Rockola Sweepstakes on ehay

[sam2002]

Item # 281444105022
Is it the real deal ? From what slot dynasty has mentioned before , it has the white instruction card , is missing the tilt post , has a ball bearing instead of a marble . Background looks complete including the 2 small pieces located at the angle glass. It appears to have a serial number . I see a few other things that may or may not be significant . Would like to hear what the pros have to say .

[SLOT DYNASTY]

Item # 281444105022
Is it the real deal ? From what slot dynasty has mentioned before , it has the white instruction card , is missing the tilt post , has a ball bearing instead of a marble . Background looks complete including the 2 small pieces located at the angle glass. It appears to have a serial number . I see a few other things that may or may not be significant . Would like to hear what the pros have to say .

I know this seller very well, and he is a straight-up fellow. I dropped him a note the other day,
to get the serial number from him, and I also mentioned to him about replacing that white card.
If you are interested in the machine, and have any questions, you can throw my name at him.
This is a totally original machine, from what I can see. It may have had a few things done in the
past, that I can't see. Yes, the tilt post is missing, which is a small draw-back, as it would take
a good deal of time to make, and do it right. Can't see if any of the parts are on the mech. There
are some early models that did not have the hole in the casting for the tilt, but this one does. The
steel ball can be easily exchanged for a solid black or white marble, which is what most used. I do
see more black ones used. I don't know why some people insist on putting a steel ball in these, as
when it is in a certain stopped position, when kicked into action, and there are no stop posts on the
left, it could catapult into the front glass, and break it. I have seen some steel balls, much too big.
Also noticed that someone apparently laid a burning cigarette on the rear top board, at one time,
which resulted in the black burn mark. Sort of adds a little extra character.

[altort]

This seller is a good friend of mine, he has been collecting for a very long time and is very knowledgeable on slots and trade stimulators, if you are interested give him a call I am sure that he can do better out of ebay.

[Swami]

I don't know anything about the Rockola Sweepstakes so I won't comment on it. However, I will comment on the 25 Cent Nevada Club Sun Chief this seller has on ebay, item # 281439217901. He states that the case is "New" but makes No mention about everything else. All the Chrome Casting's are New Recast, the Handle is New, the Indian Bust is a New Recast, the Bakelite Panels are New and Not even Bakelite, the Award Card & Marquee are New, the over sized money bowl is New, all the Wiring, Light Sockets, and Transformer are New, the Light Brackets are New, the Escalator is New, the Cash Box is New, The Back Door is New, etc... Basically everything is New except part of the Mech and the Reel Strips.

The Reel Strips are NOS and the Only part of this machine that ever saw the inside of the Nevada Club. The Mech probably is a converted English El Dorado Mech.

Now Frankly I don't care that this machine is a complete disaster and just as Phony as ALL the Golden Nugget Machines that are blasted on this site everyday. Nor do I care that it is worth about 1/3 of his asking price. What I have a problem with is this. Nobody is Slamming this guy, the way they do every Mom & Pop seller that happends to have a Repo Golden Nugget machine they are trying to unload. Everytime one of those comes up we get an Emergency Alert. Instead, with this guy, we get recommendations saying what a Stand Up Guy he is.

In reality, he might be a Stand Up Guy, I really don't know. What I do know is he has Grossly misrepresented the Sun Chief so I would do my Homework on the Rockola. There are Far more Fake ones than Real ones.

[SLOT DYNASTY]

Swami:
I have known reeldeal7 for a considerable amount of time, and he is definitely a 'Stand-up Guy'.
I don't have a habit of looking at 'who-sells-what' in the Antique Slot Category on a regular basis.
Usually when someone brings it to my attention in this Forum, I will check it out, and as you know,
most of the time, it's a "Golden Magget", or a "War Beagle".
He does state that the "case is all new", which to me, by saying "ALL", would mean castings and all,
not just the wood. But most others may not interpret this as I do. He also says that it had been
remanufactured by the late Hans Havlicek, which takes into account, most of the rest. The newbies
will not usually know who Hans was, and what he did, so that won't have any meaning to them either.
I am going to call the seller, in a day or two, and talk to him about this machine, to see if he might
change the description a bit. It won't do any good for this listing, as it will be over before I call him,
but will see what goes, if he relists. Can't say anything about the price, (even though it seems a bit
high to me), as I am not up-to-date on the prices of these models. You know way more about them
than I do. I don't condone what he is doing about this machine, and the same goes, if he was selling
one of the Fake Nuggets.
I am also not sure if he is a member, and follows this Forum. If he is, he will be waiting for my call.

I don't know what you mean by "doing my homework on the Rockola". Did I say something that sent
up a red flag? I have been doing my homework on these models for a very long time. I have owned
several, and restored a number for others. Besides just the gumball & non-gumball models, there
were several slight detail changes over the years, (even with the castings), that most collectors
ever notice. Sometimes it's a bit tough to determine what's original, and what's not, by looking at
out-of-focus pix on a listing, but there are certain things that I focus on first, when someone asks
for my opinion. I once did a job for a customer, that the entire case was warped & split so bad,
that I had my cabinetmaker build an entire case, (out of the correct wood, of coarse). Everything
else was restored original parts. Therefore, someone not familiar with these machines, might tend
to think it may be a Repro, because it was so perfect. Only thing is, I did that job, long before all
the Fake ones were being put together.
Bill

[fast_in_muskoka]

QUOTE :
. . . I will check it out, and as you know, most of the time, it's a "Golden Magget", or a "War Beagle". . .

