Harper cigarette vending machines

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coppinpr
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Re: Harper Vending Machines

Post by coppinpr »

The early and late address were both upper class residential areas (as they still are today) at the times mentioned, in fact "Adelaide house" is the only one of the original houses still standing in Ashurst Walk. The late address shows Percy to have been somewhat successful, the Downs Rd address was very much in the "stock broker belt" then and most houses there would fetch £2 million plus today.
The Crystal palace connection would also make sense as the factory site and the Ward Percy stood for at election are close to the football ground.
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bob
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Re: Harper Vending Machines

Post by bob »

A couple of Harper floor standing 4 column cigarette vending machines found their way to Australia. I don't know if any were operated here to vend cigarettes though, as I saw these for sale at antique dealers many years ago. I think that the antique dealers bought them in the UK to sell here in their shops to collectors. This would seem to be substantiated by the original British advertising still on the bottom of the machines. The "Stepney Garage" machine has the running perforated advertising band at the top.
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Harper 4 Column with moving band cigarette vending machine169.jpg
Harper 4 Column Cigarette Machine167.jpg
pennymachines
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Re: Harper Vending Machines

Post by pennymachines »

In my quest to find something more about Percy Stephen Harper and his company, such as a photograph of the gentleman, I was able to more or less confirm that he was the same Percy Harper who chaired Crystal Palace football club from 1939-1950. Apparently he held one meeting from his Purley Downs Road home in Sanderstead, and appears to have been a controversial, autocratic chairman.
...the chairman Percy Harper was suspended from football for allegedly bringing the game into disrepute after questioning the FA Council's capabilities, as well as those of the Football League's management committee, in an article published in the matchday programme*.

The suspension, along with punishments handed to two other directors, exposed a deep schism in the boardroom with another director, F. Broomfield, publicly contesting Harper's assertion that the club was in deep financial crisis. The chairman's reinstatement upon appeal forced Broomfield and Truett to resign. "I find it impossible to work with the present chairman," said Broomfield, with Harper's autocratic style subsequently drawing criticism from all sides.

Yet with the benefit of hindsight and compared with the humdrum existence which followed throughout the 1950s, they must have seemed exhilarating days. In peacetime Palace first plummeted under Harper's chairmanship and then stagnated under that of David Harris and Arthur Wait. The 1948-49 season was the worst the club had ever endured, with the better players steadily sold off and Jack Butler unable to restore order from the dug-out. The sense that Palace's fans had been offered false hope prevailed, not for the last time. Harper had held court at his home in Sanderstead in the first season after the conflict and pledged that the Glaziers would spend heavily to emerge from the doldrums as genuine challengers. The problem was that Harper, a visionary in some respects, had no means of finding the money he had promised.

In his autobiography Soccer Rebel, Jimmy Guthrie, a former Portsmouth favourite who had arrived as a player-coach in November 1946, wrote: "Harper had big ideas for Palace. He wanted to introduce speedway and greyhound racing at Selhurst, but the local residents petitioned against speedway because of the noise and the Football Association... refused to sanction the presence of greyhounds... He hit the newspaper headlines with stories that Palace would spend a million pounds to get into the First Division, but there was little money put on the line. He thought we should recruit players from amateur clubs, as this would cost only £100 for each player and the club he left. The idea was sound but, again, there was no money. Meanwhile, Harper was selling off our best players."

...Harper prompted yet more confusion by dismissing the manager, Irwin, just hours after spending an apparently pleasant evening in the company of the entire backroom staff at Selhurst Park...
* Supporters who purchased the sheet issued for the game against Luton Town on 30th September 1944 found the whole of the reverse taken up with a statement by chairman Percy Harper. He expressed his views on bringing greyhound racing to Selhurst Park, as well as criticising the entertainment tax the club had to pay. That got him into trouble with the Football League and the FA for considering it was time those incumbent made way for younger men.
In 1949, "after castigating the club's finances at the annual general meeting", Harper accepted an offer of £3,000 from a group of seven wealthy supporters to buy the club, and handed over control in 1950.
The History of Crystal Palace in Words & Pictures
sinah96
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Harper Cigarette machine

Post by sinah96 »

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Hello

I am a new member on here and I am seeking some advice.

I have a Harper Vending (please see attached photos) and I don't know what to do with it, is it worth restoring or just sell it as it is?

