Mechanical Memories Auction 2008

[JC]

Readers of Mechanical Memories Magazine will now know that our next event will be on Sunday 30th November. We will be back in Coventry for this one, same venue as last year. Full details and auction entry forms will be included in the October issue of the magazine.

The Central England Vintage Slot Collectors' Show and Auction is now established as the biggest annual slotties event in the UK, but we can only continue to run these events with everyone's full support - so be there!

Updates will be posted in this thread in due course.

Jerry

[badpenny]

Ok Slotties and your designated responsible adult ...............

The Coventry auction is now only 29 days away.

Here are a few insider tips so we can all get the most out of the day.

Jerry already has a number of lots (all machines and boxes of spares) and I am about to order the tressle tables to put them on.
Reserves are either very fair or non existent.

Now about the tables.
As I am the one that puts them out, and folds them away again afterwards I'm only ordering as many as I know we'll need. I'll check with Jerry in a few days and work on the numbers he's got, so unless you want your lot sitting on the floor where the majority of arthriticky (great word) collectors can't reach, and the handsome yet pathetically weak porter can't pick them up in order to wave them around then please tell Jerry what you're bringing.
We want your lot to get an equally fair chance as everybody else's, all we ask in return is you tell us what you're bringing before the catalogue goes to print. The closing date for that is November 10th

Last year we had far too many lots (most of them entered after the close date), it gave too much choice, which led to slack bidding at the start and crazy activity later on. Looking at the figures over the last four auctions we've done confirms if your lot is in the catalogue (and consequently advertised) it does better than those entered late and not advertised. Sadly even highly sought after items entered on the day tend to do badly. I guess people plan before hand what they're going for, and even though a surprise gem attracts a lot of interest on the day, people still bid on what they've been drooling over in the catalogue, merely chucking a "half hearted" punt or two at the stranger of the day.
These appear to be the dynamics of a live auction, don't be caught out, get on to Jerry now and let him know. The higher your lot sells the more commission we make .... hooray!

Analysis of the last four auctions we've run confirm that lots appearring in the catalogue do better on the day.
Thems is the facts folks .... thems is the facts!

We'll have a great day, plenty of fun, plenty of machines and faces to put to names. If anyone is still confused about the legality or morals of selling in the car park to avoid paying us our meagre commission then read through the rest of the threads and posts on the subject that already litter this forum.

I'm looking forward to seeing you in four weeks time, and just in case I haven't mentioned it ..............
.........tell us what you're bringing before the catalogue goes to print. The closing date for that is November 10th

BP

[JC]

.........and please try to let me have pictures if possible. These can either be included with the entry forms or emailed separately. I shall try to include as many as possible in the catalogue, plus all pictures will be posted on this site thus giving your lots maximum exposure.

So far, we have about 100 lots, and I know there are still more entry forms to come in. If you do not have an entry form, please email me through this site and I'll send you one (which will be emailed as a WORD attachment).

[JC]

Well, the closing date for entries was almost a week ago, and surprise surprise, I'm still waiting for at least 3 more entry forms. Consequently, preparing the catalogue has been delayed but I am hoping they will be ready to post by the end of the week.

However, I am really pleased with what has been entered so far, and I think there should be something for everyone. There is a great variety of machines, including allwins by BMCo, Whales, Bryans, Wonders, Hawtins etc. Bandits include the usual Sega, Jubilee, Bally, Aristocrat, Jennings etc. and the star lot is an extremely rare Mills Lion Head. Bryans machines include Elevenses, Pilwin, Fruit Bowl, Bullion, 12 Win and 6 Win Clocks and a rare Double Top.
Other machines include an early Clown Catcher, Exhibit Supply Co. crane, fortune tellers, electro-mechs, vending machines, gumball machines etc.
I shall be posting pictures of some of the machines in this thread in the next couple of days.

So, it looks like it will be a good one. Catalogues will be available in the MARKET on this site soon.

We look forward to seeing you on the 30th, and lets all look forward to a great day!

Jerry

[JC]

Pictures of some of the machines. (click to enlarge)

More to follow.

[JC]

.......and some more

[JC]

Catalogue details now in the MARKET.

Catalogues should be ready to post Monday 24th Nov.

[JC]

A fellow collector has contacted me asking if anyone living in the Mansfield, (Nottinghamshire) area could possibly offer him a lift to the Coventry auction, as he is currently without a car. He is more than happy to make a contribution toward petrol. If you can help, please call John on XXXX

Thanks in anticipation

Jerry

[badpenny]

It's 8.30 am .... I'm at work ......... another great auction yesterday (best ever IMHO) I am taterred!
I'm just about to go and run a day's training and then have a board meeting (bored meeting?) this evening.
I just hope nobody shouts out a telephone number or something numeric for the next 12 hours, otherwise I am likely to grab hold of the nearest heavy thing and hold it over my head!

Great to see so many stalwarts of our infliction and thanks for your support everyone, I could have done with wearing one yesterday.
A fantastic collection of various machines were on offer, and reserves were either non existent or on the whole sensible.
Our YTS auctioneer was superb (thanks Kev) and he only needed reigning in when he ran out of machines to sell and tried to make a start on the cars in the car park.

