Mechanical Memories Magazine

A Reunion
By Robert Rowland
I for one was so glad for the Central England Vintage Amusements Summer Auction
in June, as it gave me a chance to meet up with an old friend ' s son. His name is
Rondo, and he is the son of La Ronde. I last saw La Ronde here in Mablethorpe in
Marine Pastimes amusement arcade c. 1965. To this day I remember so clearly our
first meeting, even though it was so long ago. By the way, in case you haven' t already
guessed, Rondo is not a person, he's an electro-mechanical wall machine made by
Jamieson Automatics.
I first encountered his father, La Ronde, from a distance, which I would describe
as a really eye-catching slot machine. The main attraction was a very colourful wheel
with a two-pointed arrow rotating in a clockwise direction. The nearer I got to this
machine, the more the colours stood out. I then read the instructions: Insert coin, press
button to stop arrow, any numbered arrow wins. There were seven sections where the
arrow could stop, from left to right: 3d, lose, 6d, lose, 9d, lose, 3d. The arrow wasn 't
turning that fast, so I thought to myself "this looks pretty easy to win." I then inserted
a penny into the slot and very carefully watched the arrow as it approached the 9d win.
I then pressed the stop button, but the arrow continued and just slid off the 9d and onto
the next position, which was lose. I was furious! I knew I had pressed the stop button
to perfection for the jackpot win, and I really felt that I had been cheated. Even though
I loved those colours of La Ronde, I never played on that machine ever again.
But the sheer beauty and good looks of that machine lived on. Now years later,
imagine my excitement when I saw in the Summer 2013 Coventry Auction catalogue
lot number 99, a Jamiesons Rondo wall machine with twin jackpot, in good working
order, on old penny play with key. Upon arriving at the auction and viewing the
machine, Rondo seemed to have a larger cabinet than my memory of La Ronde. Upon
closer inspection I noticed that Rondo displayed a nine position section, which went
3d, lose, 6d, lose, 1/-, lose, 3d, lose, 6d, and just like his dad, Rondo was a cracker.
What a treat to meet up with him.
As each lot was sold, my heart started to beat that bit faster. Then he was offered,
"Lot 99, Jamiesons Rondo, interesting lot." I was all geared up to battle so hard to get
this fella, I knew others would also want him. Luckily for me, the opposition showed
very little resistance and was soon defeated, Rondo was all mine. I had waited so long
to even see one of these machines, and now I actually owned one!
Opposite page, Robert's Jamiesons Automatics Rondo c. 1968, Lot 99 at the June
Coventry Auction this year, and (inset) the earlier La Ronde, c. 1964.
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