My new/old Universal

[Acorn]

Here is an old Universal gumball machine (built by Oak, basically an Oak Acorn). Circa 1951. It's not finished, but I am very pleased with how the restoration is going and couldn't wait to get a picture. I have also restored the delivery system, but it's not installed in the machine yet. I'll do that when I get my acrylic panels cut. I don't have the chute flap on either in the picture, but, I have it. It's a complete unit and will post more pictures when I get it all together. But, it had layers and layers of poor paint jobs on it over the years. I took it down to bare metal, prime and put it back to it's original hammered copper paint finish, silver globe. The original plastic panels were all yellowed real bad, and in very poor condition, so I am cutting some new ones from clear acrylic. The top screw isn't original, but was on it when I found it and I kinda like it. I have a lock for it too, but for now, I kinda like it's little "hood ornament". I'll put the lock on later. But, here it is as I found it, and now as I get it near completion. But I am very pleased with it at this point, and can't wait to display it in my gumball machine collection.

[nvmos2]

Nice machine!

I have one like it; a 5 cent Nugget Almond vender.
Only the top is stamped "Nugget Universal Vendors of St Louis Mo."

When would you date this one?
Was Universal of Mo a separate company that was later bought out by giant Acorn?

Jim

[Acorn]

There is a date of 1951 cast into the coin mech. Assuming it is the original mech, which I have no reason to believe it isn't, that would be the date I would put it. Oak Manufacturing has been in business since 1947, and has built the "Acorn" since then through the 1960s. The earlier ones with the tear drop chute flap like this one has. They changed to a square chute and flap in the 1960's. This is basically an Oak "Acorn". Universal was a vending company, but did not build their own machines, and this one being a Universal, but built by Oak. Oak built many machines for other people with their names on them. This one doesn't say Universal anywhere on it, but the chute flap has North & South America embossed on the flap, which was Universal's logo. The standard Acorn at the time said either "Oak" on them, or "Thank You" embossed on the flap. I think Universal of St' Louis is still in business which is the Universal these old machines were built for. Like said, basically it is an Acorn in all aspects, but the globe is not glass like the Acorn was, it is cast metal with plastic panels like mine is. The globe for these is much more rare than the standard Acorn glass globe, as is the embossed logos. The cast metal of the globe on the Universal units was actually nickel plated. Mine was too, but paint bombed blue by the time I got it. The nickel underneith was in very bad condition, and about half of it was gone. The color I painted this one is the original hammered bronze color that was on these Universals originally.

[Acorn]

Here is my Universal completed with the restoration, with the exception of the panels. I have some acrylic on the way to cut new panels for it.