by rtmccurdy » Wed Feb 06, 2019 2:38 pm
I believe it is a reference to the old expression "on the q.t." (meaning secretly, since they could be quickly removed from a bar top). The Mills line began in 1933 with the introduction of the Junior Silent (quite scarce---as they were not very successful and a small production) and later redesigned as the Q.T. line in 1934. Variations include Chevron, Thunderbird or 21 Star, Sweetheart, Hashmark, Smoker, and the non-payout Dial. You can find numerous examples of each on a Google search.