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Millard Gumball

Millard Vending, New York, NY, pat. 1916, 12". Over the years I've told friends that I thought I'd never own a Millard, but whenever I said that I was thinking of the more common Millards that are about 8 to 9 inches tall, made of tin, and weigh as much as a baby robin. They're nice machines, but should sell for half what they do. The "heft factor" is nil, and while they're not common machines, they're not all that uncommon. Millard machines were included at no extra charge with the purchase of some minimum amount of gum from Millard; good luck finding that deal from someone now.

When I stumbled across this one at the Chicagoland show in 2011, I was smitten in a way I'd not have predicted. It's not the short tin Millard I'd passed on a dozen times; it's taller and heavier and made of brass, not tin, and has more heft and presence. It also cost more, but in this case I could justify the price. I bought it from an advanced vending machine collector, and he told me he'd never seen one before. I hadn't either that I could recall, so even though Silent Salesmen Too says nothing about the scarcity of this model, and the 2014 price guide values it only a little higher than the short nickel-plated tin model, I think it's much less common than that model. Like all Millards, this one has its coin entry and turn knob built into the top of the lid. In that design aspect and its brass construction, this Millard resembles the Renn'sthat I'd bought a decade earlier, but the Renn's doesn't impress me as a Millard, whereas this one does.

The machine above is 100% original to the best of my knowledge, although it wouldn't surprise me if the decal isn't. It looks old, but it's paper---with which age can be faked---and is a little too perfect. Not saying it's not original, just saying I think it is but don't know for sure.