One of the smallest trade stimulators, an early 1940's Groetchen IMP. A one cent 3 reel slot disguised as a gum ball radio. Not sure how well this threw off the Feds, but they did make a lot of them. This one has the cigarette reels where you need to match three to win (an early grave). The radio dials flip over the reels so, "hey we're just listening to the big game on this gumball machine".
Added a pic of one in the wild.

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The Wizard Clock has a more convincing disguise than the gumball radio.

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I'm sure generally they didn't really hope to find anything when inspecting for this sort of thing. So even a marginal attempt at camouflage was acceptable.

Wow, that's neat. You need that one Alex!

I like it, but they are expensive.

This is the Exhibit Supply Company's 1932 'Spel-it''. A dice game trade stimulator that uses lettered die to spell the winnings. Spell ONE, win your last coin back (shown in the window). Spell TEN, 10x your money back ect. It plays cents thru quarters. The little ball bearing/pedestal tilt resets every coin to guard against shaking. Push the coin in, and when released the bottom board will spin to scramble the die. It also gives gum balls because gambling is bad

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While we're on the subject of trade stimulators, here's one of mine - a 1932 Mills "Bell Boy". Same concept, if you pull a lever after a play, you get a gumball. But it's strictly a gambling machine disguised as a fortune teller. The button in the back opens the shutter to reveal the last coin played, as it can take any coin up to a quarter. The numbers-matching theme makes it a clever wagering machine. When these machines were installed, they never ran out of gumballs, but the coin boxes were overflowing at any given time. In the internal image, note the clever escapement mechanism, where one out of every four coins played goes into a separate compartment which would be the house's take on profit.
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One of yours? Let's see a couple more since this thread has slowed down a bit. Beautiful machine. These small counter games can fit into a lot of little places, which's a good thing when you're pin stuffed.

I plan on heading to the Chicago Coin-Op show in April. Road trip from Colorado. I hope to bring back with me a few oddball machines or other gadgets.

You should consider going to that show, as it's probably the best place to find antique coin operated stuff ever.

The Bell Boy is my only trade stimulator but I have Jennings and Mills slots. I'll post some pictures. Also have a Gottlieb "Big Broadcast" pinball machine from 1931, one of the very first pins made. 1c gets you 10 balls. Pics to follow.

Jennings Little Duke with side vender:
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Jennings/Pace twin Jackpot:
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Mills Poinsettia (1929):
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Jennings "Butterfly":
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Great colors on those, a lot of fun I bet. I was thinking about getting to the Chi show early. Not 100% now, but would try to pick up a few older lighted beer signs if I did. Hopefully I'll be focused like that I went for the first time a year ago or so. I could've spent $100k there, if I had that with me.

While we are on these ... here is my totally restored 1936 Daval "REEL 21" blacjack trade stimulator ... can bet a penny, nickle, dime or quarter. If you win, the coin that you played shows in the side window and pays accordingly in odds, to what coin you played. Also gives a gumball.

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One more for you ... my original 1939 Pace Comet (dime) slot machine, with dual jackpot windows. I have not filled those up with the dimes yet.

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Here's a 1911 National cash register that I restored. To keep it authentic, I filled it with cash and coins that is period-specific. Those paper bills are from 1914 when the paper money was larger than it is today (the fives were from 1914 and 1928 you can see the size difference). The pockets in these old registers were larger back then to accommodate the large paper.
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Nice looking silver. I have some from my metal detecting days. Enjoyful hobby..
I have a couple smaller coin op. The Zipper Skill is fairly common (something
for the top of one of the speakers), but the "Art Show" maybe not so much..
Years back while picking up some Ball Bowlers from an old ex Family owned
Amusement Park owner (1950 - 1969), he unexpectedly handed it to me. There's a
few fine scratches on the old original film, but after going through it, it works fine.
For a nickel you get five pictures of Ladies of the 50s with a little less than
bathing suits on.. SMC from Los Angeles.. (T)

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The Art Show is great. The origin of the internet

Finally got it done this year

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Before

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That'll be one of the highlights during gatherings with Family and Friends..
I like those Bowlers with the larger score reels. Strongly built. Looks nice..
Always liked playing "Dual Flash"..

I am back in the ball bowler game! Last night I bought a 1957 Bally Strike Bowler. Pretty cool. I'm excited and nervous. It's a pretty solid machine overall. The downside is the broken jones plugs were replaced with individual spade connections. Doh! Anyone have one of these they could take some pics of for me?

Those Bally Bowlers from the 50s are right up there as one of my favorites. Built
solid and so responsive..
I have an ABC Tournament and Bally Luck Alley, but no Strike Bowler. The wiring may very
possibly be the same, but don't know about the color code..
If nothing else, Chris at St.Louis Big Ball Bowler may have one.. (T)

Congrats Alex! Pictures?

