Middlehurst Coronet

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Middlehurst Coronet

Postby andydotp » Thu Apr 04, 2013 8:09 pm

Hi all,
May I introduce my pride & joy: The Middlehurst Coronet.
See photos below and I'll give you the story later.
Cheers,
andydotp
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Re: Middlehurst Coronet

Postby SLOT DYNASTY » Thu Apr 04, 2013 9:18 pm

Well, you finally let the cat out of the bag! [-X
Guess it's just as well, as I have dug through most all of my photo archives, and have yet to find #2.
Perhaps this thread will bring it's Brother or Sister out of hiding. [-o< Good Luck.
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Re: Middlehurst Coronet

Postby andydotp » Thu Apr 04, 2013 11:49 pm

Ha, yeah Bill I guess it was time :D
(Bill's been aware of my search for a while and has been a trusty confidant).
So, the story with this one is as follows:
The Very Machine pictured above was manufactured in Sydney, Australia sometime bwn 1949 and 1952 with a patent being granted in September '54.
Slot - or Poker, machines had been imported for some time - generally Mills and Pace but were totally unregulated.
Around this time a fellow named Ray Smith (of APEX Amusements) one day dragged a Mills High Top into a little jobbing shop in Sydney and asked whether they could make up a replica casting & cabinet as (I believe) he could source a pile of old gooseneck mechanisms and wanted to sell under his own name.
It appears that Middlehurst & Sons - a coin-op (vending I presume?) servicing company occupied space above the foundry - come metal stamping/plating workshop and took immediate notice.
So they decided to have a dip themselves.
They initially made two machines. From Scratch! Castings have Middlehurst & Sons in them and every mech part was hand-made by cutting, bending & filing. Mine above (serial 3331)and the one that mysteriously(??) ended up over in The States and is pictured in Ladwig's book on pg56.

Interjection: Where's That One Now???? Anyone know????

Anyway, a chap named Joe Heywood who worked for a Dental Supply company knew Ray Smith & The Middlehursts and convinced his employer Len Ainsworth to check out the Coronets.
Obviously Mr Ainsworth was so impressed he had them make a few more machines (based on Middlehurt's) and called it the Clubman.
They were an outstanding hit with the Social Clubs so he (basically) bought out the company and they manufactured in-house and for himself only thereby cuting Middlehurst off at the knee.
The new business venture produced it's first own machine called New Clubman followed shortly after by the Clubmaster and the Aristocrat.
This led to another change in business name, dropping the Dental Supply reference,,,, the rest is history....
So, there we have it! The above machine started it all for Ainsworth/Aristocrat who are still I believe at the top of the tree in electronic gaming machines around the world. :D

Thanks for listening,
andydotp

BTW, having searched for info for about ten years, the above has come to light courtessy of a fellow member of this brilliant website who has been generous enough to 'tell all' about the early days in the slot machine industry in Australia.
Sure, not as early a history as the US gangsters, Mobs and Prohibition but equally as corrupt....with slot factories being bombed, folk disappearing and a (very early) case of a tattooed guy in 'concrete boots' and a huge shark that was netted - only to cough up a human arm (The Very Tattoo).
(Google the shark/arm case if interested).
.
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Re: Middlehurst Coronet

Postby nvmos2 » Tue Apr 09, 2013 8:15 pm

Great looking machine that Coronet;
and great story to go with it.
That's the kind of history that needs to be captured for the future of the hobby.

And a mystery to boot; Where's #2?
I'm surprised nobody on this forum has as of yet indicated where it is.
I would think Ladwig or his publisher has a record of whose machines were pictured in the book and could at least give #2's location as of when the book was published.
Let's hope the owner didn't pass and his children sold it at the estate sale to someone without a clue as to its history.
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Re: Middlehurst Coronet

Postby marsonion » Tue Apr 09, 2013 9:32 pm

It's beautiful... like a Spitfire.
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Re: Middlehurst Coronet

Postby andydotp » Wed Apr 10, 2013 1:04 am

Cheers nvmos2, marsonion.
Yes, she's a beauty isn't she? and to think this was The unit that got Len Ainsworth started!
As to how or why its sibling ended up your side of the pond is another mystery :?: but I'd sure as heck like to repatriate it and sit it next to mine.
If anyone has the capacity & interest in posting the Ladwig pic for comparison that'd be hugely appreciated as there are a few subtle (and not-so) differences, namely:
In Ladwig the colours are the opposite way around.
The grey background belly casting colour doesn't line up with the top casting and is straight-edged and not scalloped.
Obviously it's rebadged for the US dime - which is the same as the Aust sixpence and the 'Three aces pays bonus 20 coins' casting is in relief whereas mine is recessed.
Shame Ladwigs' nameplate has either faded or wasn't originally printed 'coronet'.
Obviously it's been scrubbed up, the base lacquered and the castings polished (handle worn to brass) and it's frustrating the photo is head-on. Laminated sides??

Honestly chaps, talk about a smooth & quiet mech though,,,,listen,,,,,hear that? As quiet as a mouse on its hind legs with slippers on tip-toeing across cotton wool!
Where it's horribly wrong though is that the reel strip set-up is way too liberal and you can run the tube empty in no time.

Anyhoo, thanks again and,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,Where's The Other One Hiding??
andydotp
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Re: Middlehurst Coronet

Postby SLOT DYNASTY » Wed Apr 10, 2013 1:45 am

Hey Andy...........I found it.....I found it! :D
Ooops! That's not it! :oops: Oh well, I thought it was.

xxx.jpg
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Re: Middlehurst Coronet

Postby andydotp » Wed Apr 10, 2013 5:25 am

:roll:
Oh, honestly. The colours aren't original and that handle's off a plastic Las Vegas FAKE :evil: ,, incorrect reel strips, SEGA coin dish,,,etc total lash-up Bill surely? Where's me blue book?
Maybe I just got dudded,,,again. :(
Kindest - and always love a little humour.,
andy.
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Re: Middlehurst Coronet

Postby buzzojoe » Wed Apr 10, 2013 5:46 am

HA!
Before the Japanese skill stop slots flooded the market, I kept one of those "casino crown" slots around for tire kickers who wanted a slot machine and asked me "so what can I buy from you for like $100.00"?...
Actually for a "toy" they play really well....
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Re: Middlehurst Coronet

Postby andydotp » Wed Apr 10, 2013 9:18 pm

In an unabashed and blatant attempt to spruik #1 and keep the search alive for #2 may I answer a question put to me recently about the INside of the cabinet.
That squiggly pattern is merely the remnants of adhesive as I believe the inside would've been lined with felt or foam to dampen the sound (seen it before on an APEX High Top). The foam broke down and clogged the clock and moving parts. Totally unneccessary with such a peaceful mech though.
Makes one wonder how noisy a hall full of pre-Silent machines would've been?
a.p
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