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Nice looking Bollands machine finished today at SAS auctions fetching over £800, Crossing the Alps. Almost three times estimate, looked a nice original machine with original keys... Don't know much about these, the metal case is the same as the Oracle also on the forum viewtopic.php?f=11&t=1857&p=8994

Yes, very unusual; I had the dubious honour of underbidding it. I thought it went for £900 + 15% and VAT on the comm.

Interesting.......... the trigger and adjacent plate and also the coin return are all identical to those used on the BMCo machines, I wonder if there is any significance, could this be BMCo?

According to Paul Braithwaites book, BMCo made a machine called Climbing The Alps so this is probably one and the same. The gameplay looks similar to that of The Smithy.

Here's a picture of another game in the same cabinet.

There's one called Rolling Road, but can't find the pic of the one I had.

And here's another (which I borrowed from the museum) https://pennymachines.co.uk/museum/rolling-road-2/
These were all BMCo games that I assume were acquired by Bolland after BMCo's collapse (Oliver Whales acquiring much of the allwin stock). Over the Falls is another BMCo game similar to Crossing the Alps. The original BMCo machines were in oak cases - I've no idea why Bolland put them in the 'iron clad' fortune teller cases.
The original BMCo Rolling Road wasn't actually called that, nor did it have the painted backflash (as below) - just a plain aluminium back. I've only ever seen one, although I believe at least one other exists. I assume Bolland added the backflash to make it more appealing (I've only ever seen one of these too - I guess they're all pretty rare).

More pictures of Bollands iron clad games:

Topic merged - site admin.

I'm after a photo of the Bolland's ''Rolling Road'' penny wall mounted drop case game.... I believe they were mostly in an ''iron clad'' heavy duty case..... any information would be great..............thanks so much.

Wow!!.... I am speechless.... What a fantastic group of people.....Thanks for sending pics and information....... I do own the Rolling Road wall game here in New Zealand.......but was worried that it was not original.........Thank you for all your efforts....Todd........
I will put photos on as soon as I can get my head arround the process.....Thanks again....Todd.

Well they are still fetching good money, Chiswick auctions today, Rolling Road similar to one earlier in the thread finished at £918......

I braved the London traffic to go and view the Bollands machine on Sunday. I had not been before so got the registration procedure completed on arrival. On the counter there was a catalogue and lo and behold on the front cover was a lone photo-the Bollands machine! (As a potential bidder this was not what I wanted to see). There were designer clothes and handbags, art etc. in the auction. The machine was in very good cosmetic condition, albeit with a cheap lock. Nothing much to go wrong with it you would think but in play the coin refused to go into the first 'lost' position. Even with the platform retreated when you put a coin in it either went into win, the second lost or overshot all positions. I must have tried 20 times and had the same result irrespective of when the button was pressed so rapidly lost interest in the game play. I expect the desired game play could be achieved by some repositioning of the final track and/or the lost/win positions. I booked a phone line,was told they would phone 5 lots beforehand but they didn't phone until it stood at £620 - not impressed with that service. The £918 was including commission of just shy of £200 - I didn't get it, it went in the room, probably to someone with a £3m warehouse apartment for decoration.

I don't remember this thread but I'm not surprised at the price realised.
It has a look that either a machine collector or, as rebel says, a statement item for a home or retail environment as a decorator piece, regardless of its actual working condition.

The big problem with machines going to high end apartments is it's usually the end of the road for them. I have a couple of friends working exclusively on re furbing £2 mill plus places in central London for Russians and Chinese buyers and it's scary the way they are told to work. The new owner doesn't go to look at the place, in fact they don't see the apartment till it's re built and orders everything to be scrapped. It all goes in a skip, unused 72" TV's, unused furniture, designer kitchens - they keep not a single thing even if brand new. The guys are told take what you want within a day of it goes to the dump. A month ago one pulled a £3,000 dining room table still with the leg protectors on from delivery. I've asked them to watch for machines. They have seen coin op pool tables go but not slots...as yet

The machine sold at Chiswick auction rooms was I think not at all expensive. One last year sold privately for over £1600. I have spoken to two people who were unaware of the auction but both of them would have paid a lot more given the chance (one has been looking for one for many years). I expect the purchaser was a collector. I am putting a couple of photos from original photos brought from the Bolland's family (as were those earlier put up by penny machines). These were taken at Chesington zoo late 1950s or early 1960s when Bolland operated many machines on the site including up to a dozen working models and also I believe some cast iron. The four machines are in fact outside the gent's toilet ! So best not to spend your last penny to find your fortune! The scales are next to an animal cage next to the last of a row of 5 or six models.

They should have put them outside the ladies' toilet....there is always a Q there

I remember Chesington Zoo in those days, it was dying a slow death, buildings in slow collapse, animals in poor conditions, unused cages everywhere, then the proposed M25 changes everything, the site becomes a sought after property with the right planning permission to start a theme park and it's bye bye animals (which was perhaps the best thing to come out of it).

The latest bollards machine looks interesting. But how does it work? You put your penny in the slot and hope for the best?? Carnt see any handles

Although I have never seen one in flesh, if you look on left the knob control for the release bar at the bottom, so you retract at the right moment above the coin return.....as you say there seems no other skills control like coin speed and coin entry is on front, or at least minimal control....

Last time I saw one of these for sale was 3 years ago at the Elephant House for under a grand. So I was wondering if anyone knows whether they made a limited number of “gold clad” versions which this maybe on eBay at the moment at £3500 all for a simple fortune teller

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/The-oracal-m ... Swnr9bVkfC

Do people just not want to sell items

Same seller has a Bryans Magic Spirals for 1,000 pounds less than the ironclad fortune teller.

J Peterson
Puzzled 2 in America