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San Francisco-based machinists and inventors Theodore Holtz and Charles Fey were important pioneers in the development of early gambling devices. The men were business partners and remained close friends after separating their professional collaboration in 1896, the year Holtz introduced the trade stimulator on the far right. The machine is similar in appearance and operation to Charles Fey’s Three-Spindle, also made in 1896. Makers often copied the designs of others’ machines, and sometimes replaced the play card of an existing device with one of their own. All objects are courtesy of Joe Welch American Antique Museum in San Bruno, California. See "#GamesofChance: Gambling Devices of the Mechanical Age" on display, post-security, in Terminal 3. http://bit.ly/GamesofChance
This image was posted on January 26, 2017.