Mechanical Memories Magazine

My knowledge of Parker's machines is a little vague, having never actually owned one,
but here's what I know. First, let's dispel a myth about the Carousel allwins in veneered
cases. I've often heard these referred to as 'repros'; they're not. They were assembled
over quite a long period of time from original Parker's stock, which was acquired after
Parkers ceased manufacture. So although they were not actually built by Parkers, they're
still basically Parker's machines. I've always assumed the veneered cases were a late
innovation, which might explain why there were so many left over when Parkers ceased
production. I don't know, it's just a guess.
It seems the majority of Parker's machines used cases very similar to Oliver Whales.
Unfortunately, I am unable to picture one here, so take a look at those pictured in Carter's
book. It's clear to see how easily they could be mistaken for Whales machines. Look
closely at the picture of Journey into Space and note the external 'furniture': the Whales
type coin entry; payout knob and guard; Saxony type trigger and backplate (not all
Whales machines used the Saxony 'open' type backplates, but some did). Pay particular
attention to the hinges; they're the same extruded type used by Whales and others. The
only distinctive feature, that I can see, is the payout cup and even this would not be
evident on the sweetie allwins.
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