Pig in a Poke? You decide

[john t peterson]

During our most recent presidential election, the unfortunate electorate was deluged with constant polling. Dissatisfied with the lashing we got from the non-stop political ads, the pundits felt it necessary to continue the pain with daily score-keeping on who was ahead at the moment: President Obama or Mitt the Twit. The whole process was brutal.

Now that the election is over, I'm having poll-withdrawal. To combat the symptoms, I've decided to start my own poll. And to use myself as the subject. And use all of you as my "target."

Take a look at:

[xurl=http://www.ebay.com/itm/1908-1914-BUSSO ... true&rt=nc]1908-1914 BUSSOZ-PARIS A 'CONSTRUECTEUR COIN OPERATED WOODEN ARCADE MACHINE-NICE[/url]

[quote]WELCOME TO OUR SHORT 5 DAY AUCTION FOR THIS VERY COOL AND SUPER RARE VINTAGE BUSSOZ-PARIS FRANCE "EXCLUSIVE AUTOMATICS" A 'CONSTRUECTEUR COIN OPERATED ARCADE GAME WALL MACHINE FROM AROUND 1908 TO 1914 FROM INFORMATION OBTAINED ON LINE. THERE IS NOT MUCH INFORMATION ON THESE. THIS ONE IS IN FANTASTIC PHYSICAL CONDITION AND APPEARS TO BE COMPLETE WITH THE ENTIRE MECHANISM INSIDE (FROM WHAT I CAN TELL WITHOUT REMOVING THE BACK, AND LOOKING UP INTO IT), THE ONLY THING ITS MISSING ARE THE ORIGINAL ROTATING DOUBLE PLATE IMAGES THAT WOULD BE WHERE THE RED PANEL IS INSIDE, AND THE KEY (THE BOTTOM LOCK FOR THE RETURN TRAY PANEL)-I HAVE NOT TRIED IT SINCE THE PHOTO PLATES ARE NOT PRESENT, NOR DO I HAVE THE CORRECT COINS AS I DON'T KNOW WHAT THEY WOULD HAVE BEEN AND DIDN'T WANT TO JAM IT. MOST PROBABLY THE PHOTO PLATES WERE OF A SCANTILY CLAD LADY, THOUGH THERE WERE OTHER IMAGES MADE FOR THESE. THE "EXCLUSIVE AUTOMATICS" BAR IN THE CENTER OF THE WINDOW WAS PUT THERE FOR THE AMERICAN MARKET AND IS PORCELAIN ENAMEL FROM LOOKING CLOSELY AT IT. THE OBJECT OF THE GAME FROM WHAT I CAN TELL, IS TO MATCH THE CORRECT 1/2 PHOTOS TO MAKE ONE CORRECT MATCHING PICTURE. THE LEVER UNDER THE WINDOW IS A "BETTING CONTROL LEVER" TO CORRECTLY MATCH THE IMAGES, ALTHOUGH OBVIOUSLY THE PLAYER HAS NO WAY TO KNOW HOW IT WILL COME OUT, SO ITS A "GAMBLE" SO TO SPEAK. I DON'T KNOW IF THERE WAS A PAYOUT, PROBABLY NOT SINCE THE COIN RETURN TRAY IS SO SMALL. THAT IS ALL I COULD FIND ON IT. IT MEASURES 29.75" BY 18.5" BY 8" AND WEIGHS RIGHT AT 50LBS. PACKED IT SHOULD BE AROUND 60LBS., HENCE THE SHIPPING CHARGES, AND ACTUALLY WE WOULD PREFER THAT IT BE PICKED UP, HOWEVER WE WILL SHIP IF NEED BE. THE BACK OF THE MACHINE IS NOT ORIGINAL AND WAS PUT THERE-GLUED INTO PLACE-BY THE PREVIOUS OWNER WHO "RESTORED IT" HIMSELF, WHICH FROM WHAT I CAN TELL BASICALLY ENTAILED CLEANING IT AND POSSIBLY RE-STAINING THE WOOD, ALTHOUGH THE WOOD STAIN LOOKS ORIGINAL. YOU WILL BE HARD PRESSED TO EVEN FIND ANOTHER ONE OF THESE, LET ALONE ONE IN THIS FANTASTIC CONDITION. THE LAST ONE I COULD FIND SOLD AT CHRISTIE'S AUCTION HOUSE IN 2006 AND IT WAS WAY MORE ROUGH THAN THIS ONE. IT SHOWS WELL AND IS A VERY HARD TO FIND CONVERSATION PIECE/ADDITION TO ANY COLLECTION!!! TAKE ADVANTAGE OF OUR NO RESERVE AUCTION AND DON'T LET THIS ONE GET AWAY!!![/quote]
I am now the proud owner of this machine. The seller indicated he was going to stop the Ebay auction and sell it locally. He invited me to bid with the caveat that the game would have to be picked up rather than posted. I won the bidding at $750 USD plus the obligation to drive 1283 miles round trip in order to take ownership. Read the Ebay listing carefully. There is no confirmation that the game is either operational or complete. What you see is what I got and I had no more information when making my bid than what you have now. It is now home with me and I have not yet opened it up to see what I have purchased.