Okay that's really funny - thanks I needed that !

Steve

[sam2002]

Ok good stuff coming out of this conversation . I was not a collector in the 80's so I have no idea who was doing what . But my biggest question about the Rockola sweepstakes is , was the sweepstakes reproduction a ground up repro ? Meaning every part reproduced cast machined etc ? Or were there just parts like the castings and cabinets remade to accomodate old original parts . I have searched the net up and down and have been unable to find any solid evidence of a reproduction Rockola sweepstakes . Mind you I have only been in the hobby for a short time . I
Sam

[SLOT DYNASTY]

Ok good stuff coming out of this conversation . I was not a collector in the 80's so I have no idea who was doing what . But my biggest question about the Rockola sweepstakes is , was the sweepstakes reproduction a ground up repro ? Meaning every part reproduced cast machined etc ? Or were there just parts like the castings and cabinets remade to accomodate old original parts . I have searched the net up and down and have been unable to find any solid evidence of a reproduction Rockola sweepstakes . Mind you I have only been in the hobby for a short time . I
Sam

Sam:
All of the Repro "Official Sweepstakes", that come out of So. Calif., are built from 'the ground up'. Both gum & non-gum
models. He may have used some original parts on some of the builds. That, I don't know. But I definitely know one of those
Fakes, when I see them. The first giveaway, is the brand new case. Next, are the not-so-great recasts. Then, No Tilt Post,
as they are a bit difficult to make, in their entirety, and guess he didn't want to spend the time. (There were some early
models that didn't have the post, but there was no hole in the casting either). All of the mechanism parts are new, and
many parts hand-made, and not EXACT. I have even seen extra springs added. Most of the time, some of the horses are
painted incorrect colors. I could go on-and-on, with every detail, as I do look at everything. Sometimes it's a bit difficult
to see every detail, when I am looking at fuzzy pics on eBay, but if I see the machine in person, I can tell immediately.
The worst thing about all these Fakes, is the price that most of them sell for. One just recently sold for $3,000. Insane!
Furthermore, no one listing these machines will say they are Repro, and most know exactly what they have.
Bill

[altort]

Swami

Unlike most of the other re manufactured slots that are listed on ebay and the sellers try to pass of as originals and even after they have been told of what they have they refuse to correct the listing, or some of the other sellers that claim that they don't know anything about slots wile they have listed and sold several other slots, this seller clearly states that the case is all new, not just the cabinet or part of it, and he also states that it was re manufactured by Hans Havlicek and his phone number to contact him with any questions, no claims made that the slot is original, and plenty of pictures to boot.

As far as the official sweepstakes goes, I have seen it and if it was a fake he would have stated it in his listing.

[sam2002]

Ok good stuff coming out of this conversation . I was not a collector in the 80's so I have no idea who was doing what . But my biggest question about the Rockola sweepstakes is , was the sweepstakes reproduction a ground up repro ? Meaning every part reproduced cast machined etc ? Or were there just parts like the castings and cabinets remade to accomodate old original parts . I have searched the net up and down and have been unable to find any solid evidence of a reproduction Rockola sweepstakes . Mind you I have only been in the hobby for a short time . I
Sam

Sam:
All of the Repro "Official Sweepstakes", that come out of So. Calif., are built from 'the ground up'. Both gum & non-gum
models. He may have used some original parts on some of the builds. That, I don't know. But I definitely know one of those
Fakes, when I see them. The first giveaway, is the brand new case. Next, are the not-so-great recasts. Then, No Tilt Post,
as they are a bit difficult to make, in their entirety, and guess he didn't want to spend the time. (There were some early
models that didn't have the post, but there was no hole in the casting either). All of the mechanism parts are new, and
many parts hand-made, and not EXACT. I have even seen extra springs added. Most of the time, some of the horses are
painted incorrect colors. I could go on-and-on, with every detail, as I do look at everything. Sometimes it's a bit difficult
to see every detail, when I am looking at fuzzy pics on eBay, but if I see the machine in person, I can tell immediately.
The worst thing about all these Fakes, is the price that most of them sell for. One just recently sold for $3,000. Insane!
Furthermore, no one listing these machines will say they are Repro, and most know exactly what they have.
Bill

Bill
Were the reproductions built and sold as reproductions and now being passed of as originals ? Similar to the Reproduced whiz ball and baseball which are being sold but as reproductions that were made in limited numbers and then the casts were destroyed . I could see someone wantin to reproduce the rockola for this matter as it is a very pleasing machine .It would seem to be a lot of work to reproduce the rockola in order to deceive and make a profit . If I were a crook I am sure I could find a
More lucrative way to make money .
It must be a load of work to reproduce these from scratch or it must be a lot easier then it looks .
Seems most repros are easily traced to thier source . A google search will lead one to foundry's that make recast parts for slot machines As well as sites that sell reproduction parts for said machines .
Sam