A COUPLE MORE SUPERIOR CONFECTION QUESTIONS

[oldpinguy]

1. Just getting around to restoring this Superior Cigarette Salesman Mint Vendor. Wondering , whether the copper paint with the air brushed red and black accents is original. The copper under the award card and behind the coin entry are bright and sure look original. Dick Bueschel did say in his book Trade Stimulators and Counter Games, that Superior "cabinet paints are distinctive". However the pictures he uses of this and the Cigarette Gum Vendor are both polished aluminum. Except, it looks like there may be that red and black accent behind the coin window on the Salesman picture.
I'm no expert with an airbrush but I think I could mange the repaint. Just seems too beat up to me to leave as is. BTW, you can see my attempts to match the paint under the award card. If anyone else need to paint one of these, Testors 1251 turns out to be an exact match. Its the paint sample you can't see

2, Nice restoration by gsx11r on the Cigarette Gum Vendor. My Gum Vendor has no paint at all. So, I'm also wondering if Stephanie's paint scheme is acceptable as close to original. Bill may know..

Stan

[SLOT DYNASTY]

oldpinguy:
These tall case model Superior "Cigarette Saleman", both Gumball & Mint vender, never came from the factory,
with the entire case painted, that I have ever seen. Yours is the only one I have seen with the entire castings
painted. My guess, is that an operator did it years ago, as they were in the habit of making visible changes to
existing machines, that started loosing their play appeal. I know this, because I have personally spoken to at
least 2 or 3 old time operators, that did so. If your copper-colored version did happen to come from the factory
this way, it is a strange case. The only colors that I know of that are original on these models, was the red &
black detail areas on both the mint & ball gum vendor models, but I have seen a couple of ball gum models with
yellow, instead of black, in the lower area, where it says "Ball Gum One Cent", by the gum exit door.

On the other hand, the slant-top "Cigarette Ball Gum" models, (both gum & non-gum vender), appeared to have
come from the factory in a variety of colors, unless operators painted them as well, many years ago. The most
commonly seen, have been Yellow, Orange, Lt. Green, Lt.Blue, and even a Red one. Most came from the factory
with no main casting colors, other than the small detail areas. This is one machine group, that I think complete
originality information is never going to be 'carved-in-stone'. This is what makes research so much fun, and
nerve-racking at the same time.

Additionally, If you haven't already sent it, I will need all the info from the inside case sticker, with serial, date,
key no., and inspector, for my update files.
Thanks, Bill

[oldpinguy]

Bill,

Thanks again for sharing your expertise. Great, as always. Attached is the info you want for this machine.

The serial number on the slant top is C5512 on the cabinet, Unfortunately, as I reported here a few years ago, at one point I foolishly polished the small brass key for it and it would no longer turn the lock. Took the key to Chicagoland and gave it to the fellow who used to make Bellock keys. He was supposed to cut a new one when he got back to his shop to see if a sharper cut would work and send me the key. I eventually found out that, sadly he died, and I never got the key back. Still trying to figure out how to open it with damaging the machine or destroying the lock, So, I guess the lesson here is DON'T POLISH A KEY THAT WORKS !

Stan

[superior7450]

Could you take a picture of the C5512 on the cabinet or casting?

[oldpinguy]

That machine is at our winter place in AZ. Will do, but will be a couple weeks before I'm there and can take a picture. As I said I can't open the back to get a shot of the inspection tag. I'm pretty sure my records say 5512. Why do you ask ?

best regards,
Stan

[SLOT DYNASTY]

Hi pinguy:
As per my files, your #C5512 is correct. What I don't have, is the info from the inside tag. Please PM me, when you get to the
machine, and manage to get the back door open, when you have time.
Even though I have several Superior serials on file, I do not have enough inside sticker information to match. Mainly because
some have not wanted to take the time to look, or the sticker was missing, or I got the number from a pix of the case stamping,
and never made contact with the owner for the additional info. Of all the Trade Stimulator serials that I have logged over the
years, these Superior #'s are the most helpful, because they pinpoint the dating on the inside paper. Very few other mfrs. had
dating notations. Therefore, dating has to be determined by original machine model advertisements, which usually only gives us
info of the year.
One thing I have noticed with the Superior machines, is that the earlier slant-front models, were produced in greater numbers,
than the later tall case, gumball & mint vender versions. One 'for-instance' with the tall case, according to my serials is, there
were 26 units built, in an exact two month period. Another instance shows only 19 units built in just under a four month period.

There was a difference in the numbering of the two models. The earlier slant-fronts had a letter 'C' in front of all the serials, and
were consecutive, no matter if it were a gumball or non-gumball model. There was also case changes, that I have not been able
to determine if it were random, or all together. The most common being the green stain, with natural centers, inside the mitered
red groove of the side panels. Another version had entire walnut stain, with yellow in the grooves. Some had smooth sides, without
the mitered groove. Most had a steel back door, but I have seen a few with wood doors. As I stated in a posting above, most front
castings only had the red & black detail paint, but some had different colors on the entire front.
As for the later tall case models, most all that I have seen, were black stain, (not paint), with natural inside the mitered groove.
Just the red & black detail colors in the castings. The difference with the serial numbers on these models, is that the gumball and
mint vender versions, had there own, as there were different lettering before the numbers.
Hopefully someday, I will be able to pinpoint more of the mfrg. changes, as more serials are sent my way.
Bill

[SLOT DYNASTY]

Bill,

Thanks again for sharing your expertise. Great, as always. Attached is the info you want for this machine.

The serial number on the slant top is C5512 on the cabinet, Unfortunately, as I reported here a few years ago, at one point I foolishly polished the small brass key for it and it would no longer turn the lock. Took the key to Chicagoland and gave it to the fellow who used to make Bellock keys. He was supposed to cut a new one when he got back to his shop to see if a sharper cut would work and send me the key. I eventually found out that, sadly he died, and I never got the key back. Still trying to figure out how to open it with damaging the machine or destroying the lock, So, I guess the lesson here is DON'T POLISH A KEY THAT WORKS !

Stan

Stan:
I just realized what you had written before, about the key. I don't see why a polished key would keep it from working a lock.
I have polished and wire wheeled many keys, and never had that problem. Being as Superior did not seem to have that many
different key numbers listed for their machines, I am going to run through my serial listings, to see if one of my machines is
close to your serial. If so. it may have the same key number. Therefore, I can have a key made from mine, and send it to you
to try. Only one of mine did not have a door. The one here in the office, is C5600, which is a wood door version, and that one,
unfortunately has a new lock, because the original had previously been drilled-out before I bought it many years ago.
Bill