Thanks Mark
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harper-4a.jpg
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special when lit
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Re: Harper Cigarette machine

Post by special when lit »

They normally fetch a few hundred quid on ebay.
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treefrog
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Re: Harper Cigarette machine

Post by treefrog »

As with everything, condition and completeness impact value. Your machine is the middle sized 3 column version, so more practical than the larger 4 slot version. It is missing the glass advert below and the clock in the middle as well as glass. The clock can be replaced as the Smiths clock used were also used in mantel clocks and do come up for sale. Other key element is the state of the metal and plate which would cost a fortune to sort if bad, but if it cleans up presentable, then would make all the difference. Artwork a little more tricky to replace, but see below link where these machines have been discussed and you will get an idea of what should be at the bottom.....certainly looks worth saving and down to you if you want to keep and make good.....
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Re: Harper Cigarette machine

Post by gameswat »

Sell as is, there are so many parts in that thing and once you start pulling it apart you open a can of corroded worms! Unless you really know what you're doing then best to leave it to someone who does know and has the knowledge and required skills. Sometimes it works out well to mildly clean up pieces like this first to show the good points, but that also can bite you in the arse when things like the plating that is there flakes off and ends up looking worse! Also sucks when you find major flaws you didn't know where there to begin with, because if you're honest then that will have to be pointed out to the buyer. Replating is the killer these days. I pretty much just stay away from buying anything that needs much plating and stick to pieces with a good aged patina that I think look way better anyway.
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Re: Harper Cigarette machine

Post by pennymachines »

I don't think I can add much to the advice above. These are eye-catching icons of thirties design, but they're large and weighty, lack utility and are peripheral to amusement machine collectors' interests. For those reasons, their market may lie more with interior designers, looking for a style piece to dress a pub, club, hotel or trendy apartment. Finding such buyers may not be easy. Two fine cigarette vendors went unsold last month in the auction rooms, including a remarkable 6 column Harper vendor with the scrolling advert display and a BMR model.
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Harper, Est: £400 - 600
Harper, Est: £400 - 600
BMR, Est: £250 - 350
BMR, Est: £250 - 350
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Harper vendor

Post by 13rebel »

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I thought this looked similar to sweetmeats' flyer.
The photos are of an exhibit in Rustington museum which is in the process of being moved to another building. The machine is made of metal. No other information I'm afraid.
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fag-machine-rustington-004a.jpg
hibberd
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Harper Automatics De Luxe saleman's mechanism

Post by hibberd »

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Hello there
I own a Harper Automatics De Luxe selector mechanism in a 'leather' carrying case, presumably for demonstration by a salesman. There is a testing slide with various coins to show effective it was.
I was development manager for Dean vending (of KitKat and Beachnut machines) and when they closed nearly 40 years ago? I bought the mechanism in the auction.
Any one with more information or interest I wonder.
Lots of chrome.
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aristomatic
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Re: Harper Automatics De Luxe saleman's mechanism

Post by aristomatic »

Nice item and welcome to the forum!
Love to see salesman samples, particularly with original carrying case.
Do you have any original flyers for Dean's vending machines that you could share with us? I have had a few Dean's machines over the years.
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Re: Harper Automatics De Luxe saleman's mechanism

Post by pennymachines »

Yes - nice historical artefact. Thanks for posting and welcome.
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Re: Harper Automatics De Luxe saleman's mechanism

Post by tallstory »

What a fascinating device. I'd love to see it working |/XX\|
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treefrog
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Re: Harper Automatics De Luxe saleman's mechanism

Post by treefrog »

The days when there was pride in making items to a high standard, to even make a quality case to carry it in.

I assume this was not a coin acceptor that slotted into the machine like some other later types, but the frame was just to display the mechanism. I think all the Harper machines I have seen have them built in.

Interesting the below vendor sold two days ago for £400 as SAS auctions and unusually was painted, rather than plated like most of the larger machines. Great patina, the same machine sold at the Elephant 3 years earlier for £1100
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97934547-11F7-4248-894F-9E188C0FD943.jpeg
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gameswat
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Re: Harper Automatics De Luxe saleman's mechanism

Post by gameswat »

treefrog wrote: Fri Apr 02, 2021 7:27 am to even make a quality case to carry it in.
In fact Tree these type cases are the cheapest imaginable, just pressed cardboard with faux leather graining.
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daveslot
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Re: Harper Vending Machines

Post by daveslot »

Thought I would share my salesman's sample cigarette machine. I presume it's a Harpers.
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IMG_20210212_142254.jpg
aristomatic
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Re: Harper Vending Machines

Post by aristomatic »

Very nice, thanks for posting.
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Re: Harper Vending Machines

Post by gameswat »

Dave, so your machine is smaller than normal then? :!?!: Needs something for scale.
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daveslot
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Re: Harper Vending Machines

Post by daveslot »

Under 14 inches high.
clairelucas
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Re: Harper Vending Machines

Post by clairelucas »

Hi,

Thought I would share this Harper Automatic Machine from the collection at Rustington Museum. Back in November 2019, we had the opportunity to take one of the sections out as we were remounting it for display. It was also an opportunity to take some photos of the bits very rarely seen!

We hope to open on May 17th, if anyone wants to see it in person.

Enjoy :)

Claire Lucas
Museum Manager
Rustington Museum

(The Museum holds the copyright for all the photos of this machine - please contact if you would like to use them in any way - clairelucas@rustingtonpc.org)
Attachments
close-up of the mechanism
close-up of the mechanism
back of the central section
back of the central section
original guarantee sticker found inside
original guarantee sticker found inside
The whole machine mounted on the wall
The whole machine mounted on the wall
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