Mastermatic Vending Machine Co.

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perana5000
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Mastermatic Vending Machine Co.

Post by perana5000 »

Hello all! Just wondered if anyone knows how the above machine works? Gameplay etc etc. I believe Mastermatics came from London but any other details/history would be excellent!
Kindest Regards Mark
( coin machine information hunter gatherer!)
pennymachines
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Re: Mastermatics 'master Football machine'

Post by pennymachines »

The Master Football Game was made Circa 1957 by the Master Vending Machine Company of Southend (with an office in Wardour Street).
Insert coin to release coloured balls and fire them to top of playfield. They trickle down and you score points for getting them into matching coloured ball traps.

There's a place in my heart for most old slot machines but these cheaply constructed, naff looking, dull games don't make the grade in my opinion.
The company also produced a more interesting metal-cased coin-rolling golf skill game.


10323894.jpg

This football game is a table-top, coin-operated, football goal-scoring machine which used old (pre-decimalisation) pennies to operate it. These games were popular in the period after the Second World War and throughout the 1950s. Football was a popular game at all levels at this time, despite the fact that England fared badly at international level in the 1950s.

Image number: 10323894
Credit: Science Museum/Science & Society Picture Library
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treefrog
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Re: Mastermatics 'master Football machine'

Post by treefrog »

PennyMachines wrote:There's a place in my heart for most old slot machines but these cheaply constructed, naff looking, dull games don't make the grade in my opinion.
I must agree with PM, having bought one a while back and not even in its original case, they are very low cost built items, with a flimsy coin shoot mech and ramp... I cannot believe these lasted long in the arcades before getting faults or falling apart, but I guess they probably didn't cost a lot to buy either.
perana5000
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Mastermatic (the master vending machine Co)

Post by perana5000 »

Topic merged - site admin

Hello all,
Recently bought a Master Football Game, and yes, for some reason everyone seems to hate them. Personally I think they are a good fun simple machine and quite addictive!
Just wondering if anyone has more info about Mastermatics where they were located, when they operated etc., etc.
Many Thanks Mark.
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Re: Mastermatic (the master vending machine Co)

Post by coin-op »

In Paul Braithwaite's arcades and slot machines book, it says the company formed in 1955 and started producing your machine in 1957. The Company was Southend based, but appears to have opened a factory in Cricklewood Lane NW2. I've seen this machine as a stand alone machine and with an add-on side card vender. In fact, Master cards with a football theme are regularly listed on ebay. Somewhere, I have an advert from the Company which was in a trade magazine and it advertises the machine as being available for clubs, etc and in the advert is a cut out coupon to send off for more information. I guess the machine is what it is. The cabinet has a utility feel about it, but the graphics are nice and seem typically 50s.

You should get the Braithwaite book; it doesn't say much more about the Company, but it's a must for anyone interested in British machines. Only £12 post paid from penny machines library (and I say all this without any backhanders from the powers that be).
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JC
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Re: Mastermatic (the master vending machine Co)

Post by JC »

coin-op wrote:and I say all this without any backhanders from the powers that be.
Then you should have kept quiet until you had come to a suitable financial arrangement.

Best wishes to you Coin-op, and to everyone on the pennymachines site, for a very happy New Year.

Jerry
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slotalot
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Re: Mastermatic (the master vending machine Co)

Post by slotalot »

Hi Mark :D , I dont know the full story, but I have done some digging into the history of the company and found this :didact:

The Master Vending Machine Co. had registered offices at Queens House, Leicester Square, W.C.2. In 1959 the company was put into liquidation, later in 1959 it is listed as The Master Vending Machine Company (overseas) Ltd., and it appears that over a decade later the creditors were still looking for their money. :!?!:
In the High Court of Justice (Chancery Division). — Companies Court. No. 00400 of 1959.
In the Matter of THE MASTER VENDING MACHINE COMPANY LIMITED and in the Matter of the Companies Act 1948.
Notice is hereby given, that a Petition for the winding-up of the above-named Company by the High Court of Justice was on the 7th day of May 1959 presented to the said Court by Harry Bertram White (trading as White Advertising) of Midland Bank Chambers, Warwick Road, Birmingham 27, Advertising Agent, and that the said Petition is directed to be heard before the Court sitting at the Royal Courts of Justice, Strand, London, on the 1st day of June 1959 and any Creditor or Contributory of the said Company desirous to support or oppose the making of an Order on the said Petition may appear at the time of hearing in person or by his Counsel for that purpose; and a copy of the Petition will be furnished by the undersigned to any Creditor or Contributory of the said Company requiring such copy on payment of the regulated charge for the same.
I rest my case !!CHEERS!! STUART.
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treefrog
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Re: Mastermatic (the master vending machine Co)

