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It may have worked along the same lines as the mechanical dice gambling machines of the mid '30s, like Mills Dice . These gave the illusion of freely throwing dice, but actually contained many identical dice showing different faces which were contained in compartments. When a set of two dice were th...

Are you using the search box at the top of the Forum page? This returns content indexed by Google and therefore tends to be incomplete - as you say, at present just a few pages referencing "Wonders" and much else just isn't listed. For a thorough search you should click the Search link (ne...

And starting at £49.99 is Madame Rosa the fortune teller (previously started at £99.99!) Not coin operated, but she looks like my mystic Portuguese friend Rosa. You get crystal ball, cards, rings, earring and scarf - and a prediction that gullibility will lead you to buy lots of expensive tat that w...

To coincide with the Centenary of The Dome at Whitley Bay , the building is being opened to the public as part of the the Heritage open days scheme. It will be open Thursday 9 Sept until Sunday 12 Sept, from 10.00 - 4.00 daily. An exhibition tracing the 100 year history of the Dome will feature arch...

Excellent sleuthing there JC. Funny thing - studying the Lemaitre machine closely, there do seem to be traces of gold in the recessed areas of the casting. I wonder what plating would be used to produce the "gold effect" on cast iron? Your memory's obviously not as bad as you pretend - I h...

As far as I can see from the small photos, the only evidence of paint is the faded remnant around the numbers - suggesting the case was originally polished or nickel plated. Either way, if the proud new owner can get the rusty castings looking something like above, I doubt anyone would complain - me...

I don't believe it is plated - just impeccably polished.

It may not be the easiest, but something along those lines is probably the most satisfactory method for a mechanical wall machine. Bryan's ball catching games employ it to great effect - the Payramid patent on this page describes how. Many other systems have been used though. On German Clown catcher...

A lot of money for sure, but expensive...? Doesn't that depend upon what the next one fetches?
Just saying - and no, I didn't even place a bid.
Lemaitre gives it a four bells rarity rating - 5 - 10 known examples.

Short extract from "Hidden Houses of Wales" with Laurence Llewellyn-Bowen, including black and white footage of Parker's Automatic Supplies Ltd. arcade in Rhyl and some machines owned by descendants of the Parker family at Trevor Hall. http://www.metacafe.com/watch/5159317/parker_s_automat...

If you're using Firefox browser, you can get around region blocking with the Modify Headers add-on. It spoofs where you're accessing the internet from ( Using Firefox and Modify Headers Plugin to View Blocked Video Streams ). Alternatively: http://www.metacafe.com/watch/5153864/mutoscope_at_mechanic...

Thanks to The Grabber for sending these photos of his recent visit to Clive Baker's vintage amusement machines on Southport pier.

Les Machines à Sous contains a few machines not featured in 100 Ans de Machines à Sous and vice versa.

I believe it's La Caille made by Caille for the French market. Although the disc lacks the bird symbols - a duck, parrot and quail ("caille" in French), a bird is visible on the side of the casting. See page 104, Les Machines à Sous.

Yes, it would be a shame to destroy the lock. Even if you found an old replacement, chances are it won't be exactly the same fitting. Is it a Yale type or one of the smaller, simpler locks? Either way, it should be possible to pick, or if you can't do it yourself, you could call a locksmith.

Bathing Beauties Quartoscope

Congratulations Woody on a nice result for a nice machine, and well done for not accepting bids outside the auction.

I agree with Gameswa - a game's sale price may bear no relation to previous estimates, being decided on the day by just how much two or more people are determined to own it.

How's this one progressing? As you say, it has to be BM Co. I just found this image of a double loop The Way to the Moon from one of the AA Co. auctions - also believed to be BM Co.

A closer view of Golden 12

When I bought this machine it did not have a top flash. I have only seen 2 others and neither did they, but I saw an old photo where one did. Also in Carter's book on page 9 you can see one. I had a pediment made to the same design and had it stained to match the colour of the cabinet and a profess...