Mills DEWEY Floor Machine – Restoration Part 1 by Jenny Creekmore

Mills Two Bits Dewey Upright Slot Machine

Well, the time has come…  My husband and I are finally adding a Mills DEWEY Floor Machine to our collection.  Granted, it is in desperate need of a full restoration, but I am pleased it is ours and will eventually get to come to our home. 

I thought this might be a great blog topic.  As we proceed with the restoration, Don and I will both be posting updates on our progress.  I think it is going to be quite an extraordinary journey and I thought you might like to be included.  I really am excited to bring such a phenomenal machine back to its original glory.  With that being said, there is certainly a lot of work that needs to be completed. 

This particular machine was literally SAVED!  The family that we purchased the Mills DEWEY from had quite the story tied to the machine.  Apparently in the 1940’s, the family went to the local dump or landfill in the Pocono Mountains.  They noticed the Mills DEWEY machine had been brought to the landfill and it had been discarded as trash or garbage.  Oh my, right?

After the family got rid of their haul, they decided to load up the Mills DEWEY floor machine and take it home.  They got the machine home and surprisingly it functioned.  No one knows how long this marvelous machine had been sitting outside and enduring the elements of the Pocono Mountains.  It really makes you wonder just how many of these upright floor machines were dumped, because at the time they were viewed as obsolete and outdated.  If the slot machine operators only knew this would become a treasure….

The family kept the Mills DEWEY in the upstairs of their home until the 1950’s.  At that time, the slot machine was moved to the basement and left until just recently. 

Our Chicago-made Mills Novelty Company DEWEY is also known as the Admiral.  Don will post some historical information in a future blog about why the machine is also referred to as the Mills Admiral DEWEY floor machine. 

Please stay tuned as we make progress on our newest personal slot machine addition.

Jennings Butterfly Revamp by Jenny Creekmore

I had the privilege and opportunity to restore a JenningsButterfly Revamp slot machine.  When the slot machine arrived in our shop, I unpacked the antique machine and I instantly fell in love.  At that time, I had never seen one of these beautiful slot machines before.  The lower front casting looks very similar to the lower front casting of a Mills Poinsettia slot machine.  However, this revamp machine added a butterfly and a sunrise image.  In my opinion, it really is spectacular and quite detailed. 

Of course, directly after unpacking the slot machine, I quickly found my husband Don Creekmore.  I wanted to know everything about this machine.  I found it to be very interesting that the machine looked extremely similar to the Mills Poinsettia machine.  Almost like a copy, but with some new casting enhancements. 

Don informed me that it was indeed an O.D. Jennings slot machine and was originally an Operator Bell.  However, the machine had been revamped or modified by another company called PNC.  PNC probably made the modifications to this slot machine around 1930. 

So why would an O.D. Jennings Operator Bell need to be modified?  At least that was my question. 

When the slot machine was originally sold, it did not have a jackpot.  The jackpot feature is something that became available after this particular machine was manufactured. 

With the relatively large number of non-jackpot slot machines on the market, smaller companies, such as PNC, would buy these used slot machines.  These smaller companies would then make a new lower casting which would include a physical jackpot.  Often, they would mimic or copy other slot machines that were popular.   As in this case, the Mills Poinsettia lower front casting was mimicked.  Along with the smaller companies, Pace Manufacturing of Chicago IL made similar looking castings to revamp Mills and O.D. Jennings machines.  These companies would then resell the slot machine as a ‘revamp’ jackpot model.  To the best of my knowledge, this practice occurred from around 1928 to 1932.  By the early 1930’s all factory new slot machines contained the jackpot feature. 

I think the O.D. Jennings Butterfly Revamp slot machine is absolutely gorgeous and historically very interesting.  I would love to add one to our collection.  If you have one and are interested in selling your antique slot machine, please give me a call at 316-371-1828.

Antique Slot Machines We Are Always Looking To Buy!

During the course of any week we get numerous requests for all kinds of vintage slot machines.  Sometimes we are lucky enough to find the machine in a week or so, but sometimes it can take years! Starting in 2012 we have started to keep a more detailed database of peoples request. So, if there is something special you have been searching for and would like to be added to our contact list, please email or call us.

So what are some of the types of machines we have clients looking for?

