Antiques M.S. Rau | The Mills Chicago Upright Slot Machine

This Impressive Chicago Upright Coin-Operated Slot Machine Was Built By The Leader Of The Slot Machine Movement In Chicago And Around The World, The Mills Novelty Company. Manufactured Between 1899 And The 1930S, The Mills Chicago, Along With Its Sister Machine, The Mills Dewey, Were The Company’S Top-Of-The-Line Slot Machines, Introduced To Compete With The Popular Puck Model By Caille.

The Chicago And The Dewey Were Almost Identical, Differing Only In The Decoration Of The Front Glass. While The Dewey Featured A Portrait Of Its Namesake, The War Hero Admiral Dewey, The Chicago Was Embellished With Other Patriotic Motifs, Namely The Symbol Of Chicago, A Goddess With A Crown Of A Phoenix Rising From The Flames. Known As The “I Will” Woman, She Was Adopted As An Emblem Of The City After The Great Chicago Fire Of 1871. This Deluxe Model Features A Finely Carved Oak Case Embellished With Ornate Nickel-Plated Accents. Furthermore, This Chicago Is A Rare Six-Way Machine, Meaning It Offers Six Ways To Wager, And It Pays Out Rewards Ranging From 10¢ To An Impressive Two Dollars.

These Grand Machines Are Exceptionally Rare Today; Seldom Are Examples Such As This Found In Such Remarkable Working Condition. The Majority Of Early Gaming Machines, Including These Grand Slots, Were Destroyed When Gambling Was Outlawed, And The Few That Survived Fell Into Disrepair. So While Any Of These Early Floor Machines Are Scarce, A Fully Restored Mills Chicago Is A True Rarity.

Circa 1900

28 3/4″ Wide X 17 1/2″ Deep X 66″ High