A Midlands father and son’s astonishing collection of 82 amusement arcade machines could hit the jackpot at auction.
For the last 34 years Ken Jackson, 89, and his son Stewart Jackson, 49, have rescued and restored a huge array of magnificent machines to full working glory. They date from the early days of the one-armed bandit’s invention in the 1890s through to the 1970s – and include a relic from Blackpool Pleasure Beach.
It’s potentially the UK’s biggest privately-owned collection of arcade machines. Inspiring memories of trips to the seaside, it’s so special it could achieve £50,000-£100,000 under the hammer at Hansons Auctioneers on May 30.
Ken, from Birmingham, said: “As a child Stewart was fascinated by seaside slot machines when we visited Blackpool, Skegness and Torquay. This inspired him to build his own primitive slot machine out of cardboard and wood when he was 10. Though I didn’t share Stewart’s passion for penny arcades, I discovered a passion for the restoration process.
“In 1990, when Stewart was 15, we saw a machine advertised – a 1961 Mills Bell-O-Matic Spanish Gold one-armed bandit. We purchased our first machine but when we got it home it wouldn’t work. We took it back and the seller thumped it with a hammer to make it work. We obviously knew this was not correct, so took it to pieces, bit by bit, taking photographs as we did. Eventually it worked correctly. I discovered I really enjoyed restoring machines to their former glory, so I had the bug for more.
“All the machines were stripped down, repaired and restored. Neither Stewart nor I have a mechanical engineering background, but I am a cabinet maker by trade which made it easier to restore the cabinets.
“The mechanical side we learnt as we went along but I have the correct machinery such as lathes and a sandblaster. Also, I had some mechanical experience from stripping down and rebuilding car engines during my youth.
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“Stewart was very interested in design and technology at school which gave him a grounding in mechanical problem solving. As we stripped the machines we took photos of each part, cleaned them up and eventually put them back together by looking at the photos.
“If they didn’t work first time, we kept working on them to find out what the problem was. We also acquired original manuals and books that showed step-by-step instructions on how to re-assemble the machines.
“The first machine took two months to restore. All the work was done in our spare time, evenings and weekends. On average, it probably took a couple of months per machine – some longer, others shorter.
“We didn’t buy any from seaside towns but we acquired one, a Bryans Bullion, when it was retired from Blackpool Pleasure Beach Dipper Amusement Arcade in the 1990s.
“We had contact with the Bryan family who owned Drayton Manor Theme Park at the time. They were descendants of William Bryan who manufactured machines from the 1920s, many of which we have in our collection. William Bryan’s son, Jim, supplied us with parts and instruction manual and allowed us to purchase original machines from him.
“It was never our intention to create an amusement arcade. Once the machines were fully restored, we just wanted to retain them in pristine condition. We had the space at home to house them and, if we moved, we made sure there was a suitable room for them – they were part of the family!
“Sourcing them was a task. We found the first one, Spanish Gold, in Exchange & Mart in 1990. There were no internet classifieds such as eBay or Facebook back then.
“Also, in the 1990s travelling fairs and seaside penny arcades had machines in storage which they’d taken out of operation and replaced with electronic machines. We sourced others from auctions all over the UK. But as the collectors’ market grew it became more and more difficult to purchase vintage machines.”
But, such was their passion, distance was not an issue. Stewart said: “The oldest and most valuable machine in the collection was imported from America. It’s a Mills Novelty Company Dewey 1898 floor roulette machine made between 1889 and 1930. It was named in honour of Admiral Dewey, hero of the 1898 Battle of Manila Bay during the Spanish-American War. Its estimate is £15,000-£20,000.
“Another favourite of mine is a Watling Manufacturing Company Rol-a-Top, Bird of Paradise one-armed bandit made in 1936. It’s a high quality machine and has its original special award gold coins.” (estimate £3,000-£4,000)
But after decades of dedication, it’s time to say goodbye. Ken said: “At the age of 89, I feel the time has come to look at downsizing and, unfortunately, Stewart’s home is not large enough to accommodate the collection. Obviously, because of all the work and effort we have put in on the machines, we would like them to go to good homes where they will be loved and well cared for.”
Charles Hanson, owner of Hansons, said: “What Ken and Stewart have achieved here is simply amazing. It’s a fabulous museum-worthy collection documenting the history of the amusement machine from the Victorian era through to the early 1970s. Interest is strong and deservedly so.”
The first one-armed bandit appeared in San Francisco, USA, in 1895 invented by Charles August Fey. More than a century later they are still in demand.
Machines set for auction have estimates ranging from £400 to thousands. Spanish Gold could be yours for £400-£600 but lot 17, a Bryans Works Quadmatic prototype made for the 1961 Amusement Exhibition in London is guided at £7,000-£8,000. History comes into play with lot 2, a Jubilee Products Riviera Freaky Fruits 1969 one-armed bandit, estimate £400-£600. Manufactured in London, its cheat-proof characteristics made it a very successful British gaming machine. Models can still be found in UK arcades today.
Auction: The Amusement Machines Auction will be held on May 30 at Hansons Auctioneers’ Derbyshire saleroom. Viewing by appointment off-site in the West Midlands. To book, find out more, or to have your antiques assessed, please call 01283 733988 or email [email protected].
Catalogues/bidding: www.hansonslive.co.uk | www.the-saleroom.com
Enquiries: [email protected]