The poll. I want you to vote. Given what you've read, am I a genius or a goat? Voting ends two weeks from today, December 24th. I will tally the numbers and post the results. I will also write another article for Mechanical Memories Magazine, including the results of the poll and my discovery upon opening the locked door plus some other interesting tidbits. You do subscribe to M3, don't you?

Vote early but not often, please. One vote per customer. Am I a genius? Or am I a goat? You decide. And vote. Results to follow in two weeks.

J Peterson
American Pollster

One addition to the original posting. The gas cost for the trip was approximately $200. My brother lives fairly close to the destination so I was able to avoid any hotel expense by staying with him. Please discount the social value of my seeing my sibling in your decision-making process. Those who have voted "genius" prior to the gasoline factor and now want to change to "goat" are certainly welcome to do so. JTP

[treefrog]

Well I am guessing genius...there are bits of mechanicals in one of the pictures... The machine is the "Pin Up Girl". Looks a lot of fun.... Never seen one.

[roger]

My vote... Not a very bright Pig in a Poke (sorry 'bout that)..... What did the Christie one sell for? ....At the price of gas today, I don't believe it was a very good decision.... Having viewed your prior Crickett [sic] purchase, I thought you had a fairly keen eye for a bargain.

[slotalot]

It is always a gamble when buying a machine blind,
but your gut feelings must have told you it was right, so I would say Genius!
Though I am a little concerned about the crosshead screws and hardboard back, but can’t wait to see the outcome.

[coppinpr]

I think you made a mistake - not that the machine won't be a winner, it might be, but the risk was too much. If you bought like that 10 times, I think you would come unstuck 7 times, not good enough odds for me, or dare I say it, for a Vegas man

To quote a term that was coined originally from slot machine play, you "got a Lemon".

[arrgee]

I think you are too long in the tooth to be taken in John. I seem to recall from way back in MMM that you already have a similar machine (La Girouette). Although not exactly the same I suspect that the mechanism is, so if the mech on your new machine is not all there, you already have one to base any refurbishment on.

I go for 'perceptively shrewd' genius and look forward to the unveiling of this mystery.

[badpenny]

It matters not a jot to me which you are, for I enjoy your contributions and find your approach to any and all issues worthy of attention.

Should the machine turn out to be an excellent purchase then superb for you, if not, what the hell? It will prove to be a fascinating project and should add to your life as you meet many people during your hunt for the bits it needs.

To aid your withdrawal.
Don't forget Corporations are people, my friend.
If you've got a business – you didn't build that. Somebody else made that happen.

Although we don't use them over here. I've got a little bumper sticker for you: Osama bin Laden is dead and General Motors is alive.

As Abigael Evans, age 4, said whilst sobbing at the seemingly-endless election. "I'm tired of Bronco Bamma and Mitt Romney."



Abigael sounds astute and gives the impression she wouldn't judge you either by your genius or your goatiness.
You follow your heart, kids like that. Me too.

