Oak Manufacturing Co. Premiere Card/Gum & similar vendors

[coppinpr]

Just seen this on ebay. I've never seen the like before.
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Vintage-Slot- ... 58923237cb

[ilovemyjukebox]

They are a very common vending machine, particularly in the US. I remember them at the seasides in the early 70s vending the cards this one has. Originally designed for collectible cards.

[special when lit]

I've got one in me shed awaiting a restoration.
It's in better condition than that, perhaps I should put in on greedbay instead.

[deano67]

Topic moved & merged - Site Admin.

Hi,
Just picked up this from my local Antiques and Collector's Market.
Can anyone shed any light on it? It has no maker's name and runs on old penny 1D. Thinking 1950s maybe? Has a clever mech that vends a gumball and a card that alternates from left to right hoppers so the machine empties equally.
Thanks in advance.

[coppinpr]

Not quite the same but pretty much:
Oak Manufacturing Co., I think 1930s (?)

[deano67]

Thanks, yes I saw those types for sale but think they are USA ones. Mine seems like it might be British-made maybe. The 1D coin mech looks original and the display cards both have UK writing on the backs.

[pennymachines]

The Oak Manufacturing Co. of Vernon, California (whose website and business seems to have closed, as of 2017) introduced the Premiere Combination Ball Gum and Picture Card Vendor in 1956. They made a range of small 'Acorn' gum vendors from 1948. The Premiere was marketed and distributed in Europe and the UK, on suitable coinage, by Confiserie Brabo of Antwerp, Belgium, which is why they're often called BRABO vendors.

But as you point out, yours isn't quite like the Premiere.
One like it was sold here in 2017 with this description:

This one was owned by Amcomatic London. One Penny sticker is dated 1958.

Amcomatic's badge suggests they were more than just a distributor (as this seller assumes):

Amcomatic (REGD) - THE AUTOMATIC MERCHANDISING CO., LTD., London REGD. No. 889.357 PATENT APPLIED FOR

AMCOmatic-label.jpg (11.98 KiB) Viewed 7811 times

So, does it pre-date the Premiere? Clearly the mechanism is very similar.

[deano67]

Thanks PM,
Yes that machine is identical, unlike the Premiere one.
I have just started stripping it and on the back of the display cards there is also that maker's name "Amcomatic" (dated 1958) but also "Universal Automatics Ltd" but I guess that could have just been who supplied the cards maybe?
Lovely machine though and will end up painted casing with polished castings.
More pics below.

[pennymachines]

Another one here.
And Widget's front here.

And a very glammed-up Premiere:

[special when lit]

I restored a Brabo version, like the one above, a few years ago. Here's a few pics of the insides, to see if they're the same as yours.