by SLOT DYNASTY » Sun Mar 13, 2016 4:08 am
Yes Boys:
I seen this contraption when it first hit the eBay block, and my first words were WTF!
What this all boils down to, is summed-up in just one word, "GREED". Followed by "STUPIDITY".
Show me just one True Collector, that would want Trash like this in their collection. It sure looks
great at first glance, but open the door, and see nothing but a 'wet dream'.
The only two known original Watling "Derby" machines, are truly the Rarest of all the Victorian Uprights.
Taking into account that there is really only ONE complete original. The other has a new case and external
castings. It was the first one to be found by the late Burton Burton, back in the late 1960's. He had found
the complete mechanism Only. It sat in his shop for many years, until the complete example showed up
many years later. At that time, is when the two persons got together, to have the case & castings made
for Burton's machine. I am pretty sure that when they hired the person to do the restorations, they had no
idea, that he was going to take it upon himself, to build five additional examples, with modern electronics
to drive it. Yes, it must have taken many hours to complete them, but in my estimation, it was a total waste
of time, and not worth the asking price, for something that is a TRUE FAKE!
This machine should never be reproduced, even if it was done EXACT, as it destroys the value of the two
originals. But for someone to duplicate it in an updated Modern Electronic version, is a complete Atrocity.
This is what happens, when Rare and Scarce machines get into the wrong persons hands, that have nerry a
care in the world about the meaning of a true collectable. And I repeat, "It's all for Greed"! Nuff said!