Early Stoner Theatre??? Help with ID

[mznb1u]

Well guys, I did it again!  Bought another candy machine tonight.    Shhhh!  Don't tell the War Department!

I will pick it up tomorrow.  The machine is complete and has the coin mech.  It looks something like a Stoner Theatre but I have never seen a machine quite like it.  The styling is more ornate, the mirror is shaped differently and the mirror has a light above it.  It does have the Fresh Candy windows though and the familiar woodgrain finish.  And where the Stoner would normally have a row of lights on top of the Fresh Candy area, there are just two--one on either side of the mirror.  It also opens differently.  The top of the front tips up and there is a arm that lock in to hold it up and the bottom of the front from the Fresh Candy to the vending window folds down.

Maybe Curtis or Mr. Soda have seen one before???  I could not find any id plate of serial number but the guts looked a lot like my other Stoners.

Anyway, on to the pictures.

Thanks!

  Tim

[SIGNGUY]

It's not a Stoner Theatre.. I  think it's  Rowe... Still pretty cool and somewhat rare I believe but pretty sure it's a Rowe Candy Vendor... Same area as the Stoners.. just another company.. similiar to comparing a Vendo 81 with a Cavalier 72.. similiar but different in the same era made by two different companies.
Nice score!

[mznb1u]

Well, I talked to Curtis today to see if he could identify the machine and he confirmed that it is an early version of the Stoner Theatre!  Woohoo--I finally got a Theatre! 

He said that you don't see that many of them because people don't always realize that they are Stoners so they don't always escape the scrap man.

I am looking forward to getting this one home, cleaned up and re-lit.  I think with a little clean up and elbow grease this one will look just fine as is and it will be an excellent restoration candidate down the road. 

  Tim

[Pat Pixley]

Hey good talking to you today Tim,
And yes it is a nice looking machine I think I would leave it the way it is
it look pretty cool.

 Pat

[Creighton]

WOW, What a great score!! Glad you are going to leave it as found. More pics please when you get it home.
Thanks!
Creighton

[mznb1u]

And yes it is a nice looking machine I think I would leave it the way it is
it look pretty cool.

 Pat

  Pat advocating the saving of woodgrain!

I have to keep it original now! 

I will shoot more pics and post when I get it home.

  Tim

[sodaworks]

Yep, It's a stoner.

[Kilroy]

I'm saving this page..Pat approves of Woodgrain.
Tim, congrats to you!

[SIGNGUY]

Very nice, I stand corrected.. thought I saw one once like that with the ROWE letters diecut on the bottom.. oh well, nice machine

[memorylane]

Here are a some photos of one I did for Jeff Wolf years ago and the only difference is this one don't have the light over the mirror. Thanks

Curtis Kauffman, Memory Lane Restorations

[mznb1u]

Curtis,

Very nice work!  I especially like the etched mirror with the theatre masks.

Signguy--I agree with you.  When I saw the machine I was very confused because the base looks more like a Rowe but the top looks more like a Stoner so I knew it had to be one or the other!

  Tim

[mrsoda]

i love this machine , it is not like any other stoner i have, curtis did a great job on it, he made the glass that says candy, light up to look like a candy cane

[mznb1u]

Well, the machine is safely tucked away in the basement where it should avoid detection by the War Department!

Cleaned out the vending rack (a few mouse nests) with the shop vac and located a few interesting items.

1.  An orange plastic spider ring--appropriate given the day.
2.  Handful of nickels dating from the early 60's to the mid 70's.
3.  Handful of losing scratch-off Michigan Lottery tickets from the early 70's.
4.  Portions of a candy wrapper or perhaps a newsletter with an odd looking character--the name maybe Scuttlebutt?
5.  A note from the past that I am sure was intended for me that says, "HI Good Looking!"

I could not locate a serial number anywhere but there is a grease pencil marking on the side of the vending rack that says "Russ 6-2-41" so I am guessing that is an inspection or assembly date.  This machine in pretty good shape with most of the surface rust limited to the base and on the feet.  The original finish is in good shape with no noticeable dents or dings and the major chrome pieces are in good shape as well.  With a little clean-up and a few adjustments, it should be dispensing Chuckles and Jujubes in no time.

Here are a few more pictures.

  Tim

[mznb1u]

A few more!  Love the coin bezel!

  Tim

[mznb1u]

And a few more!

  Tim

[RC kid]

Wow! That is cool.

Thanks for sharing the pictures with us.

[Kilroy]

Way to go Tim
Don't toss the lottery tickets. There are collectors who want them, depnding on the picture or the game.
I can't comment, since i collect old vending machines =)

[Eric]

Awesome machine... I agree, keep the wood look... is that paint?... that is a LOST ART if so...
there are enough restored in bright colors, and thats fine... but nice to see what they
originally looked like and keep for future generations... it's latest too long in that great of shape
to be lost...
How did you come across this machine?

[GreginNM]

Agreed, Tim, WAY cool machine!  Inquiring minds want to know where you found this gem!

Congrats!   

[Jim]

Awesome acquisition Tim ! ! !
Looks to be a nice original to boot!

[oldskoolcoinop]

I agree with everyone else here. Keep the wood! That thing is in sweet shape. I love the litte extras too.

[mznb1u]

Thanks for all the nice comments guys!  I found the machine listed on the Detroit CL as a vintage candy machine on the first day of the listing at about 10:30PM.  They had listed one picture of the front of the machine that had me confused as the base looked like a Rowe but the top had the Fresh Candy windows of the Stoner.  I e-mailed immediately and said I was interested and wanted to come see the machine.  Heard from them at about 4:30PM the next day and I drove right out to see it.  I was short on cash so I gave them a $20 and my business card to hold it and they agreed to pull the listing. 

I got lucky on this one because they listed it on the Detroit site and they were a bit of a drive from Detroit but not too far from me.  Just goes to show you that there are still some gems hiding out there!  The story is that the seller's sister found it in the carriage house of an old Detroit Mansion back in the 60's.  They inherited it along with a lot of other stuff when her sister passed and it has been sitting in their barn collecting dust.  They seemed very happy that the machine was going to someone who was planning on restoring it as it was their sister's plan to restore it but she did not have the money or the know-how.  When I mentioned that I collected soda machines, they mentioned that they had a small machine but it turned out to be a Coinco CT-48.  Oh well, I guess I have to keep on looking for that Vendo 44 but at least I can cross the Stoner Theatre off the list.  My Stoner candy collection is complete with a Jr with Gum Wheel, 180 w/gum wheel and square mirror, 180 with Fresh Candy and art deco mirror and now an old Theatre!  Need to find a pastry machine.

Eric--The finished is indeed painted in a two step faux finish process.  The lighter brown is the base and the darker brown is the top coat.  That would be hard to duplicate but I think it could be done.

Kilroy--The scratch offs are from the game that they had in the 70's that had pictures of old cars on them.  Its funny that you mentioned collectors because I am something of a car nut and I had everyone of these tickets when I was a kid!

Off to clean the pontoon boat!

  Tim