I felt yesterday there was more interest in buying because the item was wanted rather than because it would fetch more being bounced onto e-Bay.
We finished in record time and I'm just typing nonsense now to try and stay awake for the start of my training session in an hour.

Hearty recognitions to all of the volunteers that got roped into challenging anyone who tried to sneek in without laying out £4 for a catalogue (yes they still try it on), also to Mr Hooper for assisting me in waving unlocked allwins without backs high in the air without choking on woodworm dust or letting the thing parallelogram into oblivion.

Oh! and apologies to David Lavender for calling him Ian (stupid boy!)

Now back to the real world .........................

[slotalot]

Well it’s the day after the 2008 slot machine auction, and what a day it was!.. As you can see from the photo there were lots of people and machines filling the hall, the place was full of the most strange looking mix of old and new, some looked in good fettle, and some were well past their prime, there were some I had seen before and some that were new to me, all in all a right mixed bunch! The Machines on the other hand were wonderful and it was well worth the trip, I would like to say thank-you to JC, Badpenny & all the backroom gang who made it run so smoothly. Sadly I did not get anything for my winter project, but did come away with another Bergman wall machine, this will go well with my Bergman Imperator. If you look under the arrow in the photo you can see the chief porter for the day (Badpenny) this was the only time I saw him sat down all day. Roll on the next one.

................... the place was full of the most strange looking mix of old and new, some looked in good fettle, and some were well past their prime, there were some I had seen before and some that were new to me, all in all a right mixed bunch .................... If you look under the arrow in the photo you can see the chief porter for the day (Badpenny) this was the only time I saw him sat down all day...........

And I'm sure their wives and girl friends would agree with you S.
As for the photo, I don't remember that arrow?

Badpenny

[cadillac55uk]

Well another one over and done with! and what a great auction it was. To say there is a 'credit crunch' it was a well attended auction and from what I saw and heard machines were going for realistic prices.
Thanks to all the organisers and everyone who attended....and correct me if I'm wrong Jerry ..... I can see this keeping the auctions going?!?!
Thanks again for a great day!

[JC]

..........yes Cadillac, this will certainly keep the auctions going.

I said I thought this would be a good one, and I was right (for once). There are no doubt several factors for yesterday's success, not least the number, variety and quality of lots - we had just about the right number, and I think the variety and diversity of machines was spot on, although 'quality' bandits were a bit thin on the ground.
It was great to see everyone again, and there were a good number of new faces too, which we desparately need - let's hope we can continue to attract newcomers. Top marks must go to Kevin, whose auctioneering skills surely contributed to the day.

Anyway, a full report will be included in the Dec. issue of MMM, and I shall forward on to this site a full list of prices, to be posted in the ARENA.

As I've said on many occasions, we can only continue to run these events with everyone's support......and once again, you didn't let us down!

See you all next November (if not before).

Jerry

[bryans fan]

Sorry to take so long to post a big thank you to the two J`s for the Auction on Sunday. I thought it was a very good, well organised event and very enjoyable.
I think it was a big improvement on the last one, lessons had obviously been learnt. Kevin was excellent as Auctioneer. The venue is very good, and suitable for the amount of lots entered. There was a good selection of decent machines, which were there to be sold with realistic reserves. Most of the lots were in good order and desirable, rather than sellers trying to clear out rubbish, which attracted buyers and prompted people to bid. All in all a very good event which should encourage both sellers and buyers to support the next one.
Well done to all involved.

[jimmycowman]

Yes I'm a bit late replying - snowed in, couldn't get to my laptop he he:D ,good day had by all. Went with the intentions of winning the Byrans Pilwin but lost and came home with a cheap bandit , Better luck next time I'm thinking. Roll on the next one. Again well done everyone involved. PS. Mr Pennymachines looks better with his hair cut!!!!!

[pennymachines]

Thanks Jimmy. I knew it was money well spent.
Coventry auction results here.

[malcymal]

Shame I couldn't get there - looking in the Arena there were some nice pieces. Seems to be an influx of bandits on ebay at the moment! Were there a lot of dealers there? That Beromat on ebay looks uncannily like the one sold at the auction. There's also a hideous green bandit on ebay called VEGAS. Is this the same machine that was listed in the auction results? I'm gonna try my best to get to the next one by getting up very early in the morning and travelling oop North.

[rippyspennyarcade]

Hi, I attended the Coventry auction, which was superb - a credit to Jerry and the team!! You are correct about that VEGAS bandit, it was one of the lots at the auction (I looked at it) and it sold for £60. Be interesting to see how much it fetches on eBay!!!!!

[malcymal]

Vegas bandit went for £50-ish quid on ebay..... oops..... my god it really was hideous, I wouldn't even pay 50 pence for it........ things people buy!

[malcymal]

When are you guys planning the next auction? My nephew is now into slotties and wants to go to next one, as will I as we are gonna car share, strip out his back seats so we can come back to Bognor with a load of goodies to play with. Thanks, Malc

[badpenny]

Jerry is playing with the idea that one a year in Coventry is about right, unless somebody contacts one of us to dispose of a large collection.
Badpenny