Secondhand, GC, small tear to top of dust cover on spine.
Slot machines, nickel grinders, or one-arm bandits as they popularly came to be known, have had a long and chequered history. Chequered because their very design left them open to abuse, and consequently they often fell foul of gambling laws in various American states.
Although the era of the slot machine began in the last quarter of the 19th century, according to legend the founding father of vending and slot machines was the Greek scientist Hero, who invented a device for selling 'holy water'.
Slot machine manufacturers were hard hit by the Depression in the 1930s, although most managed to keep their heads above water by producing cheaper machines and getting around the gambling laws. This book shows some of the many models and variations that were produced during this time.
Packed with interesting information and details of the most famous slot machines, accompanied by a wealth of colour photographs, this book pays homage to the old one-arm bandits - a Hall of Fame for all those classic and beautifully designed machines of yesteryear.