Watling Rol-A-Top Slot Machine

Watling Treasury Slot Machine

We currently have a strong need for any type of Watling Rol-A-Top or Rol-A-Tor slot machines. Watling made quite a few different variations of the famous Rol-A-Top from the early 1930’s to the early 1950’s. The Rol-A-Top came in penny through half dollar play and we are interested in them all. Watling also made a machine called the Treasury which is similar to the Rol-A-Top.  The Treasury is another machine we are looking for. Any upright or cast iron Watling machine manufactured from the 1880’s to 1920’s is also high on our want list!

Superior Confections Slot Machine

Superior Mystery Slot Machine

The next manufacturer is one that many people are not that familiar with, Superior Confections. Based out of Ohio during the 1930’s this company made a number of great looking slot machines and trade stimulators. If you have any machine with the Superior Confections name on it, please let us know!

Jennings Century Slot Machine

Jennings Prospector / Monte Carlo

Jennings Victoria A / Witch or Black Cat

O.D. Jennings made lots of different slot machines from the teens into the 1960’s. We are immediate buyers for the following O.D. Jennings models, the Witch, Chief, Tri-Plex, Buckaroo, Prospector, Monty Carlo, Sweepstakes, Baseball, Golf Ball, Golf-a-Rola,  Peacock, Century, Sun Chief and Airplane. Any Jennings machine in a tall cabinet is always something we are strong buyers on as well!

Caille Naked Lady Slot Machine

Caille The Operators Bell

Caille Brothers of Detroit, MI made some magnificent machines from the 1880’s into the 1930’s. We are strong buyers of ANY machine made by this company up until the 1920’s. Any upright Caille in a tall oak cabinet is something we can offer a lot of money for! If the machine is small or sits on a counter top and has a single or double wheel or dice associated with it, we can make you an aggressive offer for it! Any Caille machine that says Liberty Bell or Operator Bell is greatly wanted. If the Caille machine has images of a woman or two women, we are also strong buyers!

Pace Kitty

Pace Races Horse Race Slot Machine

Pace Royal Comet

Pace Manufacturing was a great company that made machines during the 1920’s until the 1960’s. Their peak probably occurred during the late 1940’s and 1950’s but our primary area of interest is machines with the names Kitty or Royal Comet. Pace also made a golf ball machine and a horse race machine call Paces Races.   We have clients who are waiting for these wonderful machines.

Mills Novelty Baseball Slot

Mills Novelty Dewey Double Upright

Mills Novelty Futurity Slot Machine

Mills Novelty Golf Ball Vender Slot

Mills Novelty of Chicago, IL was the largest maker of coin operated machines during the early and mid 20^th Century. Any Mills machine in a tall oak cabinet with a single, double or triple wheel is wanted. Mills Liberty Bell and Operator Bell machines are also greatly desired! Any Mills machine that is cast iron that was made before 1920 is in high demand. Mills made so many great machines it’s hard to list them all. Specifically a dice machine from the 1930’s is needed, Mills Baseball and golf ball machines are also in high demand. Un-restored Mills Roman Head, Lion Front and War Eagle’s are also needed. The Mills Futurity and any Mills machine that has the Bonus feature is needed. Rounding out the list, any QT machine is something we would like as well.

Chas Fey Liberty Bell Slot Machine

Other machines top on our list are anything made by Fey, specifically the Fey Liberty Bell. Watling, Caille and Mills roulette machines are also something we can pay a substantial amount of money for. This will hopefully give you a great idea of what the Nation’s Attic and our customer’s desire.  While I’m sure we are forgetting some key machines, this is just a general list.  Please feel free to call 316-371-1828 or email slots@nationsattic.com anytime.

Are you covered? by Jenny Creekmore

Jennings Sun Chief After Being Pulled From Hurricane Katrina Flood Waters

We receive phone calls and emails from collectors asking about antique slot machine appraisals for insurance purposes.  I thought this would be an excellent blog topic as it usually is not discussed.

Whether you have one or numerous slot machines, it is important to know if your antique is covered by your homeowners insurance or collectors insurance.  In a lot of cases (but not all), insurance companies may require a professional appraisal in order for your machine to be covered. 

This is a service that the Nation’s Attic offers for a minimal fee. 

One option that is available is the historical report, which provides detailed facts and interesting trivia about a single machine.  The second option pertains more to a collection, which is a condensed version.  Both options include the replacement value and are printed on our business letterhead. 

