Machines at Aston's (Dudley) on 8th November

[pennymachines]

why do people bid that much for dolls??? ......you can't play with them...

Pourquoi pas?

it sounds like someone got thrown out of the building, over internet bidding?

There was a bit of gamesmanship. The live internet bidding system was very slow at times, making the whole auction slow. A bidder, well known to many of us, tried to chivvy the auctioneer into skipping some bids.
Auctioneer: "I can't continue until the internet bids come through".
Bidder: "I thought this was an auction".
Auctioneer: "If you don't like it, the door's behind you."
Bidder stayed.

Buyer's premium aside, I thought the lots were well displayed, staff helpful, venue comfortable and auction well run, with each item under the hammer clearly displayed on a big screen. The auctioneer did warn bidders at the outset that many of the machines had been extensively reworked.

Lessons I took away from this sale:
The market for vintage slot machines hasn't collapsed yet. In fact, in these times of austerity, (especially in view of the premium), it looks pretty healthy.
TV and newspaper publicity brings in "new blood" willing to pay more for certain machines than most serious slot machine collectors would.
Machines that "came from a museum" may generate buyer confidence.

Anyway, where was this toy museum located at in its day? Was it a good one?

In Arne, Dorset, surrounded by beautiful heathland reserve and wild horses. You had to seek it out and it was probably not enough of a tourist trap.

[pennymachines]

Has anyone got the prices the machines made please?

I've put a down and dirty scan of my score-card in the Arena.
Typed version with pics to follow.

[jingle]

3600 for the blag laughing sailor

Models sounded cheap
Crazy farm yard was cheap cheap cheap
Even the pussy shooter for 1300 was very reasonable

[pennymachines]

They may have sounded cheap - but did you inspect them?
The £3600+ premium Bolland model had a resin filled and repainted cabinet after extensive worm. The other model was modern (scratch built).
The Crazy Farmyard was a total re-build (in MDF). Good operating stock, but lacking the originality most collectors look for.

[hottoddy]

I too was interested in this auction. I was up at 2am to watch from California. As an online bidder, I was grateful for the consideration the auction-house provided us. But on the other-hand, I can empathize with the floor bidders and their frustration. I've fantasized about going to a live auction and bringing with me some kind of contraption that world disrupt the internet connection and prevent the competition from bidding. But I digress, did anyone look closely at the Racing Steeplejacks, Dorset Dan and the Palm Reader. The Steeplejacks looks like the one in Braithwaite's book but in ugly blue. Does anyone know the maker? The Dorset Dan looks newer but with a rare drinking man automaton. I thought the Palm Reader was a decent buy. It's a very rare 1905 version made by the same man who made Mutoscope their machines.

[daveslot]

I ignored my own advice and bid on the lots without viewing them, but had owned a few of them in the past, so knew their past history. Anyways, the Drinking Dan, or Dorset Dan as it is now named, were all new made in the 1990s. I think it was the one I used to own. The Steeplejacks, another of my ex-machines, was totally original when I owned it; now repainted, coin changed, new background. The working model was again one of mine; it had extensive woodworm in the base, but the rest was all good.

[gameswat]

Hey BP, obviously not all machines at auction are dogs, and i didn't say that, but I do think most are! From my 28 years full time experience in the amusement trade it's a given amongst everyone I know that you automatically assume the worst at auction. Most of what I've viewed has been suspect and of the dozen or so machines I've actually purchased at auction (not eBay) all have been dodgy, but then that's what I'm looking for as a restorer so I've picked up most of the problems beforehand and can live with any issues that I miss. I'm also the guy people come to when they need issues sorted and I've seen an endless array of problems nicely hidden under new paint and quickie repairs! Luckily it's not that bad in the lower ends of the market as such little to be made that not worth much effort to deceive. But does get worse the higher the value of the machines get!

Live auctions have got to be one of the worst places of all to get a great deal on a machine due to the fact you're usually vying against the rest for the world. And emotion often gets the better of people, which is why the sellers are so happy to put up with the sky high commissions and premiums! I think I've picked up only one truly great deal via live auction in all my years. Online auctions seem to be a lot better since you're dealing straight with the seller, so they usually have to back up anything they offer. Well, the ones worth dealing with anyway. And they tend to mistake what they're selling and use poor photos etc which gives the buyers more of a chance.

I've rarely had much money to throw at machines which is why I've taught myself to restore them. The only way I've been able to end up with some of the better quality stuff is to buy junk, theoretically good junk, and spend the time researching and rebuilding. Then eventually selling them off to fund the next projects. And I've only ever sent a handful of pieces to auction and because they had issues I didn't want to put my name to. But live auctions are not the place to build a collection on a budget unless you can get to every single one in person and find the occasional treasure that slips through. Originally all my machines came straight from operators, but that dried up about 10 years ago. And since then nearly all my purchases have been directly from older collectors I've befriended in my travels. And since they as sellers aren't paying auction fees, and as the buyer I'm not paying any premium we can usually agree to a very beneficial price for both of us well below auction. So I know most decent machines and good deals are straight between collectors without ever seeing auction.

[john t peterson]

purchases have been directly from older collectors I've befriended in my travels.

Older than what, you young whippersnapper??

J Peterson
Youngster by American Standards

[pennymachines]

Full illustrated results now in the Arena.

[bryans fan]

Excellent report, many thanks.

[grabber]

Hi,
I won the Farmyard Shooter.
Not a bad machine, it has original parts in a new wooden case. The cast metal feet have bolts in them so you can adjust them on an uneven floor. This makes the case seem taller than a Pussy Shooter.

At the moment the machine is painted a light blue colour. Does anyone have a picture of a Farmyard shooter or know which colours it should be painted? It is about fifteen years since I last saw one of these machines at a jukebox show in West London.
Many thanks,
the grabber.

[jingle]

Hello mike
I have one
But it's not the original paint work
It's on youtube in my arcade in liverpool
I think it's a bigger machine originally
Than a pussy shooter,
It sounded very cheap actually
As There are not many about
Bob

[treefrog]

Bob, your arcade now moved and back up and running?? Where is it now?