Job lot at auction

[john t peterson]

Terrific catch on the monkeys, Treefrog. Keep us up to date on the restoration, please. I love the whole package.

"Lucky Horse Shoe" was also a missed bargain. It's an extremely unusual allwin with a unique hybrid auto-pay feature peculiar to this machine. They also made a more standard manual pay-out version. Years ago, I wrote an article on this game for Jerry's AAM magazine.

J Peterson
Monkey's Uncle in America

[pennymachines]

Yep, someone got lucky with that Lucky Horse Shoe. Great little allwin.

Well done on acquiring your arcade piece TF. I don't know the maker but maybe the owner of this one has more info:



South Shields Museum Exhibition

[geordy55]

Most of the machines were bought by phone bidders, I would like to see their faces when they find out the condition of what they bought. I went with the intention of buying but silly prices for the condition. But I guess I now know what Treefrog looks like!

[coin-op]

I don't know the maker but maybe the owner of this one has more info:



South Shields Museum Exhibition

I haven't been able to ascertain the manufacturer. It's been put to me that it's Ruffler & Walker (though, if so, the mechanism bears no similarity to their better known two player games). As you can see from the pictures, the original machine name artwork (which I still have) is not at all PC, so I replaced it with artwork reading 'The climbing men' (just flagging the point that the machine was never produced under the name '..climbing men')

I'd be interested to see a pic of your machine mechanism T as mine has a rod lying in the base of the cabinet which I haven't managed to place - although the machine mechanism functions; so curious about that!

[JC]

Coin-op, I remember you and I discussed this machine when you first acquired it - didn't one of us suggest Myers, or am I thinking of something else?

[coin-op]

Coin-op, I remember you and I discussed this machine when you first acquired it - didn't one of us suggest Myers, or am I thinking of something else?

I vaguely remember a conversation, but that’s about it. Not sure if we just floated a few names as I can’t figure now why Myers proved a candidate.

[bob]

Here's a picture of a Climbing Monkeys machine in Oz with what I imagine was its original artwork.

[gameswat]

Thanks Bob, now that's more like it, that artwork makes the machine! A hundred times better than the oversize pinup girl. Maybe she's a hallucinogenic fantasy dream the climbers are having? And looks a lot better without the glued on animals.

[brigham]

Essex made monkey climbers, but I don't think they were as wide as this one. More like a crane-size case.

[treefrog]

Thanks Bob, now that's more like it, that artwork makes the machine! A hundred times better than the oversize pinup girl. Maybe she's a hallucinogenic fantasy dream the climbers are having? And looks a lot better without the glued on animals.

Me suspects this one has lost a lot of the original stuff as there is no features on the main field like trees and rock structures like the one coinop has and auction one. Also artwork looks fresh to me and maybe more like an Aussie coastline

Coinop will get some pictures inside and would be great to get pictures of the coin return and coin entry for the two coin play as I can see what has been done to bypass this, just don’t know what may be missing. Cheers.

Yes, Essex made them and there are lots of pictures on another thread of these. One sold last year at Reeman Dansie for around £2k last year.

[coin-op]

Coin-op, I remember you and I discussed this machine when you first acquired it - didn't one of us suggest Myers, or am I thinking of something else?

Whilst looking for coin mech pics for T, I came across a pic of a Road Test machine. This is what think we must have talked about and I pointed out that the artwork is on the same paper, colours and graphics as on the Climbing game. This machine was badged Ruffler & Walker, so on reflection, this must have been why I had R & W in mind.

[pennymachines]

I see there's one of these climbers at Morphy's April 13 sale, called the Palm Climbers, with two turbaned indigenous tree climbers. They identify it as Ruffler & Walker, which seems to fit. It will be interesting to see how the price compares...

A 1940s English mechanical game with a money back feature produced by Ruffler and Walker, also known as The Jungle Tree Climb. Two players use the wheels to race the figural climbers up the palm tree. The instructions read "Place 2p in slot" but the coin mechanism is designed to accept quarters. Appears to be in original condition, displaying age related wear throughout, some paint loss and remnants of clear packing tape is on the glass front. In non-working order, requiring some maintenance to be fully operational.

[moonriver]

Re Morphys overseas coin-op 'expert' and valuer, and bear in mind who's doing it for them

[treefrog]

Who is the overseas expert

The palm tree climber is a much better name and unless they did what Coinop did by changing the name, maybe a genuine alternative name used. Given coconut tree climbing is a known way of life in south east asia, there is even competitions and a world championship. Maybe I will make up a similar label for mine. I think if I am mistaken there is a badge just above the cash box door, maybe a ruffler and Walker one, but of course they used these often with the words “Supplied by”

I wonder if the backflash has been changed on this as well as the metal sheet is shiny new and artwork slightly fresher. Also I notice yet again the Britains lead animals in this machine as well as the Road Test. These are wire tied to the base and I would be 99% certain are original to the machines, too much of a coincidence whether out of scale of not

There are so many British floor standing machines in the US, trouble is they seem to be appreciated as do not go cheap there. Of the 3 Ahrens machines, one looks unusual and could not find in Braithwaites book, “Cable Ways”, unless it was called something else.....looks to be a cable car racer maybe up each mountain

[treefrog]

Finally found a use for paintshop pro, well at least something I am capable of doing as it is a stupidly complex piece of software

feel politically correct now.

[gameswat]

Whilst looking through the Arcades and Slot book I came across the following:

Wright, R. & Sons. Bridlington.
Climbing Monkeys - race game - 1949
Info from Coin Slot article by Nic Costa: 02/07/1983

[pennymachines]

Putting the R&W two player Road Test beside the Palm Climbers (both in the Morphy auction), it's evident that they're from the same stable. That doesn't settle who made them though.

[JC]

Whilst looking through the Arcades and Slot book I came across the following:
Wright, R. & Sons. Bridlington.
Climbing Monkeys - race game - 1949
Info from Coin Slot article by Nic Costa: 02/07/1983

I believe the Climbing Monkeys machines attributed to R. Wright & Sons, of Bridlington, are those that utilised Exhibit Supply Co 'Hi-Ball' cases. We sold one at Coventry a few years back - I'm sure I have a picture somewhere......just don't know where. I'm pretty sure I remember Chris Parcell telling me that they also produced the 'Balloons' machines.

[pennymachines]

Lot 88 from 25th Nov. 2012?
Other examples of that game here.

[brigham]

The 'Monkey Climbers' are neither monkeys nor men, but boys.
They are known as 'Coconut Monkeys' because of their amazing agility in tree climbing (or 'swarming').
The American 'Pin Monkey' has a similar derivation, as does the naval 'Powder Monkey'.
Doubtless a relief to the Vegans, in the case of the Coconut Monkey, as otherwise another useful and versatile renewable would have been closed to them!