We have seen antique slot machines come into our shop, because it has been destroyed by flood, fire, hurricane, tornado’s, burglars and so forth.  It might be worth a phone call to your insurance agent to verify your antique slot machine(s) is covered with your policy.  If a professional appraisal is indeed needed, please feel free to contact the Nation’s Attic at slots@nationsattic.com or 316-371-1828.

Why is that glass so NASTY? by Jenny Creekmore

1933 Mills Novelty Roman Head Jackpot With Original Laminated Glass

When I was first learning how to repair and restore antique slot machines I asked Don “Why in the world is that glass so NASTY?”    I am referring to the various areas of the slot machine that utilize glass, such as the reel window, escalator and jackpot.  This can be seen in the slot machines manufactured during the 1930’s to 1950’s.

The glass may look very dirty and in most cases cannot be seen through.  It may look yellow or brown and could even have a flaking appearance.  No matter how many times it is cleaned externally, it will not come clean.  

1937 O.D. Jennings 4 Star Chief Reel Window Glass Obscured By Delamination

Don explained to me what happened to the glass and why this was occurring.  I was surprised by the answer and it is something we do get asked frequently.  

So here is the answer!

The glass used was an early form of laminated safety glass.  Over time, the early form of plastic used to make the laminated safety glass would deteriorate or break down leaving the nasty appearance described above.  Sometimes the fused glass can be separated and cleaned with lots and lots of elbow grease.  However, in most cases, the glass simply needs to be replaced and cannot be salvaged. 

We are only aware of one other form of safety glass being used during those times.  It is the jackpot wire glass used by Watling, which is prized by collectors today.

Original 1937 Watling Rol-A-Top Jackpot Wire Glass

I hope you find this bit of trivia to be as interesting as I do.
Jenny Creekmore

Mills Novelty Antique Slot Machine Restoration Video

We have been experimenting with some new software and thought we would post a short video. This shows some before and after photos of a Mills Novelty Castle Front slot machine we restored in 2011.

We have completed quite a few full restorations on Castle Front’s, but this one is quite drastic. It was coated in multiple layers of thick red paint on both the castings and the oak cabinet. The mechanism wasn’t too bad inside but did contain a bit of a surprise.

The reel strips were original except for the jackpot symbols or bars. Each bar had an old black and white photo of a half naked lady!  After asking the customer about it, we found out it was her mother! We saved the reel strips and “custom jackpot” images and sent them back with the restored machine.

In the future we will post videos of other notable slot machine restorations that proved to be extremely difficult or interesting.

My First Slot Machine! by Jenny Creekmore

Several years ago, Don and I were visiting with a fellow slot machine collector.  We were very fortunate to have the opportunity to look at his wonderful collection.  As we were looking at all of these unique machines, there it was, the slot machine that I knew we needed to have in our personal collection.  Unfortunately, this slot machine wasn’t for sale and I was quickly informed that not many of these machines had been manufactured.  Well frankly, it kind of busted my bubble, but just a little.   

I begged Don to find me one of these machines.  He told me that they were made by the Jennings Company and that they were made for less than two months.  He wanted to make sure that I understood it could take years to find a machine for sale.  So on occasion, I would ask him about my dream machine.  

Well, several years later….

Don came home and said, you won’t believe it, we have a chance to buy your slot machine.  So here it is, my very first slot machine that I purchased.  

Jennings Victoria A - AKA The Witch or Black Cat

It is my understanding that the operators back in the day called this machine the Black Cat.  The Jennings Company called this machine the Victoria Model A.  Today people refer to it as the Black Cat or the Witch. 

When the machine arrived home, I was just simply thrilled.  Our new machine looks aesthetically fantastic and is in perfect original condition.  Even the original fortune reel strips look perfect.  So here I go…I put my very first nickel into the machine and pulled the handle.  Boy howdy, the mechanism was groaning and growling like something was trying to get out of the witches cauldron.  I instantly asked Don, why the machine was so noisy.  He informed me that the machine was playing just fine and not to be alarmed.

The Jennings Company spent years developing a new mechanism.  The goal was to place the jackpot on the mechanism.  This was done for numerous reasons, of which, I hope to discuss in future postings.  The Jennings Company had great expectations for this slot machine with its new technology and look.  Unfortunately, around the same time, the Mills Company released the War Eagle.  The slot machine was not popular with the operators and the Jennings Company received negative feedback about the machine.  The Jennings Company quickly created the slot machine known as the Victoria Model B. So after less than two months of being manufactured, my wonderful and amazing Black Cat was no longer being made. 

