ALERT!
I have received e-mails from a couple of collectors, as to the originality of the Atlas "Base Ball" shown below.
Although the machine itself is legit, with a couple of small issues, the top casting and paper are Fake additions.
These machines never came from the factory with this top casting. This is yet another of the 'Las Vegas Butcher'
creations, that popped-up last year. Someone went through a lot of work, designing, and making a pattern, to
cast these Fake frames, and they aren't all that great. Notice that the sloppy stipple pattern of the frame is not
consistent with the even pattern of the front casting of the machine. Something that the factory would not have
done. The mounting brackets are also home-made cheap examples, as well as the galvanized plate behind the card.
I wrote the eBay seller, as to what they were showing, and they have not changed anything. Either they bought
this machine, and realized later what it was, and are off-loading it. Or they bought the Bogus casting from the
Vegas Butcher, and installed it. The one they mention, that was sold at the Vegas auction, also had the Fake top
casting added, as I remember that same machine, when it did not have the casting.
So, anyone on this Forum, that has their eye on this machine, be cautious with your bidding. There is not a huge
number of these machines around, and an excellent, complete example, generally sells in the neighborhood of
$800 to $1,200. I sold a nice one for $850, several years ago, that had a slight repair to the background scenery.