Witches Cave

[treefrog]

This unusual machine came up at my local sale in Colchester, but I could not go. There was also a Buckley table top crane, like the ones from the Marshall sale a few months ago, I assume relating to the same seller.

I believe there was one at the Elephant a while ago, but never seen one before that. Anyone know much about them? They look very similar to the Clucking Hen machines.
http://www.reemandansie.com/index.php?_ ... tId=171692

[john t peterson]

If this machine is complete, it was a steal at 620 GBP. These go for $2,000+ US here in the States. It's a cousin to the Hen, also by Reichert. It looks to be missing the witch figure.

[gameswat]

Not such a bargain I think JP. This looked like it may have been converted to a card vendor from the one pre-auction photo due to the cut down front cup that was once there. Now on seeing the interior photo I think it has been converted. Though still a nice original case that uses the exact same mech as the hen. Witch version is rarer as probably not as popular with the kids of all ages like the hen. And no double bellows left inside this one either.

[pennymachines]

There was also a Buckley table top crane, like the ones from the Marshall sale a few months ago, I assume relating to the same seller.

It was the same machine, from the previous sale (which was Reeman Dansie, not Marshall).

The witch was lying on her side.

The bellows and pipes on the Clucking Hen produce pretty convincing squawk and clucking sounds. What sound is the Witches Cave supposed to make? A witch's cackle?

[treefrog]

When I say Marshall, I am referring to the Marshall Amusements lot which all attended at Reemans..... By the way I guess I was not entirely honest with my initial statement, although I could not make the sale, I still ended up with a witch on her side. Strange machine this one, need to get her back on her feet with her friends...

I assume this is from the 1930s.

[pennymachines]

When I say Marshall, I am referring to the Marshall Amusements lot which all attended at Reemans......

Ah - gotcha now! The crane made £170 this time. It could be, as happens sometimes, the Witches Cave came from another vendor who saw what the previous slots made.

By the way I guess I was not entirely honest with my initial statement, although I could not make the sale, I still ended up with a witch on her side. Strange machine this one, need to get her back on her feet with her friends...

I should come clean too then, and admit to being the underbidder. Sorry to have bumped the price up for you (seems it was between the two of us most of the way), but I'm glad to hear the Witches Cave has found a home in Tree Frog's cave.

[john t peterson]

More pictures, please, Mr. Frog, when appropriate.
And congrats.

J Peterson
Every Witch way but loose in America

[gameswat]

The bellows and pipes on the Clucking Hen produce pretty convincing squawk and clucking sounds. What sound is the Witches Cave supposed to make? A witch's cackle?

I've seen an example of the Witch in the US but can't remember looking closely at the mech. Possibly it's only a single bellows as the double is a complicated design to replicate the "buch buch buch - bugggggark" of a laying hen. I had always thought this machine would have the high pitched screams of those caged children!? And I've seen several more examples of this machine turn up converted to card vending like this so I guess some operator made a habit of it.

[pennymachines]

Reichert's Witch's House
Our original, and particularly well-equipped new vending machine "Witch's House" achieves the highest rate of re-fills. Please enquire now about our current special offer. You will be surprised by our low prices and conditions. In addition, we supply our well known "Cock and Hen" vending machines, double and multi-column vending machines, as well as machines for Special purposes. Please ask us about our current special offers.

The correct (and more appropriate) translation is "Witch's House" or "Witch's Cottage", so why "Witches Cave" on the British examples?
The date is 1928.

Although the advert has nothing to say about sound effects, according to Birgit Haberbosch in Schöne Alte Automaten, the dog shakes his head and the cat wags its tail while meowing, the sounds coming from two bellows.

[treefrog]

The one at the Elephant had also been converted in the same way, so I guess it was operators giving a rough new lease of life, by removing the bellows and egg carousel. Interestingly the eggs seem to be highly valuable as collectables in their own right. The only final price for a complete one was for a Hen version finishing at 3000 euros and most auction estimates are more than this, so in their complete state they certainly seem to fetch a fair old price. There seem to be 3 versions, the Witch, Hen and the Gingerbread House. Below are piccies surfed showing variants and mechanisms in their complete state from Germany.

[gameswat]

There seem to be 3 versions, the Witch, Hen and the Gingerbread House.

So what exactly is the difference between the Witch and Gingerbread versions???

[treefrog]

Good point Gameswat, I was only reading this as to descriptions and the one I pictured was named as this. The figures are slightly different, but it is the same machine. Interesting, as on now seeing the name, it is a Gingerbread House with lots of pieces of ginger bread figures and biscuits.

[pennymachines]

It is of course the witch's cottage in the woods, "built of gingerbread and cakes with window panes of clear sugar" from the Hansel and Gretel fairytale, as retold by the Brothers Grimm.

The only final price for a complete was for a Hen version finishing at 3000 euros and most auction estimates are more than this, so in their complete state they certainly seem to fetch a fair old price.

Looking through the Arena, Cock and Hens have sold for £80 at Mantiques, £80 again, at the Elephant House (for the same very distressed example), £200 at the Elephant House, £280 at Southern Counties, and £500 at Cameo. The Witches Cave at the Elephant House (also converted to cards and without bellows) sold for £760. Before I started the online price records, I saw several others sell (and bought some myself) ranging from about £250-600. Very few were complete with bellows. Slot prices in general have been quite high of late though.

[dutchboy]

I just saw this one in the Netherlands. I know nothing about these machines but I know you all like pictures. So here you are: http://www.marktplaats.nl/a/verzamelen/ ... ousPage=lr
Greetings, dutchboy.

[bob]

This one seems to have the bellows still intact. Perhaps Dutchboy would be kind enough to telephone or email the phone number or e-mail address provided and enquire what the sound is. I'm sure we would all love to know.

[dutchboy]

Hi bob, i will call them today and maybe they can make an film of the working machine. I visited this shop in spring this year, they have a large numbre of rare jukeboxes and slots. It's more like an museum, you can spend hours over there.

Greetings

[dutchboy]

I just made a call, sadly the machine is not working . It's complete and missing the key but needs restoration.
Greetings.

[gameswat]

Crazy price for an unrestored not working machine!

[anglobritish]

The machine in question has English instructions on it, so it was distributed by The Samson Novelty Co, Ltd in the 1930s, so that makes it a lot more valuable, because there was very few of these made for the British market, like JP states it was a steal, at the price, looks like the cabinet is in good all original condition.

Freddy Bailey

[gameswat]

Thanks for the advert Freddy. Finally answered the issue of what noise the bellows made - "Accompanied by the miauing of the cat and subsequent barking of the dog as true to nature as possible".