A little bit ago, I played my machine and I hit three oranges.  The fortune says… “You’ll elope with, A country hick, Who’ll be your down-fall”  Just plain silly!  On a serious note, I am so privileged to own such a rare and unique slot machine.  I frequently get asked if I would sell my machine.  Perhaps one day, but not today.  The Witch and I are just having too much fun!

A Different Perspective On Antique Slot Machines – Coming Soon!

In an effort to provide readers with different stories and information about the business of buying, selling and restoring antique slot machines, Jenny Creekmore will be posting stories soon. Jenny is the co-owner of Nations Attic. She is in charge of the external restoration work on antique slot machines we restore. Having a woman’s view of the machines, their history and other topics of interest will be a unique opportunity.

As far as I know there are no other women in this specific industry doing the hands on detailed restoration work as their full time profession. Having a woman’s touch, especially in the detailed hand painting and woodworking, is a big plus!

So, please check back soon and enjoy both our perspectives on this fascinating hobby and our business!

Don Creekmore

Hey - I Have A 1910 Slot Machine!

1949 Mills High Top 7-7-7 25c Slot Machine

It seems like almost every week or so I receive a call from an excited individual telling me they have a slot machine from 1910! Typically these calls result in the owner describing a Mills Novelty slot machine from the 1930’s or 1940’s. While there is absolutely nothing wrong with a machine from the 30’s or 40’s, it’s usually a bit of a disappointment to the owner that their machine is not quite as old as they thought.

So why do so many people think their slot machine was made in 1910? Typically slot machine manufactures did not put a date on their machines, inside or out. What they would do is put trademark or copyright information on certain parts of the machine that were designed by that particular company. Mills Novelty put a copyright date of 1910 under the jackpot bar which said Bell-Fruit-Gum on the reel strips. Mills Novelty kept that information on their reel strips well into the 1950’s. Below is a close-up of the reel strips on a Mills 7-7-7 High Top slot machine we restored. The copyright date is clear, but this machine was made in 1949.

1910 Copyright Date example on a Mills 1949 High Top 7-7-7

The reason I decided to write a brief blog about this was because of a call we received this past January. A wonderfully nice young lady called and immediately told me she had a 1910 Mills slot machine she was interested in selling. Before I could start into my well practiced diatribe of why her slot machine was not made in 1910 she said the following, “the machine says Operator Bell on the front”………

As a dealer and collector of slot machines there are a few key slot machine names that perk my ears up.  Notably Liberty Bell and Operators Bell will stop me in my tracks. As the owner described to me the machine, I knew she really did have a machine made in 1910! One of the wonderful things about being a full time professional dealer in a specialized field of antiques such as slot machines is getting calls like this. While this model is by no means the holy grail of slot machines, it is a special one!

The owner of the machine had found it at a garage sale on the east coast and was inquiring about its value. It always amazes me and sparks my imagination how these great old machines have survived all this time to then be turned up in a garage sale or behind a wall in an old house or building. Pre-World War 1 machines are difficult to find because they were usually made of cast iron and scrapped for their metal during both World War 1 and World War 2. They are also relatively fragile and once the cast iron case is broken, they were discarded.

After talking with the lucky lady who found this machine, we struck a deal. It was a real pleasure to do business with someone and share with them the excitement of finding an early and valuable slot machine like this one.  On occasion we will get calls on early slot machines made by Caille, Watling and Mills, but one that was made on that almost annoying date of 1910 was a real treat and a great start to our year. The machine is a very nice original example and one that will be a lifelong reminder not to cut people off when they tell me they have a 1910 slot machine!

As a side note, the holy grail of 3 reel slot machines is the Liberty Bell made by Fey in San Francisco, CA at the turn of the 20^th Century. By all means PLEASE CALL ME (Don Creekmore) at 316-371-1828 if you have one of these, I would love to sit it next to the Operator Bell!

Officer, This isn’t a slot machine!

It’s a gum vending fortune teller with buttons to test your skill with a sign telling you how much will come out before you play & a note on the machine saying “no gambling allowed”!

From almost the very beginning of slot machines being used in the United States, they have had to disguise themselves as something else. In today’s world of casino’s with thousands of slot machines lined up it’s almost unbelievable that there was a time when a slot machine in a normal public place had to be disguised, at least to the strict letter of that law that is.