I've only got the head home so far. Still need to retrieve the rest. Still not sure where I'm even going to put it. One of the few games the whole family seems to enjoy though. So I guess it's worth shoehorning it in.

Way to go Alex! I can't want to see pictures of it when you get all of it home. Nice artwork on the back glass and cool metal ball return rails - it will go great with the rest of your collection.

Is it the contact bowler, or does it have roll over switches?

Congrats,
Brad

This one is a contact bowler. No lane switches. It's in my garage and may have to stay there. You know when your eyes are bigger than your stomach and you order more food than you have room for. Buying this bowler was kind of like that. I will probably start working on it in the weeks ahead then decide what to do with it.

Here's the only pic I have so far. The head is on my porch.

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I'll come over with a saw and we'll get it in

Nice classic artwork on that BG. I would love to have the space for a ball bowler someday.

You'd think if a disassembled ball bowler can fit in my Mercury Mountaineer, then an assembled one should fit in my basement. Right?

Right Alex + space to bowl the ball

Very cool that it is a contact bowler! Flaking on back glass looks to be very fixable. Looks like that game uses 4" balls. How long it is?

Do you have a walkout basement? I made a couple of carts with large pneumatic tires to transport my United Bowling Alley down the hill to my walkout entrance - They work great for large games and hills. I'd be happy to bring them up and help you get the game into the the basement.

Great addition!
Brad

Or maybe it's time you expanded out into the garage

I haven't measured it officially but it's the 14 foot version. Yes, 4" balls. As far as the glass, it's not perfect but presentable. I figured I'll get it going and then plan from there. If we all fall in love I may upgrade with one from Stl-BB. Or maybe just touch it up and live with it.

I have been down this road before. I had a Bally Challenger (see pic below) that I really liked a lot. A game that my daughter would actually play randomly without asking. That never happened with any of my other games. Anyway my game room felt a bit cramped and at some point I decided selling the ball bowler would really free up some space. So I sold it and then I missed it. And now here I am again. There are a lot of trade offs in this hobby.

I like the idea of a second game room but my garage is 1 car and my wife parks in it. She likes to anyway.

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"Parked."

Here is a potential modified game room layout that could work. A little tighter than I'd like and it doesn't allow any room for expansion. At the current moment I have an empty slot that could accommodate another pinball. I only have Jungle for my pinball fix currently. Which is ok. But pinball to me is the best bang for the buck entertainment wise. You can usually pick them up fairly cheap so I like to rotate one in and out now and then.

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I'd love to replace my shuffleboard with one of these ball bowlers!

Well, let me know when you want to rotate Jungle out

Here is a real odd ball .. a 1958 Bally Golf Champ. I just got it from an 85 year old gentlemen who had it in his bowling alley in the 70s. The key was lost to the coin door years ago. I drilled it out when I got home and found some silver dimes! The machine doesn't quite work but this thing is basically a really long EM pinball machine (the playfield even lifts up like pinball machine). Should have it running perfectly after I get to some other projects out of the way.

Mike V

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That's cool looking. I've never seen one of those before. Keep us updated on the progress.

A guy has been working on me for about a year politely trying to buy it. I keep telling him no but might consider it in the future. I have had over 60 pins and this one for some reason seems to be my one true keeper. It isn't the most fun or prettiest game I have ever owned. It is pretty fun and pretty nice looking but I think what really draws me to it is it's just the most "interesting" overall game I have owned. A good total package.

That golf game is super cool. I love unique stuff like that.

They play so different though. Both are really cool. I get more attached to the arcade games. They are harder to find. Jungle isn't really on the table I would just lose my pinball overflow spot. That's not the end of the world it's just kind of nice to have. I do have another spot in the bar area I could stuff one in temporarily. My fear is falling in love with what is supposed to be a temporary game. Ah well first world problems right? Just fun to talk about...

wow that golf machine is cool

Check out this nifty (and very expensive) oddity.
ebay.com link: Rare Arcade Golf Scale

You got to be kidding me! $72,500.00
I don't care how cool it is...it measures your weight and you get to play golf....just buy a membership to a regular country club!

Congrats Alex on your ball bowler.

I will be in the market for one next year.........

WOW! I played one of these as a kid! I am pretty sure it was at one of the arcades in the upper Wisconsin Dells. Your talking mid 70's. I have never been able to piece together what I had played until I saw this now! Awesome piece!

Here's a 40's Pace Comet slot machine. This one takes nickels and has the jackpot windows, but it also gives fortunes in the reels. The fortunes are odd though. One says you'll die a painful death, another says you'll lose your teeth. But one does say that I will drive a Ford someday, and I do!

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MAN the inside of that is cherry!

Well cherry cherry cherry KA-CHING!

--Jeff