Bajazzo Clown wall machines

Somebody knows... Maybe you?
barryisland
Posts: 16
Joined: Tue Jun 30, 2020 4:21 pm
Reaction score: 0

Re: Handan-Ni Clown identified

Post by barryisland »

Hello
Thank you all for the most interesting information.
In answer to a few questions.
The token tube internal diameter is 17mm the new post 1971 decimal half pence is ideal as the tokens.
I attach pics of the token payout slot and the trigger lever.
Some internal brass parts are stamped with numbers as in the pics.
The machine is stamped internally on the wood 123 and externally 192. I know a little of woodwork and in my opinion everything matches, no alteration of hinges door or case or adjustment to fit.

The lever half way up the right side turns the visible half moon device that holds the ball and then releases it when the lever is turned. On payment the ball pops out of the hole and is held at the half moon until the lever is turned, then rolling down to the trigger.
The lever also resets the holding mechanism inside and I guess thats why it is there.......if that all makes sense?

If you win you get a token and a free ball.
As you can see the instruction is in English.
Thanks
BarryIsland
Attachments
RIMG0778a.jpg
RIMG0777a.jpg
RIMG0776a.jpg
RIMG0775a.jpg
RIMG0774a.jpg
RIMG0772a.jpg
RIMG0771a.jpg
RIMG0769a.jpg
RIMG0768a.jpg
blueboy
Posts: 1
Joined: Sat Apr 03, 2021 10:42 am
Reaction score: 0

Re: Bajazzo Clown wall machines

Post by blueboy »

Hi,
I've just joined the forum to hopefully find some information on this Clown catcher that has been in the family for at least 70 years amusing generations of kids. (Hence the bandage on the mechanism applied by a grandmother to protect little hands) It still works fine. I've had a look through the posts and the clown image and "spandrels" appear different to those on the images I've seen posted. There are no stamps on the case at all. I've attached a couple of pics. Any thoughts from you good people would be much appreciated.
Attachments
20210401_193441a.jpg
20210403_115142a.jpg
pennymachines
Site Admin
Posts: 6638
Joined: Wed Nov 06, 2002 12:12 am
Reaction score: 56
Location: The Black Country

Re: Bajazzo Clown wall machines

Post by pennymachines »

Hi blueboy and welcome.

What a cute game!
I think you've added yet another to our already substantial collection of Clowns that are difficult to match with a specific manufacturer.
The anomalous features are (as you say) the spandrels, but also the clown himself, who's slightly more stout and flat faced than usual. In other respects, it conforms closely to the Jentzsch & Meerz design. I believe there should be a decorative circular pressing around the ball exit.

My guess, for what it's worth, is that it may have emerged from William Thompson's Birmingham-based Coin Operating Company (also known as Phoenix Manufacturing Company), one of several British makers who produced versions in the 1920s. They employed the quite distinctive spandrels that your game sports. A spandrel isn't much to go on, because such items were often bought in from general suppliers, but I don't think I've seen this type on any but Thompson's games. See Re. New member with allwin

However, we already have three Clowns attributed to the Coin Operating Company and they don't have the flat-faced clown or the 'Thompson spandrels' - nor are they identical to each other!

The one from their catalogue is quite similar:

Image

This one, less so. The popular game was churned out for decades, so maybe redesigns are to be expected.
User avatar
coppinpr
Posts: 5110
Joined: Sun Oct 10, 2010 2:01 pm
Reaction score: 20
Location: Lewes, East Sussex
Contact:

Early machine ID needed please

Post by coppinpr »

A member on my website has asked if I can find the answers to a couple of questions about these two machines.*Topic merged & post split to: The Diamond & The Crescent info- Site Admin.
Is this clown catcher German or British, and is it unusual in any way?
Attachments
clown.jpg
clown.jpg (26.67 KiB) Viewed 2103 times
pennymachines
Site Admin
Posts: 6638
Joined: Wed Nov 06, 2002 12:12 am
Reaction score: 56
Location: The Black Country

Re: Bajazzo Clown wall machines

Post by pennymachines »

Bigger images would help when trying to identify machines...
The Clown is more or less identical to the one posted by daveslot earlier in this topic.
It's almost certainly British, probably Handan-Ni.
joerg_gm
Posts: 27
Joined: Sat Jun 11, 2016 4:25 pm
Reaction score: 0
Location: Halle, Germany
Contact:

Re: Clown Catcher payout conversion

Post by joerg_gm »

Kevin wrote: Tue Oct 22, 2019 11:29 am ...
Also any thoughts as to age and maker? I can find no markings at all, except for a few barely-legible letters and numbers stamped into the inside back of the case, and RH272 on one of the levers.
Any information would be greatly received! I think it is a lovely machine and it definitely will not be going back into storage!
...


rha.jpg

Hey.

The letters "RH" appear in some old machines from "Jentzsch & Meerz".
I think the letters stand for Reinhard Hoffmann. Hoffmann had his own vending machines company from 1902 to 1911, also in Leipzig. J&M started their company in January 1903 in Leipzig-Gohlis.

Hoffmann built the Bajazzo from 1910, mainly for foreign countries under the names "Le Clown" and "The Clown". In the summer of 1911 his entire factory was bought by "Jentzsch & Meerz". They closed their old company and moved to Hoffmann's factory building. It was only then that J&M began building Bajazzo/Clown machines.
Therefore, I believe that this machine is either a very old machine from Hoffmann's company (year of construction would be between 1910 and 1911), or a J&M device in which old Hoffmann components were still installed (1911 - ca. 1920).