The image above of a very rare Watling Big Six cast iron machine is a classic early example of a machine utilizing a gum vender attachment. Watling didn’t just decide to add this vender on the side as a nice gesture to players. They did this to hopefully slip this machine into an area where a straight gambling device may have been illegal, but one that gave the player a stick of gum or roll of mint for every nickel played then made it a vending device – it just happened to payout money as well.

While most anyone could see past this technicality, when it comes to the law, this changed things and put these types of machines into a gray area of legality. From the turn of the 20^th century into the 1930’s slot machine manufactures were not only bolting on gum venders to their machines but also adding other little features that further confused law enforcement.

 During the teens the Caille Brothers Company made a beautiful slot machine called the Victory Bell. One feature shown in the photo above to the left of the reels is something called a “future pay” option. Every time the handle was pulled you could look at the window and would either see the word NO or numbers, such as 4. If there was a number showing, then all you had to do was put another coin into the machine and that many coins would drop into the payout cup!

What was happening was the machine would delay any payouts until the next pull of the handle. The machine would show how many coins were coming out of the machine on that next pull. The theory was, the player walking up to the machine knew in advance if any money was coming out of the machine – hence the name “future pay”. This little feature also forced a player to put another coin into the machine to get their winnings from the previous pull – tricky idea for sure!

Most of the slot manufactures offered the future pay options for their machines in the teens and nineteen twenties. Today when a machine with the future pay option is found, in many cases the mechanical components have been removed. Operators and players alike probably became annoyed by it or the machine no longer needed the feature to operate in an area.

Mills Baseball Restored By Nations Attic.com

Mills Novelty during the late 1920’s and early 1930’s made a machine shown above called the Baseball Vender Bell. This machine really went all out to disguise itself as a baseball arcade game rather than what it was – a slot machine. This beauty was restored by Nations Attic in 2011 and is a true classic for both slot machine collectors and baseball fans.

This slot machine hid itself behind a brightly painted baseball field. A player would put a nickel in, pull the handle and wait for the baseball images on the reels to stop. Once the machine stopped, the player would look at the future pay window to see if their next play would give them any coins, they could also play a simulated game of baseball by moving the players from base to base on the play field below. The score outs and innings could also be kept track of for players wanting to complete an entire nine inning game (hope they had a lot of nickels). This machine didn’t stop there, it also vended mints. By turning the handle at the lower front right an entire roll of mints would drop into the payout tray – how nice of Mills! Not to be out done, Mills also had three buttons at the top called skill stop buttons. The player could actually stop the reels early exactly when they wanted too in an effort to use their skill to play the machine!

So, to summarize, in 1930 you walk up to this machine and drop a nickel in. You pull the handle, then test your skill with the skill stop buttons, check the future pay window to see if you won anything (in the future), then turn the vender knob for a roll of delicious mints (in reality they were nasty), then figure out what sequence of events just happened in the simulated game of baseball you are playing.

To say the least it would take an entire corporate law firm to legally figure out if this machine was a gambling device, mint vender, fortune teller, baseball game or skill device – which is exactly why Mills and other companies loaded these machines up with gimmicks during the early 1930’s!

The Watling Scale Company even put on their Treasury slot machine a little sign cast into the machine – NO GAMBLING ALLOWED ON THIS MACHINE. Just below that stern warning was a second message which we will decipher for you

“by the way, if you deposit a second coin into this gambling device before pulling the handle in hopes of winning the jackpot and bringing home a pocket full of buffalo nickels, your extra coin will be returned to you so you can gamble again”.

American history is full of examples of enterprising entrepreneurs figuring out a way to get around goofy or strict laws to provide the public with a product or service they greatly desire. Slot machines, a true American invention, are no exception!

Jennings Little Duke With Gum Vender & Fortune Reels

Vintage Mills Novelty Posters Available

Recently we turned up some really interesting old paper from the Mills Novelty Company. The engraving and art work on some of the paper were so amazing we decided to have some posters professionally printed. Two of the posters images date to 1908 and the third is from 1927.

Finding old advertising material from any of the slot machines companies from before World War 2 is quite difficult – especially in color! Over the years we have seen and found some really neat letters, catalogs and even posters from Mills Novelty, Pace, Watling, O.D. Jennings and various smaller companies. Since Mills Novelty was the largest company in the industry, their material tends to be high quality and very attractive.

