Description

  1. Mills Black Cherry Slot Machine For Sale
  2. Mills Nickel Slot Machine
  3. Super Cherry Slots Free Play
  4. Mills Black Cherry Nickel Slot Machine

The company’s first upright slot machine was called the Mills Owl, introduced in 1897. This slot machine was housed in a late Victorian or Eastlake style furniture cabinet. The success of the Mills Owl sparked the image of an owl to be used at the company’s’ trademark or logo. In 1898, the company expanded to include Mortimer’s son.

MILLS 25 CENT BLACK CHERRY SLOT MACHINE. I BELIEVE IT WAS MANUFACTURED ABOUT 1945-47.
I BOUGHT THIS SLOT MACHINE IN 1971 FROM A CLOSE FRIEND AND IT HAS BEEN IN OUR HOME EVER SINCE.

Mills Black Cherry Slot Machine For Sale

THE MACHINE IS PARTIALLY FUNCTIONAL. IF YOU PUT A COIN IN, THE WHEELS SPIN AND IT WILL PAY OUT, BUT IT NEEDS SOME MECHANICAL WORK. IT DOES NOT PAYOUT CORRECTLY AND THE COINS DO NOT DROP INTO THE COIN BOX.
ORIGINAL LOCK IS MISSING. ORIGINAL COIN BOX IS MISSING.
THERE IS A MAKESHIFT PAYOUT CARD ON THE MACHINE. I AM INCLUDING A REPLACEMENT PAYOUT CARD AS SHOWN IN THE PICTURE. I BELIEVE THE CHERRY IN THE CENTER WILL HAVE TO BE REMOVED TO ACCOMODATE THE REPLACEMENT PAYOUT CARD.
Mills slot machine by year

Mills Nickel Slot Machine

THERE ARE A FEW RUST SPOTS ON TOP NEAR THE LOCK. THE METAL ON THE FRONT NEEDS SOME

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Mills Black Cherry Nickel Slot Machine

AS IS SALE. PREFER PAYMENT BY CASH UPON PICK-UP AND INSPECTION. CONTACT ME IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS.
This mid 1940's slot machine has been in our proprietor's family since he was a child (a long time ago!). It is commonly referred to as a Mills black cherry quarter slot machine.
It was rescued from a fraternal lodge in Northern Illinois just before the sheriff came with his sledgehammer.
By the time our proprietor inherited it, it was in somewhat sad shape. Apparently, every time the lodge's bar walls were painted, they painted the slot machines as well. It had many different color coats of latex house paint over the face, side and back. The reels operated, but very slowly. The handle worked its way loose, and the slop eventually split the wood on the right side.
Restoration started with removal of the mechanism from the case and complete sandblasting of the case. The split in the wood was repaired through biscuit joinery. The wooden sides were then sanded and revarnished and a reproduction of the original Mills decal applied to the left side. The front panel was painted a hammertone blue, a close match to the original discovered during sandblasting (see comments below on Buckley slot machines.) The rear bonnet and door were painted the original wrinkle black and a reproduction 'Owner's Maintenance' card was glued to the inside of the rear door.
A relubrication of the mechanism cured the slow operation. The slot now looked and operated as new.
This example of the Mills Black Cherry is actually a Buckley Company remanufactured Mills. You can see the Buckley stamp on this picture of the frame. Buckley would buy used Mills machines, refurbish the mechanics, change the color scheme a bit, then resell them. So technically, this is a Buckley black cherry slot, which is why the arrangements of the cherries and the color differ slightly from the Mills version (the original Mills cherries were offset rather than lining up horizontally and they painted their cases silver rather than light blue.)
The slot came with the original double sided key, somewhat of a rare occurrence. Over the years these keys tend to get lost and modern replacement locks end up getting installed.
Here is a decal we created in Photoshop to replicate the original Mills Owl used on their slot machine stands.