Robot Roundup
Posted: Sun Aug 11, 2019 3:48 pm
Following Brigham's query about surviving robot fortune tellers (in the AMECO Catalogue topic, here's a roundup of what's known.
First we have the non-coin operated examples:
Of the two coin-operated robots in the catalogue, all that remains of AMECO's Vulcan The Talking Robot (1935) discussed here and described in detail here are the shellac records, some of which have been seen at the Elephant House.
Above we see him, newly installed on Blackpool pier, in a 1935 postcard.
And all that remains of Original Machine Manufacturer's Erik The Robot of 1936, apparently, are some of the token charms he dispensed, which were found by Sweetmeats.
He's seen briefly in an arcade in the 1937 film, Storm in a Teacup, where he announces Rex Harrison's weight as 11 St., 6 Lbs and 4 Oz. Clearly this was comic license; although, like Vulcan, he was a talking robot, such prosaic pronouncements were the preserve of talky scales.
That leaves Brenner's Magic Robot Impressionist (1940s) discussed here,
Adelphi Manufacturing Co Ltd.'s Victor The Robot of 1936, discussed here, patiently awaiting the attentions of Gameswat,
and finally, Brenner's magisterial Robot King of 1934, seen here at John Gresham's Pocklington museum. Sweetmeats kindly provided the photo and for a while owned this giant. Most impressively, he tells me, this machine prints out the fortunes, saving the operator the expense of pre-printed cards.
First we have the non-coin operated examples:
Of the two coin-operated robots in the catalogue, all that remains of AMECO's Vulcan The Talking Robot (1935) discussed here and described in detail here are the shellac records, some of which have been seen at the Elephant House.
Above we see him, newly installed on Blackpool pier, in a 1935 postcard.
And all that remains of Original Machine Manufacturer's Erik The Robot of 1936, apparently, are some of the token charms he dispensed, which were found by Sweetmeats.
He's seen briefly in an arcade in the 1937 film, Storm in a Teacup, where he announces Rex Harrison's weight as 11 St., 6 Lbs and 4 Oz. Clearly this was comic license; although, like Vulcan, he was a talking robot, such prosaic pronouncements were the preserve of talky scales.
That leaves Brenner's Magic Robot Impressionist (1940s) discussed here,
Adelphi Manufacturing Co Ltd.'s Victor The Robot of 1936, discussed here, patiently awaiting the attentions of Gameswat,
and finally, Brenner's magisterial Robot King of 1934, seen here at John Gresham's Pocklington museum. Sweetmeats kindly provided the photo and for a while owned this giant. Most impressively, he tells me, this machine prints out the fortunes, saving the operator the expense of pre-printed cards.