 Below are images of the three posters. We have made them in a small 12”X32” size and a limited amount in a large 24”x64” size. The smalls are $32.50 each or $90 for all three, which does include shipping within the US. The large posters are $67.50 each. These can also be purchased on our web site at www.nationsattic.com/antiqueslotmachineforsale.html

We are always interesting in purchasing vintage photos, letters and posters associated with the coin operated industry from before 1950. Please email me at slots@nationsattic.com or call 316-371-1828.

Mills Novelty Special Gum Vender Liberty Bell Restoration - Best of 2011

Nations Attic performs quite a few restorations on antique slot machines in the course of a year. Alot of the machines are classics from the 1930’s and 1940’s. Sometimes the owners will share with us the stories behind the machine and why they are having it restored.

My personal favorite story and machine to restore this past year (2011) was a rare 1911 Mills Special Gum Vender Liberty Bell. Cast iron slot machines and trade stimulators from before World War 1 are rare. It’s always a treat to handle one and study how they were made.

 

Earlier in the year we had a gentleman in Oklahoma contact us about restoring this machine. The photos above show the condition it was in when it arrived in our shop. While not in horrible condition, it had been painted over with an orange paint, the mechanism was seized up and broken in 3 spots, the award frame was bolted to the lower front casting and the curved glass was missing.

While these early machines are smaller than examples from the 1930’s and 1940’s – they are heavier! Apparently the owner had been using this piece of American cast iron history as a weight in the back of his truck when it iced and snowed! While it did serve this purpose well, he decided to check with us to see if this machine had any value or not.

After checking with us about its value and restoration costs, he decided to bring to our shop in Wichita, Kansas and have it restored. He then invested in some sand bags to put in the back of his truck for weight rather than using a 100 year old slot machine, ha ha! All kidding aside, the owner is a wonderful guy with a great family story regarding the machine and reasons for having it restored.

The Mills Novelty Special Gum Vender Liberty Bell is a really great looking machine. It is one of the very first three reel slot machines made. When Mills Novelty came out with their Operator Bell & Liberty Bell machines in 1910 they knew they had a hit on their hands. So in 1911 they made a version of the Liberty Bell that vended rolls of mints. This machine originally had a mint vender attached to the left side of the cabinet. In almost every case the side vender attachment is missing, as it is in this case. This is also why the lower front of the machine appears to be a billboard for Liberty Bell Gum-Fruit 5c packages!

After taking the old paint off the castings, polishing and having them re-nickel plated all of the details came alive! The early mechanism with its simple form was actually more challenging to work on since Mills had not developed all the user friendly features that are common on 1930’s machines. With all the usual restoration details attended to, this machine will live on – just not in the back of a pick-up truck!

We have included some photos of this historic machine after restoration below. While the machine turned out looking great it was even better to present it to the owner and re-unite this piece of American history with the family!

Slot Machine Bug Sighting!

Just a few days after posting the story about the slot machine bugs, we had a Mills 7-7-7 High Top come into the shop infected with one of the little buggers! Above is a photo of the mechanism and a close-up of the bug in action!

This bug was placed on the 2^nd reel, preventing one of the jackpot bars to be landed on. This machine will still line-up three bars but the odds of hitting a jackpot are really bad now. That’s probably also why we found lots of Mercury dimes from the 1940’s still inside the machine – no one could win them back once they went into the jackpot compartment!

Bugs In My Antique Slot Machine?

When I first got interested in antique slot machines I would bring them home and my wife would always say; “there better not be any bugs in that thing!”. At that time she naturally assumed that since it was old, there had to be nasty creatures living inside it. Being the good husband that I am I would dutifully take the vacuum and clean out the machine before bringing it into our home. What I didn’t know at the time was that some of those machines would still have a bug inside, but the bug wasn’t the creepy crawly kind – but a mechanical bug that was much more mischievous and sinister!

As I started working on machines and restoring them in detail I would run across a strange little device that seemingly had no purpose. It almost looked like it has clamped itself onto the reel bundle of the machine and wouldn’t let go! The first one of these strange little mechanical creatures I found was on a 1929 Mills Poinsettia machine.

Initially while testing the machine I never even noticed its presence – why would I? However after manually lining up the reels to trigger a payout on the machine I would notice the third reel would never stop on the jackpot image. Now it should be mentioned that most Mills slot machines of this era had what is called a 10 stop mechanism – meaning only half of the images you see on the reels are “live” or can actually be landed on. So, after determining which of the two jackpot symbols on the third reel is real, I still couldn’t get the machine to land on it, even when I held the reel in place!

