Electric Treatment
Place 1D in the slot. Lots of fun with groups of people holding hands! Unknown date, but would appear to pre-date Brecknell's Life is Health. Still in good working order. |
L. Whitehouse, Nottingham Date unknown
Great Golf Competition
This is one of two large golf game simulations Ahrens built. Unlike the single-player Great Golf Game, this one entices two players to race each other to the winning hole. The game required two pennies to play, one of which was returned to the winner. |
Ahrens 1930s
Great Golf Game
Most large Ahrens floor-standers were two player competitive games. This single player exception invites you to skilfully operate the miniature golfer, negotiating the ball across the course, and making all holes to win your penny back. |
Ahrens 1930s
Walden Goliath Crane
Made by Bryans for the Walden Automatic Company of Longford Street, London, this giant crane stands nearly 7 feet high, and could hold a very large number of prizes. It was available in manually-operated or motorised versions. The manual version was particularly useful for places like end-of-piers and other outdoor locations, as it could be operated where there was no electricity supply. The success of this crane led to Bryan introducing his own Crane designs the following year. (Description melright.com) |
Bryans 1935
Pilwin Play
One of Bryan's first allwins, play is similar to the very first generation of these games where the ball follows a spiral track towards a central target. This results in a short play time compared to the later open tracked allwins. Later versions of Pilwin Play offered a 6 - 2 - 4 penny payout from the clown's mouth (each target divided by a tooth). This scheme, plus the open track format was adopted for the 'improved' Pilwin of 1956. This example is missing the ball striker cover plate. |
Bryans 1953
Brecknells “Minor”
Striking cast iron penny scale offering "A Guide To Health" with separate charts for Ladies' and Gents' weights. |
CW Brecknell 1920s
3 Sixes
Coin return only game with a large ball and imposing marquee typical of Bolland's games. |
Bolland 1930s
Little Stockbroker
Granville Bradshaw designed this game to exploit every loophole in the existing gaming regulations. Chance is eliminated because payouts are mechanically predetermined. Sometimes a plate was displayed on the machine indicating the precise sequence of payouts, but even without this, it was technically possible to figure out the sequence by watching or playing until the 69 step sequence repeated. Payouts are indicated before a coin has been staked in what became known as the future pay system. This meant that when a win was indicated, the player had to insert another coin to claim it. Players failing to read or understand the instructions often left with a payout pending, for others to claim.
The staid stock market trading theme is a deliberate move away from the racy fruit machine symbols. The disc indicating winning and losing stock judders into position giving some illusion of randomness, but play is hardly exhilarating. Nevertheless, the game was quite successful and appeared in great numbers at arcades that wished to satisfy demand gambling machines without risking the proscribed one arm bandits. |
Bradshaw 1928