Skip to main content
Want more images or videos?
Request additional images or videos from the seller
1 of 19

Mills Novelty Co. owl strength lifter “Mills Perfect Muscle Developer”

About the Item

Mills Novelty Co. owl strength lifter “Mills Perfect Muscle Developer” Chicago, circa 1905. Coin operated with an old bronze penny. Dial marked: TEST YOUR STRENGTH - THE ARROW SHOWS THE LAST LIFT CAN YOU BEAT IT Blue and white enamel plaque: TEST YOUR STRENGTH DROP PENNY IN THE SLOT - INDICATOR WILL GO TO ZERO THEN PULL HANDLES AND TRY TO BEAT THE LAST LIFT - POINTER WILL INDICATE YOUR ACTUAL STRENGTH - ALL INFRINGEMENTS WILL BE PROSECUTED The Mills Novelty Company of Chicago was a manufacturer of coin-operated machines, established circa 1891. In 1897 the company launched the Mills Owl, which was the first mechanical upright cabinet slot machine, the machine was a great success and the company would later adopt an owl motif as its trade mark.
  • Creator:
  • Dimensions:
    Height: 67 in (170.18 cm)Width: 22 in (55.88 cm)Depth: 28 in (71.12 cm)
  • Materials and Techniques:
  • Place of Origin:
  • Period:
  • Date of Manufacture:
    Circa 1905
  • Condition:
    Refinished. Wear consistent with age and use. Minor fading. The woodwork, metalwork and enamel sign have been cleaned and polished.
  • Seller Location:
    London, GB
  • Reference Number:
    1stDibs: LU1190241326472

More From This Seller

View All
Open Scale Barograph by C F Casella & Co of London
By Casella
Located in London, GB
An open scale barograph by C F Casella & Co of London, circa 1960. 7 day clockwork "Gluck" barometer recorder. Measures: Width: 32 cm. Depth:18 cm. Height: 23.5 cm. C. F. Casella and Co: Established in 1810 as Tagliabue and Casella. Incorporated as a limited liability company, C. F. Casella and Co, in 1910. AS advertised in 1930: C. F. Casella and Co Ltd., of Regent House, Britannia Walk, London, N1 7ND - Makers of anemometers, anemographs, barometers, barographs, hygrometers, hygrographs, radiation instruments, rain gauges...
Category

Mid-20th Century English Industrial Scientific Instruments

Materials

Metal

Inlaid Mahogany Barometer, with Silvered Dial, Signed Vecchio & Co
Located in London, GB
An early 19th century inlaid mahogany barometer, with 8" silvered dial, signed Vecchio & Co, Shaftsbury, and red alcohol thermometer. Thermometer scale in degrees Fahrenheit, and ...
Category

Antique Early 19th Century English Scientific Instruments

Materials

Mahogany

Campbell–Stokes sunshine recorder by Casella & Co of London
By Casella
Located in London, GB
A mid twentieth century Campbell–Stokes sunshine recorder, by Casella & Co, London. Pattern: Mk III C 45- 65 (latitudes 45° – 65°, North or South). 4 inch glass sphere. Serial number: 6962 Marked: CASELLA LONDON MADE IN ENGLAND 6962 For similar Casella sunshine recorders see the collections of: Science Museum, London. OBJECT NUMBER:1995-820. The National Museum of the Royal New Zealand Navy, Torpedo Bay, New Zealand. The Campbell–Stokes sphere is used to record sunshine. It was invented by John Francis Campbell in 1853 and modified in 1879 by Sir George Gabriel Stokes. The original design by Campbell consisted of a glass sphere set into a wooden bowl with the sun burning a trace on the bowl. Stokes’s refinement was to make the housing out of metal and to have a card holder set behind the sphere. C. F. Casella and Co: Established in 1810 as Tagliabue and Casella. Incorporated as a limited liability company, C. F. Casella and Co, in 1910. Circa 1930: C. F. Casella and Co Ltd., of Regent House, Britannia Walk, London, N1 7ND - Makers of anemometers, anemographs, barometers, barographs, hygrometers, hygrographs, radiation instruments, rain gauges...
Category

Mid-20th Century English Scientific Instruments

Materials

Brass, Bronze

Recording Copper Rain Gauge by Casella & Co of London
By Casella
Located in London, GB
An 8" diameter recording copper rain gauge by C F Casella & Co of London. With an internal 24 hour "Gluck" barometer recorder. Height:63 cm. Diameter: 28 ...
Category