So why in the world would Mills make a machine that wouldn’t land on the jackpot symbol? The answer is they didn’t, but other people would make a clever little device that could be installed inside the machine in seconds – eliminating those pesky jackpots from ever being hit on the machine! With about 2 cents worth of metal the machines odds of hitting a jackpot would go from 8000 to 1 to zero, and no one playing the machine knew the difference.

As I worked on more antique slot machines and then made it my full time profession in 2005 I would occasionally run across these nasty yet interesting little devices, and still do today. During that time I also ran across vintage gambling supply brochures and books. In some of these sales brochures they would openly list for sale “Percentage Devices”. Well that doesn’t sound too threating or something that sounds morally questionable does it? As it turns out those “devices” were bugs – small parts that once installed would magically not allow specific symbols on the reels to ever be landed on – how rotten!

Interestingly enough, the industry trade suppliers sold these without really trying to hide it. Granted, coin operated machine operators of the day didn’t exactly advertise to the general public how their machines worked or how easily they could be manipulated to lower the winning payouts.

During the Golden Age of slot machines (1931 – 1942) a vast majority of slots were not being used in casino’s where rules and tight scrutiny were present. Most slot machines were found in gas stations, bars, clubs and other common places men hung out at. These places didn’t have state gaming commissions checking their machines for proper payout percentages.

Sometime last year I had the pleasure of briefly talking to an elderly gentleman who operated slot machines in California in the 1940’s and 1950’s. He asked me if I knew what an Oregon Boot was? I didn’t know what he was talking about until he described to me a bug! He said the “syndicate” he was working for would use them on all their machines. The “syndicate” he worked for apparently didn’t care if they were screwing the players. I got the feeling these little “Oregon Boot’s” were a fairly minor ethical infraction compared to other stories he would go on to tell me!

So, the next time you are playing your favorite antique slot machine and notice those darn jackpot bars never lining up – you may want to remember my wife’s first rule before bringing a slot machine in the house – MAKE SURE THERE ARE NO BUGS IN THAT THING! Ha ha

What Happened To The Blog Posts in 2011!

I’m very sorry for the huge gap in blog entries. Starting in
2012 we will be posting regular stories, information, polls asking for your
opinions and updates on interesting and unusual items we come across or in the
process of restoring.

So what happened with the total lack of posts in 2011? To be
honest, we were swamped with antique slot machine restoration work – and still
are! After working on machines all day and sometimes all night, sitting down at
the computer just wasn’t high on our list of priorities. With some better scheduling
and time management I will keep the hopefully interesting posts flowing this
year.

Many people are surprised to learn that Nations Attic’s
restoration department has a 6 month backlog of work. At some points that
backlog of been a long as 9 months but with more help and experience in the
shop, that backlog will maintain at 3-6 months for a high end professional job and
what we feel is the world’s best restoration of antique slot machines in the
world.

In addition to buying, selling and restoring antique slot
machines we will also post photos and stories about other aspects of the
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Don Creekmore - Nations Attic

Always Read Disclaimers On eBay……….

While perusing eBay recently for antique slots I ran across a rather over priced but fine looking Mills Castle Front slot machine with side vender. Normally I wouldn’t give this listing much thought but I’m always curious to see ads on eBay that show their owners inadvertently or not.

The gallery images seemed to show two people standing beside the machine – so I clicked on the ad just see the fine folks trying to sell this piece of American history. Suffice to say the pair of women referred to as “fun girls” do not come with the machine as stated at the bottom of the ad: THE FUN GIRLS NOT INCLUDED”.

I got a real kick out of this one and thought I would share it.

Was The Naked Lady The Gangsters Choice During Prohibition?

One of my favorite slot machines ever made is the Caille Superior of 1925-1931. Referred to by many as the Naked Lady, this model stands out as a true pioneer in design, function and historical significance. While many of the classic slot machines of the 1930’s are very bright and fun looking, the 1920’s machines were much more quite and functional in appearance. One of the exceptions to this rule is the Superior Operator Bell, aka The Naked Lady. It has a sophisticated look making it the type of machine that could have been found in the classist speakeasy or the shadiest of back rooms.