Joerg
User avatar
john t peterson
Posts: 1334
Joined: Wed Dec 01, 2004 5:40 pm
Reaction score: 7
Location: USA

Re: Bajazzo Clown wall machines

Post by john t peterson »

Great information, Joerg. Thanks for sharing. !!CHEERS!!

J Peterson
American clown
pennymachines
Site Admin
Posts: 6638
Joined: Wed Nov 06, 2002 12:12 am
Reaction score: 56
Location: The Black Country

Re: Bajazzo Clown wall machines

Post by pennymachines »

Yes, these little ID clues are golden! Thanks !!THUMBSX2!!
13rebel
Posts: 588
Joined: Tue Nov 03, 2009 4:03 pm
Reaction score: 0

Re: Bajazzo Clown wall machines

Post by 13rebel »

I have read with interest the last post by joerg and his great website. I have just checked my clown catcher and have exactly the same stamping on the same component as shown by forum member 'Kevin'. Mine also has a stamping 3322b on one top side of the cabinet, the top of the cabinet, the inside of the back and a small brass plaque near the lock, with PMWG on the other top side of the cabinet. Could this [the RH stamping] go some way in affirming that Pessers Moody Wraith and Gurr didn't actually make clown catchers but just put their branding on them?
joerg_gm
Posts: 27
Joined: Sat Jun 11, 2016 4:25 pm
Reaction score: 0
Location: Halle, Germany
Contact:

Re: Bajazzo Clown wall machines

Post by joerg_gm »

Reinhard Hoffmann never sold his machines himself, not even in Germany. He always offered them through dealers such as Holzweißig or Ernst Berger. He may have offered the machines through a dealer in England or produced them for a British company.

Besides the initials "RH" there is another feature by which you can recognize Hoffmann- and later also J&M-machines:
He often (not always) used special security screws with two holes:

screws_1a.jpg

On German machines they are actually only to be found on Hoffmann- and J&M-devices. I don't know whether British companies also used such screws.
13rebel
Posts: 588
Joined: Tue Nov 03, 2009 4:03 pm
Reaction score: 0

Re: Bajazzo Clown wall machines

Post by 13rebel »

Thanks joerg.
pennymachines
Site Admin
Posts: 6638
Joined: Wed Nov 06, 2002 12:12 am
Reaction score: 56
Location: The Black Country

Re: Bajazzo Clown wall machines

Post by pennymachines »

joerg_gm wrote: Sat Jul 10, 2021 7:40 am I don't know whether British companies also used such screws.
I don't think so. As you say, I've seen them on the J&M Domino.
martynbr
Posts: 33
Joined: Mon Aug 03, 2020 4:10 am
Reaction score: 0

Le Clown Bajazzo

Post by martynbr »

Topic merged - Site Admin.

Hi,
I just won a Le Clown Bajazzo at auction and have a few things to repair on it once it arrives. Does anyone have a new clown or scanned file to print a new one? I also need the award card/instructions as well, as per the picture here.

Appreciate your help, cheers.
Attachments
93E701BF-C4E3-4C88-B9EF-0465E399E3B9.jpg
pennymachines
Site Admin
Posts: 6638
Joined: Wed Nov 06, 2002 12:12 am
Reaction score: 56
Location: The Black Country

Re: Le Clown Bajazzo

Post by pennymachines »

Do you have a picture of your game?
J & M Clown figure graphic
tallstory
Posts: 180
Joined: Thu Apr 30, 2020 1:57 pm
Reaction score: 2

Re: Le Clown Bajazzo

Post by tallstory »

I've attached a photo of the Clown Instructions. You will see that the text (and the font) vary from your example so it might be best to use a software drawing package to make up the card Anyway, for what it's worth, here is a copy of mine.
martynbr
Posts: 33
Joined: Mon Aug 03, 2020 4:10 am
Reaction score: 0

Clown instructions

Post by martynbr »

Awesome! Thank you guys. This is a photo of the one I have purchased. It hasn't arrived yet but got it at auction. Just getting everything in order so I can start restoring it once it does arrive.
Attachments
Bajazzoa.jpg
pennymachines
Site Admin
Posts: 6638
Joined: Wed Nov 06, 2002 12:12 am
Reaction score: 56
Location: The Black Country

Re: Bajazzo Clown wall machines

Post by pennymachines »

Unusually elaborate spandrels.
I wonder what the brass knob, left side, top is for?
User avatar
badpenny
Forum Moderator
Posts: 7211
Joined: Thu May 05, 2005 12:41 pm
Reaction score: 25
Location: East Midlands

Re: Bajazzo Clown wall machines

Post by badpenny »

.... to pull door open?
;-)
pennymachines
Site Admin
Posts: 6638
Joined: Wed Nov 06, 2002 12:12 am
Reaction score: 56
Location: The Black Country

Re: Bajazzo Clown wall machines

Post by pennymachines »

I hope not. :o
This one coming up in US.
Attachments
AGPB-199.jpg
martynbr
Posts: 33
Joined: Mon Aug 03, 2020 4:10 am
Reaction score: 0

Re: Bajazzo Clown wall machines

Post by martynbr »

I see that one coming up too. Let’s see who’s lucky to get it. !!THUMBSX2!!
Post Reply

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: Bing [Bot] and 28 guests