Mid-20th Century English Scientific Instruments

Materials

Copper

Cast iron standing bear money box by John Harper & Co
Located in London, GB
A late Victorian patinated cast iron standing bear money box, registered design by John Harper & Co. John Harper Co. Ironfounders, Albion Works, Willenhall, Staffordshire, England...
Category

Antique Late 19th Century English Victorian Toys and Dolls

Materials

Iron

1930s bronze steering helm by the Benson Electric Co of Wisconsin
Located in London, GB
Bronze ship's steering helm with wheel by the Benson Electric Company, Superior, Wisconsin. Dated: JAN 1930 The helm indicates rudder angles with the moving pointer, lit with two ...
Category

Early 20th Century American Nautical Objects

Materials

Brass, Bronze

You May Also Like

Mills Novelty Art Deco Green Porcelain Penny Scale
By Mills Novelty Company
Located in Ferndale, MI
Art Deco period penny scale by Mills Novelty co. Period green porcelain pedestal with cream colored foot hold.
Category

Vintage 1940s American Art Deco Scientific Instruments

Materials

Iron

1904 Mills Owl Strength Tester, Floor Standing Arcade Machine
Located in Peekskill, NY
Today in the world of collecting coin operated amusements, there are many machines which are classified as “unattainable.” These machines are either so rare that there are only 1-2 or no known examples today. This is one of the rarest as well as the earliest Penney Arcade machine...
Category

Early 20th Century American Industrial Sports Equipment and Memorabilia

Materials

Bronze

The Mills Double Deluxe Violano Virtuoso
By Mills Novelty Company
Located in New Orleans, LA
One of only a handful ever made, this Double DeLuxe Violano Virtuoso, created by the Mills Novelty Company, is an extremely rare example of American musical automata, featuring not one, but two brilliantly tuned violins. Singled out by the U.S. government in 1909 as one of the eight greatest inventions of the decade when it was introduced at the Alaska Yukon Pacific Exposition, the Mills DeLuxe Violano-Virtuoso stands as one of the most important and incredible musical devices ever made. The “Double Mills,” as it was nicknamed, plays classical, operatic and popular music. It can play on a single or up to 15 nickels and has the ability to run for approximately an hour. It produces exceptional sound with a crisp tonal quality and melodious notes. Housed in a beautiful quarter-sawn oak case, each violin produces 64 notes and is accompanied by a 44-note piano. It is truly rare to find a historical musical mechanism so complete, with such remarkable sound quality and in excellent condition. This particular Violano has been updated with a digital player system that allows song selections to be made over a WiFi connection. This gives the user a choice between digital downloads or traditional paper rolls for added convenience. Perfected and patented in 1912 by Henry K. Sandell, the Violano-Virtuoso was produced in limited quantities until 1929 and could be found in the very finest restaurants, hotels and oceanliners. In fact, the Violano-Virtuoso was one of the few American-made mechanical musical devices to be distributed worldwide to the most exclusive international clientele. The below testimonial was sent to the Mills Company by the Governor of Idaho, aptly describing the incredible music produced by the Violano-Virtuoso. Dear Sir, Have just had the pleasure of listening to your wonderful Automatic Violin and Piano on exhibition at the Government Building here. This marvelous instrument certainly far surpasses anything that I have eve heard in automatic music. The tone and expression of the violin and the piano are so perfect and clear that is really hard to believe but that there is the human hand playing..." Indeed, for the price of a nickel, the Mills Violano...
Category

20th Century North American Art Deco Musical Instruments

Materials

Wood

HY: XXX : A Luxury Real Estate "Developer Experience"
By Wolfgang & Hite
Located in New York, NY
“HY: XXX”: A Luxury Real Estate Developer Experience. Own a scintillating slice of New York’s hottest real estate. This scaled set of architectural sex toys that reimagines each of ...
Category

2010s American Modern Architectural Models

Materials

Silicone

Victorian Brass Novelty Clock by Elkington & Co
By Elkington & Co.
Located in Lymington, Hampshire
A Victorian brass novelty clock by Elkington & Co., in the form of a double steering-wheel, one wheel enclosing a clock and the other a barometer, with ...
Category

Antique 1880s English Victorian Mantel Clocks

Materials

Brass

Antique Red Cast Iron Star Mill Co. Philadelphia No. 7 Coffee Grinder
Located in Chicago, IL
Antique Red Cast Iron Star Mill Co. Philadelphia No. 7 Coffee Grinder Star Mill Co. cast iron coffee grinder with the original red paint, made in Philad...
Category

Antique Late 19th Century American American Craftsman Historical Memorab...

Materials

Iron

Recently Viewed

View All