Oliver Whales Whirlo

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john t peterson
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Oliver Whales Whirlo

Post by john t peterson »

"Whirlo" up for sale on Ebay-Germany
I've never seen this one before:
whirlo.JPG

Whirlo, Countertop Slotmachine, Wheelmachine

J Peterson
American Whirling Dervish
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badpenny
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Re: "Whirlo" up for sale on Ebay-Germany

Post by badpenny »

Wowsers! ..... and no mistake.

I have covetous leanings towards it.
A beautiful case, although so clean inside it encourages sucking of chins and puzzled stroking of teeth.

I adore the handle which is a full size replica of the throttle on Titanic, it couldn't have made it a popular investment for operators as it must have demanded a fair bit of cranking space on that side to avoid elbowing somebody else's pint out of their grip or grazing your knuckles on the barmaid.

I don't speak a word of German but suspect that ........
WHIRLO

Von Whales Funcity Redcar


Could be an enthusiastic clue? Where's Stuartpot when you need him?

I've checked my book of Zeppelins but found nowt.

I had better luck on Google, where it transpire a Mr Johnson has posted a vid about model gliders on Youtube called "Whirlo" which incorporates music by Led Zeppelin.

Isn't the world of slots complex? ............

Going to lie down now.
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treefrog
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Re: "Whirlo" up for sale on Ebay-Germany

Post by treefrog »

Well it has been pulled, I guess maybe a nice offer made. Certainly stylish, I do wonder about some of the metalwork though, looks very new, .....nice machine though
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Re: "Whirlo" up for sale on Ebay-Germany

Post by gm »

I thought I recognised the machine as being one I had played a few years ago and a phone call to Maurice Felce in Cyprus confirmed it was once owned by him. How did he know this? Whilst restoring it years ago, he sent the handle and the payout cup for re chroming and they lost them. His friend made the missing parts but had nothing to copy, hence what is on the machine you see today. Maurice never sent the nameplate which, with hindsight, maybe turned out to be a wise decision!
He remembers he swapped a Jennings Governor to obtain the Whirlo and knows he sold it at auction but cannot recall which one, probably at one around the Huntingdon area!
I wonder how it ended up in Germany ???
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Whirlo

Post by widget2k4 »

Any ideas anyone ? !PUZZLED!
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jingle
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Re: whirlo

Post by jingle »

Looks unusual that Keith
widget2k4
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Re: whirlo

Post by widget2k4 »

First one I've came across Bob, just hoping someone else may have seen one before or had some info on it.
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Re: whirlo

Post by pennymachines »

The body of the machine brings to mind a turn of the century American spinning disc countertop game, but I can't find anything quite like it. The pattern used to cast the instruction framing on the top sign appears to have utilised the beading you get on early Bryan's Payramids etc. That beading would have been an off-the-shelf British product in the 1930s.

A Whirlo sold in the first Southern Counties auction and was listed as Oliver Whales, so maybe it's an early Whales revamp of an American machine? Are the coins in the window just display?
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Re: Whirlo

Post by widget2k4 »

not sure about the coins dave i haven't seen the machine yet in person
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Re: Whirlo

Post by jingle »

If that jackpot pays out
All the way through the machine past
All that mechanism
I want to see it ,,,gameswat will be licking his budgie with excitement !!YIPPEE!!
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JC
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Re: Whirlo

Post by JC »

If that jackpot pays out......
I agree - the coins somehow don't even look real. They look like cardboard cutouts.
I do like the cast pediment though.
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Re: Whirlo

Post by jingle »

Looking at the window with the coins
The screws look old
Althought it could of been an award card
The coin reject on the top looks right
I think this could be a ripper !!THUMBSX2!!
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Re: Whirlo

Post by widget2k4 »

Yep you were spot on, no jackpot just a fake hole to put coins in.
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Re: Whirlo

Post by pennymachines »

That looks like an early American mech to me.
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gameswat
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Re: Whirlo

Post by gameswat »

Was just reading the 1985 Arcadia auction catalogue and came across this:

Lot No: 145. Whirlo gambling machine 23x16x9, 1d coin. Caille Commercial. Early American mechanism re-cased by Oliver Whales. Recent repro back door.
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Re: Whirlo

Post by pennymachines »

Looks like we were spot on then. Is it pictured and, if so, is it the same one?
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gameswat
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Re: Whirlo

Post by gameswat »

No photo PM, possibly the attribution to Whales that you saw in the Southern Counties auction came from this 1985 catalogue of course? I think John Gresham was responsible for much of the information in the Arcadia catalogue. And since he'd actually written a book by that time, (sadly never published) I know he'd done a lot of research when many of the UK and US pioneers were still alive. I did get to read the book a long time ago but can't remember most of it. I guess if Widget can measure his game to compare with the dimensions stated that might prove it?
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Re: Whirlo

Post by widget2k4 »

sizes are
16 inches (40.6 cm) Wide by 22 inches (55.9 cm) High by 10 inches (25.4 cm) Deep
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gameswat
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Re: Whirlo

Post by gameswat »

Close enough Widget. Just checked and the catalogue does say sizes are approximate. What about the back door, repro or original?
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Re: Whirlo

Post by widget2k4 »

Back door repro bit of plywood held locked with screws.
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