Morphy Auctions To Entertain With Rare Antique Coin-Ops, Advertising Signs, Apr. 11-13 In Las Vegas

Caille Bros Musical Triple Eclipse upright slot machine from 1960s ‘Dobby Doc’ Nevada warehouse find leads stellar lineup with $150K–$300K estimate

DENVER, Pa., April 8, 2024 /PRNewswire/ — At the turn of the 20th century, coin-operated machines could be found nearly everywhere, from arcades and boardwalks to hotel lobbies and bars. They stood ready to entertain, dispense a treat, tell a fortune or offer patrons a chance to win a jackpot, all for the cost of a penny, nickel or quarter. But it will take much more than pocket change to take home one of the fabulous treasures of that era offered in Morphy’s April 11-13 Coin-Op & Antique Advertising Auction. The 1,919-lot sale, which is chock-full of rarities from acclaimed collections, will be held at Morphy’s spacious Las Vegas gallery, with all forms of remote bidding also available, including live online through Morphy Live.

The diverse selection features beautiful gambling, vending, music and pinball machines, plus a spectacular array of antique advertising. Categories represented within the 1,225 lots of advertising signage and related items include tobacco, alcoholic beverages, snacks and gum; barber shop, general store, circus/carnival and many more.

The sale’s top-estimated lot figures prominently in Nevada’s long gambling tradition. It is a rare and highly sought-after Caille Bros Musical Triple Eclipse upright slot machine whose design incorporates three separate machines – accepting 5¢, 50¢ and 5¢ respectively – in one stunning oak cabinet. An artistic masterpiece with its all-original castings and most of its original nickel plating, the unit was made sometime between 1902 and 1904. Its serial number, 121, confirms it is the earliest of only four extant examples of this particular model. Following its period of service as a gambling device, the machine joined the fabled Dobby Doc collection, which was amassed in the 1930s and ’40s and lay dormant until discovered in a Nevada warehouse in the late 1960s. The auction estimate is set at $150,000–$300,000.

Not surprisingly, since baseball is a national obsession, All-American coin-operated baseball games have held their value well over the years. The April 11-13 auction includes one of the treasured productions made by Amusement Machine Co., sometime between 1929 and 1931. The 1¢ floor model is housed in a walnut case with a glass slant front and represents the 1927 World Series, which pitted the Pittsburgh Pirates against the ultimately victorious New York Yankees. The machine is unrestored, with original cast-iron figures of the umpire and players and the original cardboard grandstand. Estimate: $40,000–$70,000

Antique advertising signs are led by an amazing three-dimensional stained- and leaded-glass trade sign for S & S Shoes (Schauder’s Shoe Store, Rhinelander, Wis.), a firm that was established in 1890. Measuring a sizable 41 by 25 by 12 inches, the sign illuminates if a light bulb is inserted. Morphy’s experts have never seen another example like it and have estimated it at $40,000–$80,000.

Visit Morphy’s online at https://www.morphyauctions.com.

Media Contact:
Dan Morphy 877-968-8880, [email protected]

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SOURCE Morphy Auctions