Levitating Lady

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luckystar
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Levitating Lady

Post by luckystar »

Hi All, has anybody got any pictures of the coin operated Levitating Lady that they could post? I have searched the internet & Utube. Seem to be a lot of manual ones and one made out of Lego. Many thanks, Pete.
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Re: Levitating Lady

Post by roger »


fly.jpg

luckystar
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Re: Levitating Lady

Post by luckystar »

Hi Roger, where does the penny go? Pete.
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Re: Levitating Lady

Post by roger »

COIN RECEPTICLE ??????????? ..........You throw your penny on the carpet.....She scoops it up and gives you a nice smile.

:HaHa: :HaHa: :HaHa: :HaHa: :HaHa:

ROGER
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Mime vs. Levitating Lady

Post by roger »

Many years ago I encountered a Mime in London much like the one pictured. She was dressed as a Greek Goddess.
She never moved a muscle until I put a couple of bucks in her basket whereupon I got a beguiling wink.

Sorry to go off-topic but sometimes I get these flashbacks in time. ROGER
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pennymachines
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Re: Levitating Lady

Post by pennymachines »

luckystar wrote: Fri Apr 29, 2022 4:10 pm Hi All, has anybody got any pictures of the coin operated Levitating Lady that they could post? I have searched the internet & Utube. Seem to be a lot of manual ones and one made out of Lego. Many thanks, Pete.
I may be wrong, but I don't think there is one. The Dennison version which John Gresham owned (seen in this video) was a French automaton converted to coin op. and back again:
gameswat wrote: Fri Sep 17, 2021 7:59 pm Dennison purchased this Levitating Lady automaton in France around 1908 and built the case himself. In the 1920's his daughters revamped it into the then more current deco look. An example of the original automata (pic attached) sold at auction approx 2012 for $220,000! I was lucky enough to work on the machine for Pat Gresham in 2012 and I found an operating info label attached inside that I carefully removed to discover the original Dennison business card on the backside. At the time she was hoping to sell the machine to a coin-op collector but that never happened and I believe it went to Europe to be restored back to the original format of non coin-op without cabinet.
https://www.theriaults.com/extremely-ra ... -automaton
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badpenny
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Re: Levitating Lady

Post by badpenny »

Not a working model per se, but Jerry C had one in his arcade in Brighton.
I'm probably misremembering, I recall it as more like a wall machine which contained a woman laid out in front of a mirror. Insert a coin turn the handle and she floated up in front of the mirror.

All marvellous stuff.

BP :cool:
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Re: Levitating Lady

Post by luckystar »

Thanks for all your input. I can remember seeing the clip on Magpie a few weeks ago on the TV. I can remember seeing one about twenty years ago, the chap would not let me see inside as he said you will be copying them. I have made a rough prototype. I see the idea of how it works. Pete.
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Re: Levitating Lady

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badpenny wrote: Sat Apr 30, 2022 11:56 pmNot a working model per se, but Jerry C had one in his arcade in Brighton.
I'm probably misremembering, I recall it as more like a wall machine which contained a woman laid out in front of a mirror. Insert a coin turn the handle and she floated up in front of the mirror.
Well yes, that's close. It's not a levitating woman, it's a bloke; it's not a wall machine, but free-standing and there's no handle to turn, the machine does it all by its self. But other than that, you have a remarkable memory BP.

However, there is a Canova working model that I recall is called the Magician, in which a figure levitates (can't remember whether male or female). The owner is an occasional contributor on this forum, so if he chooses to do so, may well post a picture or at least give some further info.
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Re: Levitating Lady

Post by pennymachines »

This one? Courtesy of Darren Hesketh's Penny-In-The-Slot Automata and the Working Model (p145).
Darren wrote:The Miracle Man, c. 1953.
An amazing feat of levitation is performed, during which the Miracle Man sits up, turns his head around and waves. The automaton may have originally been cased by Modern Enterprises, but it has definitely been recased since. Floor standing model made possibly by Modern Enterprises.
Model: Netley Chapel and Museum, Netley, Southampton.
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Re: Levitating Lady

Post by JC »

pennymachines wrote: Sun May 01, 2022 4:00 pmThis one?
Yes, that's mine - the machine that BP referred to. The Canova Magician that I mentioned may well also be in Darren's book - can't check as I don't have my copy to hand at moment.
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Re: Levitating Lady

Post by badpenny »

That'll be the bogger. It was a few years ago and I recall it fooled me at the time. Which as an ex member of the Magic Circle should leave me suitably embarrassed ... if I cared.

I'm glad that at least my memory is holding up despite the failing of most of my other faculties.
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Re: Levitating Lady

Post by pennymachines »

JC wrote: Sun May 01, 2022 4:20 pm The Canova Magician that I mentioned may well also be in Darren's book...
He includes Canova's The Conjurer, but that's the cup and ball trick. Next to your machine is The Magician by Coin Operating Co., Birmingham, but that's a fortune card vending magician performing a magic trick under his hat.
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JC
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Re: Levitating Lady

Post by JC »

Mmm, perhaps my memory isn't as good as BP's. I know the Coin Operating Co Magician and who owns it - that may well be what I was thinking of, in which case it is neither a Canova or has anything to do with levitating. But I have a definite image in my mind, which I may well have just made up. I'll give it some more thought and see what I come up with. :woops:
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Re: Levitating Lady

Post by moonriver »

The Potter and Potter automaton is not from the Dennison model. Although the auctioneer states Roullet and Decamps as the maker, it looks far more like a JAF automaton to me.
The Dennison model below is 'The Floating Lady', which is completely different from all of the above.
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Re: Levitating Lady

Post by gameswat »

gameswat wrote: Fri Sep 17, 2021 7:59 pm Dennison purchased this Levitating Lady automaton in France around 1908 and built the case himself. In the 1920's his daughters revamped it into the then more current deco look. An example of the original automata (pic attached) sold at auction approx 2012 for $220,000! I was lucky enough to work on the machine for Pat Gresham in 2012 and I found an operating info label attached inside that I carefully removed to discover the original Dennison business card on the backside. At the time she was hoping to sell the machine to a coin-op collector but that never happened and I believe it went to Europe to be restored back to the original format of non coin-op without cabinet.
https://www.theriaults.com/extremely-ra ... -automaton
So I just noticed the Floating Lady that formerly belonged to John & Pat Gresham actually survives in the Dennison case! Now on display at the AgraGames Coin Op museum in the Netherlands.
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moonriver
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Re: Levitating Lady

Post by moonriver »

yes, and once they end up in there, they never come out again
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Re: Levitating Lady

Post by pennymachines »

It's quite a collection, for sure. Added to Archive/Locations


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moonriver
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Re: Levitating Lady

Post by moonriver »

That's the best Gilmore Lion I've seen
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Re: Levitating Lady

Post by pauljt71 »

pennymachines wrote: Sun May 01, 2022 4:00 pm This one? Courtesy of Darren Hesketh's Penny-In-The-Slot Automata and the Working Model (p145).
Darren wrote:The Miracle Man, c. 1953.
An amazing feat of levitation is performed, during which the Miracle Man sits up, turns his head around and waves. The automaton may have originally been cased by Modern Enterprises, but it has definitely been recased since. Floor standing model made possibly by Modern Enterprises.
Model: Netley Chapel and Museum, Netley, Southampton.
Wow what an amazing machine! As a magician and member of The Magic Circle, I would love to own this!
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