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Unknown Trade Stimulator

PostPosted: Mon Mar 30, 2015 7:11 am
by cpdretired
$_57.JPG
This recently closed on eBay (271811876508). I can't find this in any of my books. Can someone please ID this machine.

Re: Unknown Trade Stimulator

PostPosted: Mon Mar 30, 2015 8:09 am
by Midcoast Vintage
It appears to be a variation on the Keeney magic clock from 1933.
If you have the yellow DICK BUESCHEL book "VINTAGE TRADE STIMULATORS and COUNTER GAMES", look on page 58, top right.
You should see the similarities.
SLOT DYNASTY will be able to give more exact information on this machine.
Over to you Bill...

Re: Unknown Trade Stimulator

PostPosted: Mon Mar 30, 2015 2:15 pm
by SLOT DYNASTY
cpdretired wrote:
$_57.JPG
This recently closed on eBay (271811876508). I can't find this in any of my books. Can someone please ID this machine.


To one retired fart, from another:
Even though this appears to be a Keeney machine, as in the "Magic Clock" of 1933, all other versions
in this case style, were knockoffs. This one is a later 'copy-cat' version, by Pierce Tool, called "Pair-It",
from 1935. It is missing the additional graphics with the name, as well as the Instruction card & frame,
which goes in the empty space below the wheels.
Pierce Tool was in the habit of copying many mfrs. machines in the day.
Someone did a nice cosmetic restoration on this machine, which included rechroming the face-plate,
that is usually found in poor condition. But they didn't do anything to clean up the crusty mechanism.
It sure got a lot of attention from several bidders, and brought a hefty $2,827.77 figure. Much more
than this model usually brings. It is more in the $850 to $1,200 area, 'Tops', for one in this condition,
if it were complete, that is. Sometimes I wonder what bidders are thinking. Sure wish I was the seller.
Bill

Re: Unknown Trade Stimulator

PostPosted: Mon Mar 30, 2015 4:42 pm
by nvmos2
Interesting;

I have this same machine,
except; the small window at 12 o'clock position is square (rather than triangle).

Mine has the award card and the name on the card is Match-a-pak.
Mine has serial number DD109 stamped into wood base.
It also has a sticker for K and S Sales Company, Chicago, Ill.

Re: Unknown Trade Stimulator

PostPosted: Tue Mar 31, 2015 2:46 am
by SLOT DYNASTY
nvmos2 wrote:Interesting;

I have this same machine,
except; the small window at 12 o'clock position is square (rather than triangle).

Mine has the award card and the name on the card is Match-a-pak.
Mine has serial number DD109 stamped into wood base.
It also has a sticker for K and S Sales Company, Chicago, Ill.


Oops! You're right. I stand corrected. The "Pair-It" has different graphics.
This is the Pierce Tool "Match-A-Pack" of 1934. As I mentioned before, several
manufacturers copied the Keeney cabinet model, with their own variations,
which makes some models a bit confusing, especially if they are missing some
of the graphics. The K and S Sales Co. was a distributor, and I have found their
sticker on many different machines. One was found on a Mills "Little Perfection".
Additionally, I do not know why that window at 12 o'clock is a triangle. #-o
It should be square, as that is where the reel is, with the cigarette packs on it.
Bill

Re: Unknown Trade Stimulator

PostPosted: Tue Mar 31, 2015 6:21 am
by cpdretired
Thanks guys for the research.
Ron

Re: Unknown Trade Stimulator

PostPosted: Tue Mar 31, 2015 9:54 pm
by nvmos2
I probably should have posted a photo with award card to complete this thread; here it is a little late.
Note that my machine has a replacement handle; a window crank off an old car; it was on there when I found this machine 25+ years ago.

The one that sold on flebay; it's not obvious, but if you look close you can see the holes where the award card was attached.
You would think the seller was aware something was missing, but it was not mentioned in the description.

I'm guessing Pierce tried the triangular window as a kind of pointer, so there was no argument as to what brand had to be matched.
But since the cigarette packs are square, the triangle window may have made it rather hard to discern the player selected brand.

I'm glad this thread came up; I always thought this was a Keeney machine;
now I know better.

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