Post by treefrog »

Just a small point on registered offices. A lot of companies do not use their active premises' address as their registered office on the company registration forms and often these are just ghost addresses or premises where their solicitors or accountants were based, so are rarely an indicator of where a company was based. Often when you go and look at these, they are just a small office above a barber's shop....
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slotalot
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Re: Mastermatic (the master vending machine Co)

Post by slotalot »

Hi tree-frog :D
Yes you are quite correct in what you say about registered offices. Queens House was originally built as a hotel, but in 1936 it was converted into offices, so the business was most likely registered at the office of his company solicitor or accountant. !THUMBS!
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Re: Mastermatic Vending Machine Co.

Post by pennymachines »

One of these just turned up on ebay. It's a little different from others I've seen - notice the vendor on the left. I would have assumed this was for gumballs, but the seller suggests it may have offered tickets with a prize paid if your score on the game matched the ticket... which makes sense I guess.

The seller also notes that one sold for over £2000 at Christies. :shock:
Sure enough, this smarter example (without vending feature) made £2,350 with premium :!: http://www.christies.com/LotFinder/lot_ ... ID=3047893

It was in 2001 (before the financial crash) and, significantly, in a Football Memorabilia sale. Just shows, it only takes two and the right auction to make all the difference. The estimate was £200-£300 and Christies noted, A similar game is illustrated in the F.I.F.A. Museum Collection, page 283.
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treefrog
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Re: Mastermatic Vending Machine Co.

Post by treefrog »

I noticed this one is missing most of the balls.....it is amazing how prices have varied. One of these sold at the Elephant auction last Sunday without vendor for £264 (including commission). 18 months ago you would be lucky to get £100..
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Re: Mastermatic Vending Machine Co.

Post by cheeky »

Out of interest, did the rest of the stuff make high prices? - oops ignore this. Just seen that prices are in the Arena. Must register again. !PUNISH!
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treefrog
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Re: Mastermatic Vending Machine Co.

Post by treefrog »

Another one on ebay made an incredible £670....For such a crude machine that is staggering..... :shock: :shock: :shock:

Item 220973654830
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brigham
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Master Football Game.

Post by brigham »

Topic merged - Site Admin.

I'm offered a Mastermatic 'Master Football Game' for £250.
I don't know much about these. I have two recollections about it from the time; namely not playing it, and thinking that the coin mech. appears to be from a bubblegum vendor.
Has anyone played one? What's the gameplay?
It seems a good deal, when Allwins in general seem to be £400 minimum, if you are lucky.
Am I missing something?
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moonriver
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Re: Master Football Game.

Post by moonriver »

Each to their own, but these are built in a very cheap way and don't play very well as the track is just bent wire and the balls are composite so get stuck easily all the time. The model with the card vender at the side is less common. Not way over the top at £250, but not a bargain in my opinion.
Game play is to flick each of the different coloured ball upwards, which roll down in a zig zag fashion (or gets stuck). There is a button on the left side of the case operating a curved lever to simulate heading the ball into the same coloured space at the bottom. They usually just end up stuck on top of each other. Very much feels like a cheap toy bubble gum machine.
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Re: Mastermatic Vending Machine Co.

Post by pennymachines »

Here's the 'standard' version, card vending version, cards and Master Golf by the same company.
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gameswat
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Re: Mastermatic Vending Machine Co.

Post by gameswat »

Have to say that's rather naff artwork, though I like the cards. I think it says a lot Brig that you didn't play these as a kid.
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