Collection will bring lots of amusement
ASPECTACULAR hoard of historic arcade amusement machines and fairground memorabilia, once part of the collection of an internationally famous private East Yorkshire Museum, is to go under the hammer on Friday, April 23, after being stored away for more than a quarter of a century.
The extraordinary collection was created by John Gresham, a self-trained fire-eating escapologist who worked music halls, circuses and fairgrounds for several years before returning to Hull.
John’s passion for antique amusement machines was triggered in 1970 when a showman friend gave him an old coin-operated game that was about to be scrapped. Ten years later he had filled his manor house home, and the outbuildings, so he bought the Ritz Cinema in the Market Place at Pocklington and opened Penny Arcadia, a museum that housed what was one of the largest private collections of coin-operated amusement machines in the world.
Andy Spicer, of auctioneers Spicers, said: “Penny Arcadia closed after Mr Gresham’s death in 1995, and parts of the collection went to museums around the world, but many items were retained by the family and have remained in storage until now.
“The lots include 19th-century amusement machines, automatons, a fairground stall, escapology equipment, sideshow attractions and other memorabilia.
“The stars of the show include two rare early Mutoscopes, perhaps better known as What the Butler Saw machines. We also have ‘The Man of Mystery’ who will tell your fortune for a penny and we can measure your sex appeal with the Love Machine for just a halfpenny.
“The sideshow lots include a 19th-century bubble-blowing French doll automaton and we even have some of the equipment used by Miranda, The Girl Entombed in Two Tons of Water, who was one of the sensations at Hull Fair and elsewhere in the 1960 season.”
The full catalogue is available at www.spicersauctioneers.com
Viewing is by appointment at Dutch River Side, Old Goole, 10am to 4pm. The auction will be live via www.thesaleroom.com and www.easyliveauctions.com