1955 Buckley Electronic Pointmaker Criss Cross Countertop Slot Machine

Description

The Criss Cross Electronic Pointmaker Countertop Slot Machine was produced by Buckley Manufacturing Company for release in early 1955. Up for sale, we have a rare vintage, hard-to-find, (really nice-looking) art deco-style beauty/antique. It would make for a "great conversation piece" in any room!!!
A slot machine on display is not only a piece of Vegas history but of gambling history as well, frozen in time. This antique slot display hearkens to a time before the lights, LCD Screens, bonus rounds, animations, TITO’s, dollar feeders, and touch screens of our modern-day slots. This classic was often played while standing, not seated.
This small cabinet at one time, sat directly on top of a counter in a small town bar and was used as a trade stimulator to encourage shoppers to indulge in a game of chance. It was operated by inserting a coin and pulling a lever with the player standing to win prizes of cigars, cigarettes, candy and other goods (as well as often—shhh,  don't tell nobody—cold, hard cash) if a winning combination came up. During periods when gambling was prohibited or in states where gambling was illegal, these machines could be used with little fear of prosecution.
The Johnson Act forced game makers to engineer ways around restrictions if they were to remain in business. Following the Johnson Act, you couldn't make, ship, sell or operate a coin operated chance machine or gambling machine. But what if you did not need a coin to operate it?
Bernard McManus of Lander, Wyoming was a pioneer in experiments of remote control. The player pays the business operator who sets up the number of plays based on the payment. The player pulls the handle to lose or win free plays. When he is finished, if there are free plays showing, the business operator pays the player in cash.
McManus made some machines known as BOOSTER as early as 1950 placing them on location. McManus contracted with Jennings to produce JOKER, an improved version, and marketed them nationally as P&M Enterprises. Soon, he shifted his allegiances to Buckley and by 1954, Buckley was manufacturing the machine, FLASH JOKER. Buckley designed the
Electronic Pointmaker (revamped
Mills Criss Cross), it is said,
on his own time. Instead of three reels displayed to the player rotating, three disks rotated to flash the display and to randomize the outcome. The results are displayed by lit symbol when the horizontal fingers or levers pass through holes in the disk pack.
The appearance of the Pointmaker was unmistakable to the player as to its intent. It had the footprint and silhouette of the Mills half-hightop. What appears to be a coin entry plate is actually a push button on the left and a yellow lens on the right. The player would purchase the number of plays he desired from the business operator who would step up the plays on the machine from the Control Unit. At the same time, a counter visible on the top right of the Control Unit would count these purchased plays. When plays are available on the machine, the yellow light is lit. To play a game, press the button next to the yellow light and pull the handle. About half way through the spin, the registers in both the Pointmaker and Control Unit are decremented by one game.
When replays are won, the plays are added to the registers in both the Pointmaker and the Control Unit. Games won are not addeed to the start meter, however.
Players could redeem any games on the Pointmaker by having the business operator reset the machine. The registers on both the Control Unit and Pointmaker return to zero with the games cancelled being added to the payout counter in the Control Unit. These meter readings were used to compensate the business for games redeemed, and for division of revenue. This is a 20-stop machine paying an estimated 75% back to the player. Well, it would if a "percentage clip" were removed which prevents one of the two jackpot combinations from occuring.
Power for the system is fed to the Control Unit. It is transformered there to 24V and 6V for fractional h.p. motors, lights, relays and solenoids. A umbilical cable runs between the Control Unit and the Pointmaker to a maximum of about 50 feet. Voltage drop beyond that impairs performance. A keyed switch on the rear of the Control Unit prevents unauthorized use.
The three reels can be seen together with the score disks. The brass brads on the reels are used as cams to flash the symbols on the glass during spin. The winner is selected and indicated by the stop of the reels and conventional horizontal levers penetrating the score disks to operate switch stacks. The percentage clip can be seen on the first visible score disk covering the slot that jackpot levers would sense.
The Criss Cross lights on a mystery basis with various play symbols lit and pays 20.
This slot machine is unique because you can win prizes if you get a certain combination with a jackpot (bar) in it, you can also win the jackpot if you have the ‘bar’ combination three times crosswise, hence the name Criss Cross!
Manufacturer:  Buckley Manufacturing Co.
Production/ Release:  early-1955
Condition:  Very Good/Fully Original (is missing the remote wall box & its vintage ACE tubular-style lock is missing the key) — Being over 65 years old, the machine was in use and does show signs of wear. Still a very nice machine inside and out. What you see in the pictures is what you will receive. It is still on its original wooden base and though we were told it functioned well in the past, we are currently unable to test and guarantee its operation as it had a unique electrical power cord (not included).
Dimensions:  27"/Height, 16"/Width, 15.5"/Depth
*** If you are looking for a very nice example of a Buckley Slot machine, then here you are ... a superb, great-looking, old three-reel Buckley Criss Cross!!!