Made by Caille during the height of Prohibition in Detroit, MI this model was a moderate success for the company. During Prohibition (1920 to 1933) in Detroit there was a LOT of illegal activity going on. Most notable the Purple Gang ran a lot of the vice in the city, including gambling. During this time all the slot machine manufactures were located in Chicago, except for Caille. While Chicago was probably the epicenter of gangsters, speakeasy’s, slot machines, etc, Detroit was a major hub for rum running to and from Canada, allowing the Purple Gang to grow and become the primary force in the city. It’s no doubt that organized crime utilized slot machines as a profit center. While I have no proof, I’ve got to believe that when the Naked Lady came out in late 1925, every back room, speakeasy and bar had to have one of these machines in Detroit.

What made this machine special for a short period of time is its unique design. During the early and mid 1920’s slot machines were relatively mundane and appearance. Year after year the big companies such as Mills would bring out their standard 3 models – a straight operator bell, a side vender operator bell and a front mint vending machine. For the time, these models made by Mills, Watling and later Jennings & Pace were what operators expected and were satisfied with. Caille on the other hand was fighting for market share and had to be innovative in design and function. Since the late 1800’s Caille was regarded as the premier manufacturer and produced some of the most elaborate coin operated devices ever conceived. Their product was superior but Mills Novelty of Chicago took over the vast majority of sales during the early part of the 20th Century and continued to do so into the 1950’s.

Caille’s status in the mid 1920’s as a slot machine manufacturer was fading. By 1925 they were probably third in sales volume. With research into serial numbers of Mills and Jennings machines of the same time, it’s evident Jennings was out pacing Caille by 4 to 1 and Mills was running at 12 to 1. However, the Superior for a short time did give them a boost!

The Naked Lady utilized a classic look of heavy flowing design throughout the cast aluminum castings. The use of the woman is very reminiscent of silver and gold coinage from the period. Caille also designed a very unique “slug-proof coin detector”. Known today as the escalator, this feature to the right of the 3 reels showed the last 4 coins played in the machine. Cheating slot machines with the use of slugs was a big problem at this time. Almost all competitors machines had a small window that showed the last coin played, but not the last 4! Caille advertising for the Naked Lady even quotes an operator as saying: “Had an old style Operator’s Bell in a location and every time I made a collection there were be as many slugs as quarters. I put in a Caille Superior Operator’s Bell and there wasn’t a slug in my last two collections. The best part of it is that play increased.”

The Naked Lady was a mechanically advanced machine and looked cool as well. While I’m sure the crime world had their fair share of these machines, a majority were sold to legitimate operators around the country. In order to get around sometimes vague gambling laws in certain areas, slot machines experimented with various gimmicks that would hypothetically allow them to operate legally. One of those attempts was called a “skill stop”. The idea of the skill stop was give the player a physical button(s) on the machine so they could stop the reels manually – hence using some degree of skill to line the reels up.


The particular machine shown at the top of this column has this rather rare option on it. When a dime, in this case, is inserted into the machine and the handle is pulled, the player can then push the button in and stop all three reels immediately. Wrapped around the button is the phrase “Are You Skilful? Push Button Catch A Winner”. In theory the player could use his or her cat like skills to stop the reels just how they want. In reality this feature didn’t help the player one bit. The reels simply spin to fast and the reel window opening was too narrow to gage when the right images would come up. Mills, Jennings and Watling also used skill stops, but theirs had three buttons for each reel.

The skill stop gimmick lasted on slot machines from the 1920’s into the 1930’s. During that time numerous other ideas were tried, some with success. For Caille the skill stop feature was apparently not a big seller, therefore today making examples like this one quite hard to find and adding a premium to the value.

It was not until 1931 that Mills caught up in design and function with their “Silent” line of machines – notable the War Eagle. Caille tried to complete with the own “silent” machine called the Silent Sphinx, which was the same as the Naked Lady except it had a jackpot and was a different theme on the casting. As evident by the Silent Sphinx’s rarity today, it’s obvious it was not a sales success for Caille. As the 1930’s rolled in Caille tried a total redesign of their machines – even hiring a commercial designer to make something new and visually modern in appearance. What resulted was a line of machines similar looking to the outboard boat motors Caille also produced during the 1930’s, except in this case the slots were better suited as boat anchors. Caille was sold and stopped slot machine production in the late 1930’s. A large majority of slot machines they made are eternal classics today – including what I believe was probably the gangster’s favorite – the Naked Lady….