BRENCO "Professor Rennerb Human Analyst"

[adrian]

Hi there
I have one of these and know nothing whatsoever about it..history, date of manufacture, value etc etc
Any help MUCH appreciated !!!
Many thanks
Adrian

Double post removed and YouTube link embedded - Site Admin.

[pennymachines]

Hi Adrian and welcome to the site.

Brenco Equipment Ltd. of Weston-Super-Mare was founded in 1964 and ceased trading in 1981. Judging by appearance, I think your Human Analyst was one of their later products. I've not seen one before but I'm guessing late '70s.

"Rennerb" read backwards is "Brenner" - a clue to the family behind Brenco and their historic involvement with fortune tellers. German immigrant, John George Brenner made clockwork tin toys in Manchester in the 1920s under the Brenco marque and when the Depression killed this, ventured into the amusement machine industry. By the end of the '20s, he traded as J.G. Brenner & Co. from Southend, Weston-Super-Mare and together with his eldest son, Bernard, brought out a series of innovative and successful machines. His greatest triumphs were large fortune tellers which employed various clever tricks to convince the public that something highly sophisticated was going on inside.

This was less hard to pull off when electricity was a novelty and rapid technological progress made it difficult for a largely uneducated public to distinguish between science and magic. And arguably, at times of economic crisis, questions about the future are more urgent. As the heyday of fortune tellers receded, the Brenners focussed on games of amusement, but it's interesting to see they returned to tradition (perhaps in hope of capturing some former glory) towards the end.

[malcymal]

An interesting machine, I've never seen one like this. Brencos were my favourite pastime for losing money when I was 10 years old, along with similarly designed ACE machines. I used to love the really noisy clunking payout, boy was it noisy (to win the 10p piece jackpot with a hold afterwards was big money). I haven't seen one of these for sale, but I have seen regular Brenco machines going for as little as £50, in fact a couple of Brencos for sale at a Havant amusement specialist. I would imagine it could be quite valuable to an arcade specialising in vintage classic novelty equipment. My local arcade in Pagham, West Sussex was telling me that they make more money on the old penny pullers, pushers, than they do on their new machines as the holiday makers aren't playing to win, they just like reliving their younger years. If you were interested in selling it, then I'd approach an arcade that has a working museum. I don't think it would do so well to a private home owner purely due to its size. I do like it though - really unusual.

[slotalot]

Hi , This is an other Brenco machine on penny play from the 1960s, although it is called Wheel of Fortune it is in fact a gambling machine. It works in the same manner as a lot of the electromechanical wall machines did, with six coin slots to bet with, you can put in just one penny or up to six pennies to cover them all. The winner was decided by the spinning arrow.

[malcymal]

This is an other Brenco machine on penny play from the 1960s, although it is called Wheel of Fortune...

Oh my god, I got banned from the Bognor amusement arcade due to this machine. I sat watching it one day and realised that every time the arrow landed on LOSE, it always without fail went to 6p payout. This machine used to spin the arrow all the time without playing, just like the Colourama Roulette... So, I'd hover about, it could take some time to go on LOSE and then in I'd go and empty the machine. 10p a week was the going rate for pocket money. I used to make about 60p on it before it emptied. Thanks for sharing it, I have fond memories of this machine and it was exactly the same, even the colour scheme.
Malc.

[pennymachines]

Slotalot - I see you posted a picture of an original Brenner Human Analyst, Circa 1930, that John Peterson spotted on American eBay last February: The Human Analyst on Ebay.

I've seen several over the years, usually rather mucked-about (like the eBay example). I've never seen them fetch very high prices - probably because of the size and the fact that they're really just glorified card venders. I can see them doing better in the States though - did you catch the price?

Just to prove the machine was really reading your vital signs, if you failed to follow the instructions, you received this card:

Analysis spoiled... this scientific analysis machine will do its part of the work only... if you co-operate and follow the instructions... you did not grip and lift the magnetic handle... before inserting the penny... the vital contact between you and the machine was therefore not made in time... please do your share... read the simple instructions... try again... and concentrate.

[slotalot]

Hi Dave , No I missed the end of the auction so I don't know what it went for , but I like the idea of the card telling you to try again. What a good way of getting more money from the punters.

[treefrog]

Malc,
Now you have a chance to relive your childhood, you just need to find the space
Wheel of Fortune for Sale

[badpenny]

Malc,
Now you have a chance to relive your childhood, you just need to find the space
Wheel of Fortune for Sale

.......... how much for the power strimmer that appears to be powerful enough to remove a hand?

[john t peterson]

Mr. PM; The Brenner "Human Analyst" in the States brought an Ebay hammer price of $1,679 USD. I have no idea who purchased it as Ebay has now sanitized all identification to mush.

[malcymal]

Malc,
Now you have a chance to relive your childhood, you just need to find the space
Wheel of Fortune for Sale

Now that would be divorce.. huge great beasty.. I'm still tearing my hair out with my Sega Continental renovation and might be done by Christmas.... God damn pigging machine...LOL