Mills QT machine at the Elephant House

[marktol]

Well,

I'm going to take a bit of a gamble and break the first rule of auctions and bring everyone's attention to a Mills QT at the Elephant House this coming weekend. I figure, as the auction is so regularly discussed, everyone must have seen it...

I've not seen a QT before, but it looks like quite a neat little machine and I like the dual JP's. Looking at the pictures, I'm going to hazard a guess that this is probably not original and may have a new paint job on it? It also looks as though what I'm assuming is normally a small coin window is blanked off?

[url]URL+REMOVED+BY+SITE+ADMIN# ... p?lot=4811[/url]

Anyone have any thoughts about the machine and its condition or anything to look out for? From what I've seen on the US ebay site of the internals, the mech is different to a normal Mills, but I'm assuming the principles will all be the same. I would also appreciate a hazardous stab at an approximate value as well?



Cheers,
Mark

[coppinpr]

I think it was made in 1934, along with its sister machine known as the Firebird by some. (I think the Firebird looks better). It was designed to have a vendor, but this one looks like it was originally made for the UK market, so it has the number reels and no vendor. Looks like a great machine. I don't think these would even have been original colors but who knows? I have no idea of price. I'd guess between £600 and £1100

[aristomatic]

If you have never owned a Mills QT, ........buy one!

Lots of different model versions too.
I saw one many years ago when I turned up to collect a few machines I had bought from a chap called Ray in North Wales. He had one in his living room on a sixpence and I thought then it would go almost to the top of my wanted list. Well, many years later, I eventually acquired one within a parcel of machines. From that very large parcel of machines I only kept two machines, the Mills QT and a Jennings vendor. All the rest of the machines were sold as duplicates of machines I already had. The Mills QT is the only machine allowed in the house - all the others are down in the cellar, due its small size, and QT looks.

The one at the Elephant House looks very familiar; maybe it has been catalogued there previously? As with all repainted machines, make sure you are as happy with the inside as you are with the outside.

GP

[marktol]

Thanks,

I guess that was my question - has it been repainted before or not? I think it looks as though it may have been, but then it could just be the light. I've only seen one for sale before which someone brought with them once when collecting a machine I was selling but, I didn't even ask the price, as I knew I didn't have the funds at the time.

I quite like the stand it comes with as well and would also go well in my living room as I'm limited on space!

No further pics on the site of the inside which is always worrying...

Cheers,
Mark

[aristomatic]

Probably the same machine but with slots you never can be certain of course...
Quick check in Arena sales results, I presume 700 is the hammer price it reached when previously listed in March 2012:

Mills QT One Arm Bandit - £700.
Chevron front model with twin jackpot on 6d play. Circa 1934. Fully restored and presented in stunning condition with a stand. Rare opportunity.

GP

[marktol]

Thanks,

The more I think about it, the more I suspect it may well be the machine that I looked at that the guy brought with him. The stand looks very familiar too, which I guess most machines don't usually come with. If so, I remember he said it was 'professionally restored' a number of years ago.

Having looked at a few pictures online it looks as though the black bits on the front should be chrome (or painted silver). There are also a few details to the casting that have just been painted red and not highlighted with a different colour. At the time, if it is the same machine I saw, I wasnt wowed by the overall finish of the paint job which was a contributing factor to me not enquiring as to the price.

[bandito]

Just beware that paint can hide all kinds of nasty things....... I have a QT and it is a lovely machine to play. It plays a lot faster than a full size bandit. And remember, you have to open up the rear cash box door to release the mech which you can then easily slide out the front.

[treefrog]

As Aristomatic says, this sold at the Elephant a year earlier I remember leaning on it... For me, it was overly restored with too much gloss paint and, as stated, other silver paint where it perhaps should not be.... Not for me.... I had a QT until four months ago and sold it for £360, maybe too cheap, but they just don't do it for me... In terms of small bandits, they play like a Mini Vest and don't have a lot more going for them. The Columbia is more interesting, having acquired one instead. Just don't see the eye appeal in QTs lack of design/symmetry, a bit like that brown Early Jennings at the Coventry auction (apologies if yours), but just not appealing to the eye.... Each to one's own I guess... I should have stuck my QT in an auction, probably would have made a lot more..... Not sure if the stand was original, but fitted well.

[marktol]

Thanks Treefrog,

I agree with you on the paint front. Ah shame sounds like I missed out on a bargain then with your machine.! I still seem to struggle to locate the nice machines for sale and my sources seem to be very limited to ebay and the occasional auction.

I like the colombia machines especially with the rotational coin part at the top. They seem to be just as rare to get hold of in this country as the QT's.

Some wise words generally so I will be interested to see how much the QT goes for but wont be bidding.

Mark

[gameswat]

Mark, I've owned and restored both those small deco machines and the QT is far better quality. I did like the Columbia styling but they were cheap machines new and at the bottom end of US 3 reeler prices now. Big problem with the Groetchen machines to look for is the almost total use of pot metal. Delicate and fragile, and sometimes it gets the internal "cancer". I noticed the large base on my mech was die cast aluminium, which was originally pot metal like the rest. So I imagine they had to strengthen that part due to issues on earlier models? The QT I don't remember having any pot metal, nearly all steel stampings. The QT is a great little machine when working right.

The front alloy casting of the QT is painted and the highlights just polished.

[marktol]

Thanks,

Sounds like the QT is a much better option then. I would certainly like to have a QT and I think they are actually a perfect size for my small flat.! I do like the dual JP's on them as well.

They still seem to command a high price in the US - it always suprises me how much more expensive all machines are in the US compared to UK especially as the supply in the US is so much stronger.

I think I will stick a wanted ad in the market for a QT in the hope that someone has one they want to move on at a reasonable price. The more I look at the one at Elephant house the less I like the paint job.

Cheers,
Mark

[jonesthegarage]

They still seem to command a high price in the US - it always suprises me how much more expensive all machines are in the US compared to UK especially as the supply in the US is so much stronger.

Two factors govern the price disparity

1. there are approximately 5 times more Yanks than Brits but perhaps not 5 times more available machines
2. the "pursuit of happiness" is enshrined in the US Constitution whereas in the UK we sit around being miserable and moaning about the weather

[coppinpr]

I prefer my Columbia , yes made intentionally as a cheap machine but a real nice deco design and more interestingly a totally different mech from any other maker with its very clever payout system that meant if you used metal slugs instead of coins you got paid out in the same metal slugs, also that great round escalator on the top. another cleaver point was it originally came with a conversion set to take most coins, some machines sold today still have this set with them.

[ninecup]

I think it was made in 1934, along with its sister machine known as the Firebird by some. (I think the Firebird looks better). It was designed to have a vendor, but this one looks like it was originally made for the UK market, so it has the number reels and no vendor. Looks like a great machine. I don't think these would even have been original colors but who knows? I have no idea of price. I'd guess between £600 and £1100

Good guess. It made £900.

[marktol]

I had a QT until four months ago and sold it for £360, maybe too cheap.

Even more disappointed I missed out on your one now..!

[treefrog]

Yes I wish I had stuck my machine in the auction.....