Magic Hand by A H Soffle

[doofus]

I wonder if any of you gents can shed light on a friend's recent find, the Magic Hand Magic marked "A. H. Soffle, Antwerp".

[treefrog]

I am guessing this is the recent lot from the Morphy Auction last week, which although there were few English machines are not in the recent auction results published by Mr PM. This was listed as an English Arcade game, so is it on English coinage.

Sold for £9500

I know nothing about or the company and certainly a little different. Below is auction play description and picture of play field

This is an exceptionally rare Magic Hand, marked "A. H. Soffle, Antwerp". It is in original condition with all original castings and parts to the machine and some newer wiring. The early hand-painted Hand would spin and stop on a numbered cup. If the number matched with the number the customer picked with the dial, the customer would win the contents of the cup. A great early example of an ultra rare arcade game ready for restoration

[gameswat]

Very closely resembles the Ahrens Pile Driver, though that has 12 prizes and this has 14. Looks like one was based on the other.

[pennymachines]

I saved a picture of this machine on my hard drive years ago - pretty sure it's the same one. It's also the one pictured at ArcadeHistory.com.

Pull Magic Hand © 1935 A.H. Soffle.

So a rare survivor. Is the "A. H. Soffle, Antwerp" a separate badge or on one of the castings? If separate, presumably it's just a Belgian distributor's label.

[pennymachines]

...few English machines are not in the recent auction results published by Mr PM.

Now added.

[gameswat]

The Antwerp address is cast into the lower prize door PM.

[pennymachines]

Ah yes, so it is... Surely that indicates that, despite the English, it was made in Belgium.