Barrett Test Your Twist

[pennymachines]

Welcome to the site. Your Twist Tester is the rarest of the small cast iron machines made by Matthewson. It would command a high price, so as Tree Frog says, you would be unwise to jump at the first offer you get. We do not permit buying and selling via the forum, but if you want me to create an Auction/Market account for you to sell it here, let me know (these are free to members). Auction is definitely the sensible option to realize the best price because your lack of knowledge won't count against you as the keenest buyers compete against each other.

[treefrog]

So you are all aware, Cooperman did not know about the risk of posting his phone number on here and obviously is getting a lot of offers/bids from many. The advice has been to go to auction for these items he has as they are rare and fresh to market. He is considering this and hopefully will get the best best by doing this and we will all get the chance to see such items.........

[sweetmeats]

This twister you have was for many years the holy grail of the slots. The only evidence was a photo in Nick Costa's book. He spent a lot of time trying to find the actual machine without success. The picture was taken from a group of photos taken in the 1950s, or maybe before, and I believe related to Bollands stock. I bought them about 10 years ago and they included the Robbins shooter sold last month in America and the cast iron cricketer and two shooters from this set that were sold in Christies about 10 years ago. Another twister was found about 5 years ago. This was damaged on the top. I made a 500 mile round trip just to see it for real. I have to say it was a little disappointing compared to the gripper and shooter in the set, which I own. I did however make a five figure offer for it at the time, as did at least two other people. I understand the owner still has it. As the saying goes 'tickets of opportunity are stamped valid this day only'. I would no longer be prepared to pay this price but others may.

Have to go out now, but will post over the weekend some pictures I have on old postcards of the machine together with some of old photos of other machines from the Bollands stock.

[cooperman]

Thank you. It will be nice to see old photos of it.
This machine still has the original key with it.

[daveslot]

I have to say I was one of those who made the offer on the first one without even seeing it so if it appears in auction here I will be bidding.

[gameswat]

I wonder if Polaris had researched this himself, without alerting the world, if he might have ended up with it? I still can't believe in this day and age how few people involved in the hobby don't have decent research libraries at home? Even just a handful of the classic titles such as the fantastic "Automatic Pleasures" by Nic Costa will provide a wealth of important info, like this Mathewson in question. I'd have missed out on hundreds of machines without the knowledge gleaned from poring over my now thumb blackened books!

[polaris]

To be honest gameswat, and Robert the owner will verify, I had no knowledge of actual value but knew that certain cast iron pieces can command a lot of money and told him so in our phone conversation. I had already declared I had no intention of pursuing the machine as it was also a long long distance from me. I was in contact with him relaying information as it was given to me as I had offered to find out info on the machine. I'm as shocked as anyone to discover what he has but am also delighted for him. It will be interesting to see what it finally makes when it comes to the market, being as it is so rare. If I am also honest, there probably will be that thought at some point "what if?"

[sweetmeats]

Following on from yesterday's entry, I have searched my collection of over 200 postcards showing slots and was surprised how few show the twister. I have two showing all three machines but the images are so small it is not possible to be certain. These are from Western-super-Mare and Blackpool. In contrast, I have over two dozen different locations with gripper and/or shooter, often as a trio, with the Doughy and Barrett race game. I do however have just one card showing the twister (on extreme bottom left) which will be included with photos to be added by my son as the technology is beyond me! This photo is taken on chain pier Brighton. This pier was washed away completely in a storm in December 1896.

Brighton Old Chain Pier

Detail of Twist and Grip Testers on pier

The date given for these machines is 1895 and they are commonly attributed to Matthewson. Why? I have been unable to find patents for any of them. The have no name on any machine I have seen. The Footballer, Cricketer, Mermaid (yacht racer) and Artillery Duel patents are all known. They may well be older than 1895. Does anyone have information to help establish a firm attribution?

I am also adding a picture of another cast iron twister. I have had this over ten years and thought it was the only one ! Maybe it still is in England. A couple of years ago, I was contacted by two trusted collectors from the States who had heard of one similar. Although I haven't seen pictures, I am sure it exists. I have a copy of the patent dated 1890. Not as pretty or desirable as yours but it would seem equally rare.

Lastly, adding some photos of the Bollands machines that I don't think have come to light yet. If anyone knows better, I would love to know. I have seen the enamel cover only from the Electric Ray rifle.
Topic split - Site Admin. See Anyone seen any of these?

[gameswat]

A couple of years ago, I was contacted by two trusted collectors from the States who had heard of one similar. Although I haven't seen pictures, I am sure it exists.

This twist machine was in storage with a good friend of mine in the US and I saw photos when he tried to purchase it along with a collection of machines. But the deal never happened and the machines were finally picked up. Can't find any photos I had of it. Painted red from memory?

[gameswat]

The date given for these machines is 1895 and they are commonly attributed to Matthewson. Why? I have been unable to find patents for any of them. The have no name on any machine I have seen. The Footballer, Cricketer, Mermaid (yacht racer) and Artillery Duel patents are all known. They may well be older than 1895. Does anyone have information to help establish a firm attribution?

OK, I just did some research and The Grip Test, Twist Test and Pistol are not by Mathewson at all - but in fact by CHARLES ARTHUR BARRETT AND ALFRED BARRETT!! I just found the patent for the Grip Test dated 1891. I still need to find the other two patents but give me another 20 mins......

US 459062 A
It's no wonder then that the photos show the Grip and Pistol with the Barrett horse race in the middle!

In fact on just reading the Patent a little closer it states "Patented in England February 14, 1890". And in three different Aussie states too, amazingly.

[gameswat]

Just took a couple mins. for #2!
Twist Test patent: US 453729 A

[gameswat]

Here's an improved US patent for the Grip Test with much better detail of the case etc. US 452688 A

[gameswat]

I've been trying the last hour but can't seem to find a way to search for British patents online? The Grip and Twist I found were the US patents but I can't find the Pistol version yet? I think that's possibly because the Pistol model wasn't marketed in the USA due to the fact it fires the large UK Pennies?? I bet it does exist in the UK patents though.

[gameswat]

Still can't find that damned Pistol patent, but did discover this Force Testing patent also by Charles and Alfred Barrett at the same time which would indicate there is an un-found Punch Test as part of the series too! US 446970 A

[cooperman]

Is this the other one?

[gameswat]

That's the pistol I can't find the patent for as yet. There are three known to be in the series, Grip, Shoot and Twist. But with that last patent probably Punch as well?

[cooperman]

What's it worth?

[pennymachines]

Fantastic work Gameswat!
I've changed the topic title to reflect your discoveries. Nic Costa attributed these to Mechanical Trading Company.
It would be nice to see the twister pictured from some other angles.

[gameswat]

What's it worth?

As much as you can screw* out of the buyer!



*another word for twist.

[bob]

Fantastic work indeed by Gameswat. As soon as I read the letter by Sweetmeat my brain started ticking too in that I've never seen any label by Matthewson on these machines or seen the patents either and I've searched all the British Matthewson patents years ago. Congratulations to Gameswat for searching the patents and coming up with some of the answers. I think that the issue is confused by the plates on both the Matthewson Golf etc machines as well as The Automatic Shooting Range machine having the Rowland name on them and that this is what could have misled Costa and thus all of us. Peter Grilli with whom I was in contact some years ago regarding these machines etc has researched the cast iron machines and had some contact with the Matthewson family and may be able to throw further light on this matter.