GIRLS and FLEAS

[roger]

Remember those coin-operated TELESCOPES by the seashore ???
It was a great way to check out the girls on the beach and all quite legal.

I had a similar machine in my collection. It was a coin-operated MICROSCOPE.
I have never seen another one so it must be quite rare..
The machine had a very impressive top sign featuring a FLEA magnified by 100 times.
It looked like something straight out of Jurassic Park.

Some of the things that could be viewed included, a flea, a spider, a strand of hair, lady bug,
a flower petal and a vial of sand.

Has any member seen one of these machines or ever heard of their existence ?
ROGER

[coppinpr]

I've never seen a coin-op one but this was an early and very popular street vendor amusement. Amazingly, street vendors in the very late 18 century would rent or even buy microscopes (it was that profitable) and offer the passing public the chance to see, for a price, things like blood and insects close up for the first time. It caused quite a stir when people saw the common flea (the bite of which they had all experienced) was such a fearsome-looking beast. It is said it led to a change in attitudes towards what had previously been looked on as just a nuisance.

[gameswat]

Roger, sounds very interesting and would love to see it, but seems like you spent every cent on machines and could never afford a camera! until more recently? All good to say with hindsight of course, but since you were dealing in quite a few machines I'm surprised you didn't at least document the most interesting ones as they came and went? Or were the photos thrown away or lost?

[roger]

GAMESWAT has raised an interesting question as to what happened to all my coinop pictures and records.

Actually, I was very meticulous in maintaining details of every aspect of my collection. My purchases were made when very little was known about what constituted a "desirable" machine. There were very few coin-op collectors and hardly any interest in penny arcade machines.

Eventually, I moved to an "old folks home" (CCRC) and everything had to go... Just try moving from a 4000 sq.ft. home into a 1200 ft. apartment.

Once you start disposing of a collection, the records start to lose their importance.

It was only when I discovered the Pennymachine site that my interest was rekindled.

ROGER

[arrgee]

It was only when I discovered the Pennymachine site that my interest was rekindled

So are you tempted to buy anything now Roger..........?

[roger]

Arrgee wants to know if I'm in the market for any new machines.

Anybody out there with a Mathewson Yacht Race for under $1000 (CASH) ??????????

ROGER

[roger]

I have received a few complaints that I pictured the flea but not the GIRLS.

So here goes with the risk that Mr. P might censor it. ROGER

[john t peterson]

I'll take that hot Grandma, second from the left.

J Peterson
Near-sighted, USA

[brigham]

Fourth from left is my type.
The middle one is TERRIFYING!

[arrgee]

Humm..... one gets to a certain age when they all look rather attractive (or did !)