Late Summer Auction SESSION 2 CLOSING SEPT 21 10PM EASTERN FOR INITIAL BIDS
This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 9/21/2020
From a bygone era, this is a vintage coin operated Mutoscope machine that is fully functional and and features none other than the Bambino himself, New York Yankee legend Babe Ruth on the rare original Mutoscope reel inside. Hand turning a crank once a coin is placed in operates the original Mutoscope reel that projects like an early moving picture through the viewer of Ruth warming up before a game in his road New York Yankees’ uniform by home plate. The frame of this item is metal that was painted black. There is paint wear and chipping evident throughout. The front has a yellow backdrop with “REAL MOVING PICTURES” in dark green and “BABE RUTH” in white and “WARMING UP” below. There are drawings of a pair of cleats and a glove and ball with “ONE 1 CENT” below Ruth’s image in dark green. A gold plated “PUSH COIN” plate is on the base and reads “PUSH COIN IN SLOT THEN TURN CRANK TO THE RIGHT”, “TRADE MUTOSCOOPE MARK”, “PATENT NO. D.74,698 OTHER PATENTS PENDING” and “MANUFACTURED BY INTERNATIONAL MUTOSCOPE REEL CO Inc. NEW YORK USA”. The gold colored crank is below with a key lock below that. There is an attached electrical cord. While video entertainment has developed a long way since, this hefty countertop attraction would still serve as the centerpiece for any serious sports memorabilia display.