Badpenny

[raj]

Mmm, I intensely dislike the advert, from a CAPS LOCK perspective, which gives me an uncomfortable feeling. The object of desire looks very clean and tidy, but must have a fairly limited appeal, even on a global perspective. I must admit, I never buy a machine older, heavier or wealthier than myself, so would walk away from this one on 2 counts. Having taken a few gambles over the years on slots, I would probably class this is as a risky purchase, which is perhaps why I'm not wealthy !!

[gameswat]

JP - for starters La Girouette is an exceptional and early machine by one of the all time greatest slot makers - Bussoz! Since you already have another example, this was well worth the gamble. The cabinet has been partly modified but still looks pretty good. As far as the bigger pictures - I think the former owner's wife had issues with the re-vamped Pin-Up girl graphics, and the husband just covered them over with taped on card. GENIUS!

[andydotp]

I've taken greater punts over the years but been fortunate to be up around the 70/30 mark.
I've not only seen one of these but played one here in Melbourne at a friend's place.
From memory his had Minnie Mouse cards though?? I think??
'Genius' from me JTP.

[bryans fan]

I suspect you will turn out to be proved a genius you old goat!

[roger]

NO, NO, NO......I answered my own question and found the 2006 Christie auction in the Arena.... The machine was listed as item #197 with a pre-sale estimate of $300-$400.....With the entire world bidding at a major auction house, the item sold for $360...... JP paid twice that amount and had to travel 1283 at 60 CTs a mile.....You do the math... JP is such a likeable guy, I think some of the 'Yes' votes are being influenced by this fact.

[badpenny]

Roger, you're not very good at maths are you?
1283 miles @ 60 cents a mile means the travel made $769.80, as he paid $750 for the machine it means he made a profit of $19.80 just on the journey, and he owns the machine!

[funky]

I'm going to go for 'genius', as I have a suspicion there may be French gold inside the machine when you open it? ....I reckon you're a pirate from the seas of the past or a good old gold digger... There's gold in them there hills cowboy!!! Get off your horse and drink your milk - John Wayne style.... ........

[coppinpr]

Should the machine turn out to be an excellent purchase then superb for you, if not, what the hell? It will prove to be a fascinating project and should add to your life as you meet many people during your hunt for the bits it needs.

Looks like you need another option... "sitting on the fence".

[pennymachines]

I've taken the liberty of adding a poll to John's opening post - so members can cast their votes until the 24th.
Coppinpr's "Sitting on the fence" is the faint-hearted collector's alternative to "Goat" - it means, paralysed by indecision, you wouldn't have bought the machine.

[roger]

BAD PENNY MUST HAVE FLUNKED MATH IN THE SECOND GRADE........JP WROTE "I WON THE BIDDING AT $750 USD PLUS THE OBLIGATION TO DRIVE 1283MILES".....I FLUNKED CALCULUS BUT $750 + (1283 times 60 cts.) sure adds up to a lot more than the $360 realized at the CHRISTIE SALE.....JP IN TOTAL COST PAID OVER FOUR TIMES THIS PRIOR SALE ...........I SUGGEST EVERYONE FULLY UNDERSTAND THE MATH BEFORE CASTING THEIR FINAL VOTE.

[badpenny]

........... why are you shouting roger?

[roger]

TO BADPENNY ,,,,,I'M NOT SHOUTING...I JUST WANT AN INTELLIGENT VOTE UNLIKE THE PRESIDENTIAL RESULTS IN THE GOOD OLD USA..........AND BY THE WAY, JP IS REALLY ONE SMART COOKIE,,,,,CHECK OUT HIS 'CRICKET' PURCHASE AS FEATURED IN THE THE ARENA PAGE 1&2 TITLED "CRICKET FOR LITTLE JIMMY'........THAT MACHINE IS THE GREATEST I HAVE EVER SEEN IN ANY POST....GREAT STORY TOO..

[roger]

PENNY MACHINES IS ALSO ONE SMART COOKIE........I TRIED TO VOTE A SECOND TIME AND WASN'T ABLE TO....roger