Penal Code, Section 330) does not do
this. In United States of America v. H.M. Branson Dis
tributing Company, 398 F.2d 929 (1968), the U.S. Court of
Appeals ruled that even though certain machines were
"exempt" under Kentucky law, they were not "exempt"
from
the federal
legislation
(the machines had been
shipped from Chicago to Louisville). After researching
several cases, I decided that I might be able to come up
with an interesting article. I wrote Dan Mead about the
possibility of such an article in June of 1978, and I received
an
encouraging
response
from
him.
Unfortunately,
however, numerous other matters monopolized my atten
tion, and I was unable to complete my research. Then at
the last Arrington auction I met and talked with Jerry
Kenzer. He told me that a federal court had ruled that if a
machine is legal in a state, it is legal to use interstate
commerce to ship the machine to that state (despite the
lack of the "appropriate language" seemingly required by
the 1962 amendment to the Johnson Act). Unfortunately, I
did not get the case citation, and I would like to read that
.com much
Even if Jerry's statement is correct,
there m
remains
:
u
to be done. The "presumption"
om of being
us an e antique (typical
m
d fr enough.
-
of most such laws) d
is e
NOT
A GENERAL definition
e
d
a should
oa machine"
of an "antique
be developed to help
nl slot
arc problems
.
w
o
w
those who
might
face
legal
with the possession
D
w
w
/
/
:
of a slot machine
which
is
generally
regarded as an
http
opinion one of these days.
Continued from page 20
It's obvious what happened, and why the PERHAPS was
on the market for such a short time. The bartenders no
doubt charted it and grabbed the payout when it was due.
Or the regular players did. Only a total neophyte would
play it while the local vultures hung around waiting forthe
proper count. So the machine got counted out of opera
tion.
I'm not even sure who made the PERHAPS. My guess is
the Amusement Machine Company of New York City
founded in 1890 so the dates check. The selling agent was
in NYC, so the maker probably was too. I also suspect that
there's one of these machines around, but I don't know
where. I've been tracking it or years to no avail. Back in the
1930s and 1940s there was a slot machi ne collector named
Alden Scott Boyer in Chicago. A lot of his machines were
sold off at an auction in 1949, and I've tracked down most
of these machines. Buy Boyer kept his favorites.
Later, in the July 28, 1951 issue of THE SATURDAY
EVENING POST an article about Alden Scott Boyer
entitled "What An Auction He Could Hold" carried these
turn-on words:
"Boyer's collection ofcoin machines is quite large, but it does
not contain a modest little gadget called a PERHAPS
machine which was popular around 1890. This was simple,
rather small and looked something like a round clock sitting
on a square base".
Boyer wanted this machine just as much as I do. How did
he know what it looked like. Had he seen one? Or had he
seen the same THE NATIONAL POLICE GAZETTE ads of
1891? We'll never know. Boyer died only weeks after the
article appeared, and his descendants don't know
anything about the PERHAPS. Perhaps you can find one
now that you know what you're looking for.
SEPTEMBER, 1980
© The International Arcade Museum
THE COIN SLOT — 23
http://www.arcade-museum.com/