I remember seeing these things as a kid…and I saw one at Hampton Beach, NH, last summer (in the penny arcade).
They look to be very old.
For those of you wondering what I am describing-it is the upper portion of the woman, dressed in gypsy garb, and holding a class ball-all in a glass case. You inserted a coin, and the arms would move a bit-and your “fortune” (printed on a piece of paper), would fall out of a slot.
These machines look to be very old-possibly early 1900’s?
I saw one in San Francisco as well.
Cedar Point has one of these in its arcade. I always make a point of getting a fortune when I’m there, but last time it was out of order.
Anyway … Madame Zelda machines are from 1915-1920. There are others though, I remember a Zoltar one from somewhere. Here’s alink with other types, all the way up through the 1950s. Which one do you remember seeing?
Here’s a facsinating article about an early rare one:
fortune teller link
Thanks for the replies. I checked on Ebay, and they had an ad for sale-from a company making these things (Bronx NYC). These things were made as late as the 1950’s!
Fascinating…wonder if these things will ever be made again.
They have one with a female fortune teller at Ye Olde Curiosity Shoppe in Seattle. Always love getting my “fortune” from her when I visit.
Moochie?? (down at the bottom) Is there much demand for getting your fortune told by a beach bum in a windbreaker and yachting cap?
They date back to the reign of the Storm King, when the legendary spark van Rijn made nine of them for His Majesty.
Neat-do they still have the mmmified old West gunslinger there?