Slot Machine

Slot Machine

SHS1974.1 -Gift of the Shasta County Sheriff’s Office

Artifacts make their way into Turtle Bay’s Collection in a variety of ways. Most are donated by the owner. Many artworks and Indigenous Belongings were purchased from galleries of collectors. And a few were seized from illegal possession by law enforcement. This slot machine falls into that category. Initially acquired by the late Judge Richard B. Eaton for the Shasta Historical Society in 1974, it was deeded to Redding Musuem in 1992 when the two institutions engaged in an exchange of objects to streamline their collecting missions. In 1997, the slot machine, along with all the rest of the Redding Musuem and Forest Musuem Collections, became the Turtle Bay Collection.

This Cherry Bell machine may look like a toy by modern standards, but it was the genuine nickel slot “one armed bandit” when it was produced between 1937 and 1941. Visit the Artifact of the Month exhibition in the Turtle Bay Museum to learn more about this machine and the fascinating history of slot machines and gambling.

Guest Curated by Collections and Exhibits Volunteer Bob Harris.