"Electric Traveling Crane" Arcade Game, circa 1933
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In the 1930s, skill games, like this art deco Electric Traveling Crane, were extremely popular. International Mutoscope Reel Company owner, William Rabkin, patented this machine. Rabkin was an innovator in marketing and designing arcade machines. He falsely claimed to have invented crane games; in reality, Erie Manufacturing Company developed the first patented crane game, the Erie Digger, in 1926.
In the 1930s, skill games, like this art deco Electric Traveling Crane, were extremely popular. International Mutoscope Reel Company owner, William Rabkin, patented this machine. Rabkin was an innovator in marketing and designing arcade machines. He falsely claimed to have invented crane games; in reality, Erie Manufacturing Company developed the first patented crane game, the Erie Digger, in 1926.
Artifact
Arcade game
Date Made
circa 1933
Location
Not on exhibit to the public.
Object ID
83.11.17
Credit
From the Collections of The Henry Ford.
Material
Wood (Plant material)
Aluminum (Metal)
Iron (Metal)
Bronze (Metal)
Steel (Alloy)
Glass (Material)
Dimensions
Height: 66.313 in
Width: 22.875 in
Length: 21.375 in
Inscriptions
on plate on front, left: U.S. PAT. NO. 1888050 / OTHER PATENTS / PENDING / V024 / MFD BY / INTERNATIONAL / MUTOSCOPE / REEL CO. INC. / NEW YORK on front, center, above bin: ELECTRIC / TRAVELING / CRANE / TRADE MARK on handle of bin: LIFT on front, right of bin: LOCATE CRANE / HOLD HAND / PUSH on coin slot, in a circle: MONARCH PRODUCT SALES / CORP. MACON, GA. / PATENT NO. 3371753 above motor: "ELECTRIC TRAVELING CRANE" / SEE IT OPERATE / TRADEMARK / TEST YOUR SKILL / PATENTED-PATENET NO. 1888050 / OTHER PATENTS PENDING in back, right, on plate: THIS INDICATOR / SHOWS LOCATION WHERE DIGGER WILL DROP / FROM FRONT TO REAR / DIRECTIONS / TURN WHEEL SLOWLY TO MOVE BOOM RIGHT OR LEFT / SET INDICATOR WHERE YOU WANT DIGGER TO DROP THEN PUSH COIN IN SLOT TO START / DO NOT INSERT COIN WHILE MACHINE IS IN MOTION. / (C) INTERNATIONAL MUTOSCOPE REEL CO. / NEW YORK CITY, N.Y. U.S.A.
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