Potter & Potter Auctions
Live Auction

Coin Op, Advertising & Carnival

Thu, Oct 15, 2026 11:00AM EDT
  2026-10-15 11:00:00 2026-10-15 11:00:00 America/New_York Potter & Potter Auctions Potter & Potter Auctions : Coin Op, Advertising & Carnival https://auction.potterauctions.com/auctions/potter-potter/coin-op-advertising-carnival-23648
Featuring the collection of lifelong coin-op enthusiast and bon vivant Tim LaGanke, our fall auction features arcade machines, carnival rides, automatons, animated window displays, and all manner of unusual mechanical novelties. Complementing these animatronic and coin-operated marvels are a host of vending and slot machines, gambling devices, masks, and unusual objects from days gone by.
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Lot 103

Indian Rope Trick Working Model Arcade Machine.

Estimate: $3,000 - $5,000
Starting Bid
$1,500

Bid Increments

Price Bid Increment
$0 $5
$30 $10
$100 $25
$500 $50
$1,000 $100
$2,000 $200
$5,000 $500
$10,000 $1,000
$20,000 $2,000
$50,000 $5,000
$100,000 $10,000

Indian Rope Trick Working Model Arcade Machine. London: Samson Novelty, 1940s. Drop an old English penny in the slot and look through the front window to see a recreation of the fabled Indian Rope Trick in miniature. A rope resting on the floor of the cabinet slowly rises up to the top of the viewing space, and a boy appears at the top of the cord. In a flash, the boy vanishes, and the rope slowly descends. Hand painted panels on the sides and front panels, hardwood cabinet, and maker's plate to front. 23 x 21 x 73". Operates on 220 current. A RARE English WWII-era machine that utilizes both the Pepper's Ghost principle and an internal motorized mechanism to recreate the famous illusion. Third party transportation required.

Condition

Good working condition, with a couple of bulbs in need of replacement. 

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John Gresham's "Penny Arcadia"; Davenport's Magic Kingdom.