Palm reading fortune tellers

[arrgee]

Saw this recently, lovely condition. Takes me back to my 1950s childhood and I can well remember the feeling of the ripples of those buttons as they made waves on my hand !!

Anyone know when this type of machine was introduced ?

[JC]

Carters book lists a 'Scientific Electric Palmist' under Charles Ahrens, and dates it 1922. I guess this is probably the machine to which it refers. I operate a similar machine at Brighton, and know of three others. I'm sure there are more - but still a fairly rare machine.

[pennymachines]

Carter's book also lists Ahrens Electric Palmistry of 1921 and the Arnold & Sons Know Thyself (1928?) suggesting there was no patent on the idea. Ahrens (who mostly adapted other manufacturers' designs) didn't file a patent for this quite novel bit of mechanism, so it seems probable versions existed before 1921. I had a go on Clive's Scientific Electric Palmist at his old Southampton arcade when an old fellow confided in conspiratorial tone his suspicion that it wasn't entirely scientific.

[pennymachines]

I spoke to Clive last night and apart from confirming that the machine above is the one I played at Southampton, he offered other snippets: Ahrens made two versions - the other didn't have the "beer-glass resistant" sloping front panel and quite different gubbins inside. He wasn't sure which was earlier. He mentioned a purely mechanical American palmist which pre-dated this one - suggesting the palm-massaging pins idea came from the States.
Arnold's Know Thyself is altogether simpler - just a palm-shaped casting that you have to push and turn slightly to release the fortune card.
The Electric Palmist is currently available for personal readings at Swindon Steam Museum.

[arrgee]

the machine above is the one I played at Southampton

So was the Bollands Haunted House that I posted on Dec 6th 2007 and the Merchantman crane that I posted on Dec 18th 2007 also in the old Southampton arcade?

Both now in the Steam Museum at Swindon.

[pennymachines]

Quite likely. It was ages ago and my memory's been defragged and reformatted since then. Clive would know.
I remember there was an Ahrens Piledriver because it was the first I'd played or seen.

[slotalot]

Carters book lists a 'Scientific Electric Palmist' under Charles Ahrens, and dates it 1922. I guess this is probably the machine to which it refers. I operate a similar machine at Brighton, and know of three others. I'm sure there are more - but still a fairly rare machine.

Hi JC, I was in Weston Supermare last week and paid a visit to the North Somerset Museum. They have a small collection of vintage slots, one of which is an Ahrens Palmist. Is this one of the three that you know of? The other machines are working models, a mutoscope, a two player (Ahrens?) football game, and a strength tester but no allwins. slotalot.

[JC]

Hello Slotalot. No, that is not one of the five that I know of - so that makes six (but I'm sure there are others).
I've only visited Weston Supermare once, about six years ago, and didn't know of the North Summerset Museum at that time. What are the working models? And most important - did you take any pictures? I'm sure we'd all like to see them.

In answer to Arrgee above, I'm fairly sure the Haunted house wasn't at Clive's Ocean Village arcade in Southampton (which closed about ten years ago) - I think it is a more recent acquisition. I do remember a Bolland Burglar, and I'm sure there was at least one other Bolland model.

Jerry

[slotalot]

Hi JC, The working models were an American Execution and a Haunted House , I am not sure of the make of the haunted house but it was a good one, it had a moving figure sat in a chair on the ground floor and a balcony above with two doors that fly open to show two phanton/ghost figures , it also had sound/flashing lights etc. As for photos, we only found this museum when trying to get out of the rain, I did not know they had any machines before we went in and I did not have my camera with me ,I must invest in a new camera that will fit in my jacket pocket so as not to miss times like this. Slotalot.

[pennymachines]

The Automatic Palm Reader at Mablethorpe posted by Stoxman22 is the Arnold version.



Below is the top of an unidentified American Automatic Palm Reader which may pre-date the British versions.
Photo: Lynette Seelmeyer