C.O.C.A. Times
Issue: 2012-March - Vol 11 Num 1 - Page 30
by Bill Howard
The theme of my book, Every Picture Tells a Story,
is that each item in my collection has its' own story or
memory from the past. A classic example of this theme
is the Calvert Indian Shooter.
This trade stimulator was manufactured in 1929 by
Calvert Mfg., and the example pictured above and on
page 135 of my book combines every possible feature
one could hope to find in a trade stimulator: rarity (this
is the only all original and complete example I know of
as of the date of this writing), condition (it is flawless),
Americana (wonderful graphics of Indians in the Old
West), uniqueness of play (shooting pennies vertically
to knock off the heads of the Indians), aesthetics' ( the
sheer beauty of the machine), its ' marvelous construc-
tion (all metal and very well built), and, most impor-
tantly, the fun it is to play.
I acquired this machine from dealer Paul Hindin. I
cannot quite remember how I learned that it was for
sale or what convinced me to drive all the way to Paul 's
house in my early collecting days to look at it. What 1
30
do remember, just as if it were yesterday, was the feel-
ing I had as I saw it for the first time sitting on his table.
After putting a penny in and playing it, I knew it was
leaving Wisconsin with me. It was a feeling I will never
forget.
I have often told people that there is another thing
1 saw that day that I will never forget that convinced
me Paul was someone special when it came to coin-
ops. As l entered his home, 1 saw that he had turned
both couches in his living room on end so that he would
have more room in which to stuff machines. Now that
is the kind of sickness and compulsive behavior that
will get you far in the hobby, my sympathy to his lovely
wife Bonita, not withstanding.
The machine was sold for $37.50 according to the
October 1929, ad in Automatic Age on page 44. Its' rar-
ity and uniqueness in design and play are discussed by
Dick Beuschel in Vintage Trade Stimulators & Counter
Games on page 170, where he notes that the penny is
shot vertically into the air. Also, note that the example
The theme of my book, Every Picture Tells a Story,
is that each item in my collection has its' own story or
memory from the past. A classic example of this theme
is the Calvert Indian Shooter.
This trade stimulator was manufactured in 1929 by
Calvert Mfg., and the example pictured above and on
page 135 of my book combines every possible feature
one could hope to find in a trade stimulator: rarity (this
is the only all original and complete example I know of
as of the date of this writing), condition (it is flawless),
Americana (wonderful graphics of Indians in the Old
West), uniqueness of play (shooting pennies vertically
to knock off the heads of the Indians), aesthetics' ( the
sheer beauty of the machine), its ' marvelous construc-
tion (all metal and very well built), and, most impor-
tantly, the fun it is to play.
I acquired this machine from dealer Paul Hindin. I
cannot quite remember how I learned that it was for
sale or what convinced me to drive all the way to Paul 's
house in my early collecting days to look at it. What 1
30
do remember, just as if it were yesterday, was the feel-
ing I had as I saw it for the first time sitting on his table.
After putting a penny in and playing it, I knew it was
leaving Wisconsin with me. It was a feeling I will never
forget.
I have often told people that there is another thing
1 saw that day that I will never forget that convinced
me Paul was someone special when it came to coin-
ops. As l entered his home, 1 saw that he had turned
both couches in his living room on end so that he would
have more room in which to stuff machines. Now that
is the kind of sickness and compulsive behavior that
will get you far in the hobby, my sympathy to his lovely
wife Bonita, not withstanding.
The machine was sold for $37.50 according to the
October 1929, ad in Automatic Age on page 44. Its' rar-
ity and uniqueness in design and play are discussed by
Dick Beuschel in Vintage Trade Stimulators & Counter
Games on page 170, where he notes that the penny is
shot vertically into the air. Also, note that the example
Future scanning projects are planned by the International Arcade Museum Library (IAML).