cowboy slot machine - questions

[new collector]

Hello friends, I just purchased an old cowboy slot machine at auction on Saturday and was trying to find out more about it. My initial research indicates these may have been designed by a gentleman named Frank Polk, Dick DeLong or Manny Sanchez; however, I have not been able to find any identifying marks on the machine. to get me started. Apologize for my ignorance; any insight would be greatly appreciated! All best, Rich

[tsparts4u]

Not 100% sure....but my wild guess would that it was made by Dick De Long.

[MONTI]

The Dick Delong characters usually were marked by Dick and numbered on the flat top of the legs that the slot machine is bolted to, at least the ones I have seen!
So they were not visiable without taking the figure apart!
Bill Harris of Royal Bell Limited also made these character carvings as well as Jim Schafer who was actually licensed by Frank Polk to do so!
I believe all of Frank Polks figures as well as Jim Schafers were all marked with easily found identification not sure on Manny's!
Bona Fortuna on your research!
MONTI

[rtmccurdy]

Slightly off the topic...Monti (or anyone) why do so many of these figures have reproduction slot machines placed in them? I understand the financial end but to put so much work into the design and complete it with a repro slot is a mystery. Just curious! Robert

[MONTI]

I believe that all of the ORIGINAL Frank Polk character creations were with original slot machines, Mills High Tops and as the reproductions of Frank's work were just that, copies per-say, I believe so Robert, you kind of answered your own question as to being cost effective as during the time period of these copies Mill's re-castings were abundant from many sources, primarily I believe from Tom Krahl during the heyday as well as a couple others like Jack Brink of Metal Form Products in Southern California also made them!
The cabinet pieces were also abundant as well as reproduction mech parts!
However that is why the ORIGINAL Frank Polk characters are more valuable and the reproductions do not hold their value, IMHO!
MONTI

[sam2002]

Slightly off the topic...Monti (or anyone) why do so many of these figures have reproduction slot machines placed in them? I understand the financial end but to put so much work into the design and complete it with a repro slot is a mystery. Just curious! Robert

This may or may not be a reproduction machine. The reproduction machines castings are smaller due to shrinkage. Most of the Aikens front repops were in 25 cent.
Not much help to op but someone on here may have an original Aikens front and can provide the measurement.

[MONTI]

Slightly off the topic...Monti (or anyone) why do so many of these figures have reproduction slot machines placed in them? I understand the financial end but to put so much work into the design and complete it with a repro slot is a mystery. Just curious! Robert

This may or may not be a reproduction machine. The reproduction machines castings are smaller due to shrinkage. Most of the Aikens front repops were in 25 cent.
Not much help to op but someone on here may have an original Aikens front and can provide the measurement.

Hello My Friend Sam!
If you look closely at the slot machine you will see that the escalator is not an original Mills escalator due to the lack of spacing between the coinage so my guess is RE-Pop!
I believe it is lacking the Front Jackpot assembly as well as it denotes a Guaranteed Jackpot!
Also the cabinet base of the slot machine is not original as it does not have the stabilization rods as the originals would have!

[sam2002]

Slightly off the topic...Monti (or anyone) why do so many of these figures have reproduction slot machines placed in them? I understand the financial end but to put so much work into the design and complete it with a repro slot is a mystery. Just curious! Robert

This may or may not be a reproduction machine. The reproduction machines castings are smaller due to shrinkage. Most of the Aikens front repops were in 25 cent.
Not much help to op but someone on here may have an original Aikens front and can provide the measurement.

Hello My Friend Sam!
If you look closely at the slot machine you will see that the escalator is not an original Mills escalator due to the lack of spacing between the coinage so my guess is RE-Pop!
I believe it is lacking the Front Jackpot assembly as well as it denotes a Guaranteed Jackpot!
Also the cabinet base of the slot machine is not original as it does not have the stabilization rods as the originals would have!

Hello there Mr.Monti
Yes I certainly missed the details on this one!!!
If it’d been in person and not a photo I hope I would have noticed those items.
Thanks for pointing those out.
Damned those repops!!

[new collector]

well, I guess I purchased a pig in a poke; the auction documentation said the machine was a Mills High Top. Oh well, I wonder if it is possible to swap out an authentic Mills machine for the reproduction? thoughts on this swap are appreciated

[YourBestBet]

I'm wondering if the spacing issue between coins in the escalator is simply because it's jammed up. If the coins aren't glued into that position and it's a functional escalator, I think you still have a desirable reproduction slot machine in a Dick DeLong carved figure. Get it cleaned up and operating smoothly and you still have a nice piece. Not sure what you paid for it but it's still worth at least a couple thousand based on recent auction prices.