Vintage 1945 Pachinko - very interesting

[candyflip]

http://www.jauce.com/view2.php?setur...tion/w73454156#

As you all know, I'm an expert at the Vintage class...

But someone here will know what this thing is... Interesting ball return feature on the back (manual crank on front to get it there)

the Seller wants US$2000 for it as a starting bid, or you can take it off his hands without firing another auction shot for just $3500.

Go get 'em!

[Microbus99]

Very cool. No International shipping and a price like that make it nothing more than a photo I can save for future drooling.

[pachiwall]

Just EYE CANDY for me too!

[mxfaiman]

But someone here will know what this thing is... Interesting ball return feature on the back (manual crank on front to get it there)

My two new old pachinko machines

It should be a Masumura. Interesting hand crank on it.

I'd love to have it, but at that price forgetta-bout-it.

[JACKSJE4]

When I first saw that crank, it reminded me of this vintage Hokoku machine that is very similar to my 1953 Hokoku (see avatar). The crank is a manual ball lifter.

Pachi1.jpgPachi2.jpg

http://home.comcast.net/~gmanind/wel...y_gameroom.htm

[Card Shark]

Wow, that seems like a cool machine! No way I could justify the price though.

[SteveFury]

This thread is particularly interesting to me. That machine appears to have some identical parts as one of mine, some are very different. Is anyone fairly certain the DOM of 1945? I am kinda skeptical about the date because it is the same year the war ended and I can't imagine very much manufacturing infrastructure existed for anything.

Could the crank have been an added on later accessory?
The reason I wonder is because (1) the crank exists where the larger square aluminum manufacturer tag on mine and (2) the tag exists on the frame, not the machine itself. Aren't those frames made for machine export shipping rather than being actually used in parlors?
Also (3) consider that the player has no way of knowing when the hopper and upper ball guides are empty, and when it does go empty it requires a manual reset(s) in the rear. Simply refilling the hopper won't restore play. They would need to guess when it was about to empty and refill (crank) the hopper.

I am not saying the crank IS an added accessory... it appears to be the same vintage as the rest of the machine, so I'm not sure. Maybe someone else knows for sure.

Based on the few different parts I am assuming the Masamura I just finished rebuilding would be a year or two older than this machine.

Thanks for posting it Candyflip!

I like your game room Jacksje4! Very nice.

[JACKSJE4]

I like your game room Jacksje4! Very nice.

Unfortunately, that is not my game room. It belongs to another member who hasn't been on PT in a while.

[SteveFury]

Based on the few different parts I am assuming the Masamura I just finished rebuilding would be a year or two older than this machine.

Oh my gosh, that's a type-o. I meant to say that I believe that my own Masamura may be a year or two newer, not older...Sorry

[emmadog]

Unfortunately, that is not my game room. It belongs to another member who hasn't been on PT in a while.

i think that's slothappy's machine. i think thats the best looking and most interesting vintage i've seen yet. yours is a very close second jeff.

[mxfaiman]

i think thats the best looking and most interesting vintage i've seen yet. yours is a very close second jeff.

I love the colors and layout of that machine. Really shows that 50's modern theme.

[emmadog]

I love the colors and layout of that machine. Really shows that 50's modern theme.

very well said and that's what draws me to it. anything mid century modern and i'm interested.

[pachiwall]

The crank don't seem like parlor devices to me. The really sought after early models command high prices in Japan and are cherished by collectors who probably have great pride in the heritage and culture they convey. I expect that once upon a time, the crank ball lifter was probably added by a local craftsman, or possibly an expensive add on option the only few could afford. The machines themselves are hard enough to get...manual ball lifter equipped, very rare. I expect if it was a kit...possibly hand made by craftsmen (much like much of the smaller company's of the day were), or manufactured in small quantity. Probably sever to be seen (in kit form) again. That's my thoughts anyhow. No research or facts...just my mind thinking.

[SteveFury]

The crank don't seem like parlor devices to me. The really sought after early models command high prices in Japan and are cherished by collectors who probably have great pride in the heritage and culture they convey. I expect that once upon a time, the crank ball lifter was probably added by a local craftsman, or possibly an expensive add on option the only few could afford. The machines themselves are hard enough to get...manual ball lifter equipped, very rare. I expect if it was a kit...possibly hand made by craftsmen (much like much of the smaller company's of the day were), or manufactured in small quantity. Probably sever to be seen (in kit form) again. That's my thoughts anyhow. No research or facts...just my mind thinking.

The Masamura logo is stamped in a few places on my machine, mainly on the front. You can see my flipper and how the logo is stamped on the flipper bearing, the brass plate and the finger post.

I copied the advertisement snapshot and photoshoped it to try and bring out anything stamped on the parts. Sure enough the crank bearing appears to carry a similar stamp... but I can only assume it is the Masamura logo. Their flipper seems to also contain the stamp but I don't believe the brass plate has it nor does the finger post. I circled a part on the finger post where the stamp might be (Or the top quarter of it), but probably not.

Finding the familiar circle stamp-shape on the crank bearing doesn't solve whether this is an added-on accessory or original... but I personally believe the device was produced by Masamura.

[pachiwall]

Could the crank have been an added on later accessory?
The reason I wonder is because (1) the crank exists where the larger square aluminum manufacturer tag on mine and (2) the tag exists on the frame, not the machine itself. Aren't those frames made for machine export shipping rather than being actually used in parlors?
Also (3) consider that the player has no way of knowing when the hopper and upper ball guides are empty, and when it does go empty it requires a manual reset(s) in the rear. Simply refilling the hopper won't restore play. They would need to guess when it was about to empty and refill (crank) the hopper.

"no way of knowing when" Maybe the plate behind the crank translates to: turn crank 10 revolutions after every 5 jackpots. I think all machines are made with a frame. This one appears to latch at the top. My early machines have 2 wingnuts on threaded rods attached to hooks on the frame. I believe that the frame was mounted, and rather than unscrew it ( or more likely, pull the nails), they would unscrew the wingnuts, pull machine out of frame, put new machineinto old mounted in wall frame and old machine in new frame and out the door. Is the tag on the frame relevant to the ball lifter...or to the machine? Seeing another one of these makes me want to try to build one on one of my less valuable vintage machines. Could you imagine the futility of trying to crank fast enough to keep up with a fever on a modern!