Wall mounted amusement arcade machine

Made:
1931-1940 in United Kingdom
Amusement arcade machine, for wall mounting Slot for pennies, part of an amusement arcade machine Slots for pennies, part of an amusement arcade machine Amusement arcade machine, for wall mounting Slot for pennies, part of an amusement arcade machine Amusement arcade machine, for wall mounting Amusement arcade machine, for wall mounting Pinball and Pennies associated with an amusement arcade machine Slot for pennies, part of an amusement arcade machine Amusement arcade machine, for wall mounting

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Amusement arcade machine, for wall mounting
Science Museum Group
© The Board of Trustees of the Science Museum, London.

Slot for pennies, part of an amusement arcade machine
Science Museum Group
© The Board of Trustees of the Science Museum, London.

Slots for pennies, part of an amusement arcade machine
Science Museum Group
© The Board of Trustees of the Science Museum, London.

Amusement arcade machine, for wall mounting
Science Museum Group
© The Board of Trustees of the Science Museum, London.

Slot for pennies, part of an amusement arcade machine
Science Museum Group
© The Board of Trustees of the Science Museum, London.

Amusement arcade machine, for wall mounting
Science Museum Group
© The Board of Trustees of the Science Museum, London.

Amusement arcade machine, for wall mounting
Science Museum Group
© The Board of Trustees of the Science Museum, London.

Pinball and Pennies associated with an amusement arcade machine
Science Museum Group
© The Board of Trustees of the Science Museum, London.

Slot for pennies, part of an amusement arcade machine
Science Museum Group
© The Board of Trustees of the Science Museum, London.

Amusement arcade machine, for wall mounting
Science Museum Group Collection
© The Board of Trustees of the Science Museum

Amusement arcade machine, for wall mounting, with circular ball-run pin-ball game with central targets marked either 'won' or 'lost', activated via penny (1d) slot and rewarded winning players with a cigarette payout, no maker indicated but probably made in UK, c. 1930-1940.

You’re in an amusement arcade in the 1930s, and you’ve put a penny in this slot machine hanging on the wall. The pinball has spun around the ring, and dropped into the nail maze where it…falls…into…a target marked…won! You hold your hands out to collect the cash. But out pops a single cigarette. Has somebody fiddled with the machine?

No, this really is the payout. It’s hard to imagine now, but cigarettes were part of everyday life, and not an unusual prize. Even in 1958, when the link between smoking and lung cancer was becoming known, fourteenth prize in the Royal College of Nursing Christmas Raffle was 100 Churchman No. 1 cigarettes – more valued than the box of cosmetics for sixteenth place, but less than the nylon stockings for twelfth and thirteenth places.

Anyone could play this machine, if they were tall enough. Was this a problem? The Children’s Act of 1908 had forbidden the sale of tobacco, cigarettes and cigarette papers to under-16s, but who would be policing this arcade game? Street vending machines were similarly difficult to regulate, a problem that persists today.

Once won, it seems there was an overwhelming urge to smoke the prize cigarette straight away. What’s the evidence for this? There is lots of crusty old chewing gum on the bottom of the wooden cabinet. Is this what happened: win a cigarette, ditch the chewing gum on the nearest available surface, and puff away?

Details

Category:
Public Health & Hygiene
Object Number:
2006-287
Materials:
wood (unidentified), aluminium alloy, brass (copper, zinc alloy), glass, plastic (unidentified), cardboard and chromium plated
Measurements:
overall: 630 mm x 480 mm x 169 mm, 10 kg
type:
dispenser
credit:
Purchase

Parts

Wall mounted amusement arcade machine

Wall mounted amusement arcade machine

Amusement arcade machine, for wall mounting, with central targets marked either 'won' or 'lost', activated via penny (1d) slot and rewarded winning players with a cigarette payout, no maker indicated but probably made in UK, c. 1930-1940.

Measurements:
overall: 630 mm x 480 mm x 169 mm, 10 kg
Materials:
wood (unidentified) , aluminium alloy , brass (copper, zinc alloy) , glass , plastic (unidentified) , cardboard and chromium plated
Object Number:
2006-287/1
type:
dispenser
Pinball from arcade machine

Pinball from arcade machine

Pinball part of an amusement arcade machine, for wall mounting, with central targets marked either 'won' or 'lost', activated via penny (1d) slot and rewarded winning players with a cigarette payout, no maker indicated but probably made in UK, c. 1930-1940.

Materials:
chromium plated
Object Number:
2006-287/2
type:
dispenser
Penny from amusement arcade machine

Penny from amusement arcade machine

Penny associated with an amusement arcade machine, for wall mounting, with central targets marked either 'won' or 'lost', activated via penny (1d) slot and rewarded winning players with a cigarette payout, no maker indicated but probably made in UK, c. 1930-1940.

Materials:
brass (copper, zinc alloy)
Object Number:
2006-287/3
type:
dispenser
Penny from amusement arcade machine

Penny from amusement arcade machine

Penny associated with an amusement arcade machine, for wall mounting, with central targets marked either 'won' or 'lost', activated via penny (1d) slot and rewarded winning players with a cigarette payout, no maker indicated but probably made in UK, c. 1930-1940.

Materials:
brass (copper, zinc alloy)
Object Number:
2006-287/4
type:
dispenser
Slot for pennies, from arcade machine

Slot for pennies, from arcade machine

Slot for pennies, part of an amusement arcade machine, for wall mounting, with central targets marked either 'won' or 'lost', activated via penny (1d) slot and rewarded winning players with a cigarette payout, no maker indicated but probably made in UK, c. 1930-1940.

Materials:
metal (unknown)
Object Number:
2006-287/5
type:
dispenser
Slot for pennies, from arcade machine

Slot for pennies, from arcade machine

Slot for pennies, part of an amusement arcade machine, for wall mounting, with central targets marked either 'won' or 'lost', activated via penny (1d) slot and rewarded winning players with a cigarette payout, no maker indicated but probably made in UK, c. 1930-1940.

Materials:
metal (unknown)
Object Number:
2006-287/6
type:
dispenser
Slot for pennies, from arcade machine

Slot for pennies, from arcade machine

Slot for pennies, part of an amusement arcade machine, for wall mounting, with central targets marked either 'won' or 'lost', activated via penny (1d) slot and rewarded winning players with a cigarette payout, no maker indicated but probably made in UK, c. 1930-1940.

Materials:
metal (unknown)
Object Number:
2006-287/7
type:
dispenser