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Does anyone have any info on this Marvel machine I have bought ?
There is no coin mechanism on it at all - just a slot in the case. Instead of the coin mech there is a big reel with numbers on that are seen thorough a side window.
I have not seen one like this before and just wondered how it would work in a bar or shop etc. Would the player have to give an operator the money for every pull on the machine?
It is not in working order at the moment and I have just removed a mouse nest from it and the mech is rusted solid, so it may take a while to get it going.
There is also a lock on the side which I noticed all the ones that take coins don't have this lock?

The mech is very similar to this Liberty Bell I have just finished restoring but there is no disc with numbers on the Liberty Bell.

This trade stimulator is the MARVEL VISIBILITY by Daval, 1940. According to Richard Buchel's Guide to Vintage Trade Stimulators & Counter Games, pg. 146, "Daval MARVEL VISIBILITY…is counterpart to Groetchen MERCURY, with both competitive games having "M" names, an easy way to remember the cigarette reel machines. A clue to the manufacturer is where the handle pull sits; inboard on Daval, and flush right on Groetchen. MARVEL is a token "payout," awarding the token when three Spuds are hit. MARVEL VISIBILIITY, shown, keeps token visible behind glass inside machine until paid off, to be covered until hit again."

(Note: MARVEL is another trade stimulator by Daval, different from MARVEL VISIBILITY.)

J Peterson
Marvel-less in America

Thanks for that information John, much appreciated.
However, looking at it, I cannot see how the token would appear in a glass? There is only one glass on the side and the disc with numbers on is there showing a number?
Also, the tokens get paid out from the bottom of a tube by a slide just like a regular one arm bandit does.
It's a complicated little machine but I have seen some more that says no coins accepted.

Duval made several Marvel machines - this one is indeed a "visibility" as John says. They made both "coin" and "non coin" models towards the end of their time so this "non-coin" perhaps dates to closer to 1948 when they closed, the side lock was also a late addition so definitely close to 1948. I have a "coin" version and the glass window on the token payout model shows the last coin entered. This was so the barman could check you had put a real coin in to win the token he was about to exchange for goods. So the glass window on yours is not relevant; they simply used the same case as the "coin" model (you can see where the coin entry is blocked off). The "non-coin" models were mostly used as true trade stims, placed on the bar for groups of people to use in competition with each other to determine who would buy the next round of drinks. The token (if used at all) gave a discount to the unlucky guy who had to pay for the drinks. In 1948 Duval sold out to Comet who continued to make exactly the same machine, with some cosmetic changes later on, well into the late '50s. The original Comet version looks exactly like your Duval in every way.

Thanks for that Paul.
Do you know what the disc on the side with numbers would have been used for?

is there a photo of said disc? if this is a disc that shows through the window and changes with each play it is most likely a payout indicator. Some machines paid a selection of tokens each different, "1 pack" "2 pack" and so on and the bar man would pay that number of packs of fags, this one may have paid a single type of token and the amount of the payout was shown in the window.Once again a sign of as late model I think as players were getting bored with "three of a kind pays a prize" this random disc would have added a selection of payouts without changing the mech from the simple "three of a kind pays"

The disc is visible through a window on the side of the machine. It has consecutive numbers starting from 0. It moves to 1, then to 2, then 3 etc., each time the handle is pulled. As the machine does not require a coin to release the handle, there is no payment in advance and the number on the disc in the window records the number of plays i.e. the amount owing to the shopkeeper and the player pays this amount to the shopkeeper on stopping play. The shopkeeper has a key which on turning a lock on the side of the machine resets the spring loaded disc to the zero position when the player has finished and settled up. I have owned this machine in the past, but do not have it any more so cannot show the numbered disc but will attach a photo of the machine, a Daval Comet.

ah perfect
makes perfect sense now, i will upload a pic as soon as i get a chance.

I'll just add the operator could also lock the machine from working with that key after resetting, until the next player came along.

here is a pic of the disc

Evening all,
I just made a trade and scored these two nice ones. The disc in this Comet is blanco so no numbers. Will try to figure out how the mechanism is working this weekend. The reels of the Comet don't spin properly, so a new adventure. Because I know you like pics, here's a quicky.
Greetings

I like these.
I can't find a photo of the Marvel with that particular grooved case. The other one is interesting - it's a 1950 "non-coin Comet" made from Duval parts bought up by Comet when Duval closed down.

I thought the Marvel only had two grooves in the case, but looking at it again I think it's just the way the photo is shadowed.

Thanks for that coppinpr, just made a start of cleaning a lot of dirt so i can see the parts . When i Pull the handle the mech works, the only thing not happening is that the reels get a 'kick' to spin. For the rest iT Will make it's cycle. Someone can tell me what can cause this? Thanks in advance!

I'll dig my version out later and have a look. Is the kicker moving into position to push the reels?

IT Will sound stupid but I don't know what or where is the kicker?

Just took the Comet to take a look at the mechanism. When I pull the handle, the reels only get a push and not a kick. It looks that the handle don't go far enough to give the kick. When I put the mechanism in the Marvel case it's the same problem. When the mechanism is out of the case and I will do it with a screwdriver it will give the kick.
Anyone an idea? I don't

Start by checking the arm movement on the case with the mech out,see if its giving full movement that would be transfered to the mech if it was in the case

Thanks for that coppinpr, but that's not the problem I found out. I don't know the mechanism, so have to discover everything. After trying several things it seems to be the roller that is hit by the pin that releases the mainlever. The roller that is riveted has a little space, so he is just a little bit downwards and too late to release the main lever.
Now the reels get a kick on the ... each time I pull the handle.
Does anybody know if the sticker with numbers for the disc are somewhere available?

This may help you mate.