Mutoscope viewing machines were originally manufactured from 1895 to 1909 for the American Mutoscope Company and a few years later by American Mutoscope and Biograph Company of the Marvin & Casler Co. In the 1920s the Mutoscope was licensed to William Rabkin who started his own company, the International Mutoscope Reel Company, which manufactured new reels to play on both the old mutoscope machines and the new ones that the company started selling. Mutoscope viewer machines were coin-operated. The patron viewed the cards through a single lens enclosed by a hood, similar to the viewing hood of a stereoscope. The cards were generally lit up electrically, but the reel was driven by means of a geared-down hand crank. Each machine held only a single reel and was dedicated to the presentation of a single short subject, described by a poster on the marquee attached to the machine. But as Mutoscope viewer sales became sluggish, Rabkin decided that in order to turn a profit, he would have to sell his wares instead, but there was little interest among arcade operators due to a lack of new content. Rabkin therefore began production of new short films in 1924, creating roughly five hundred reels in a variety of genres before shutting down production again in 1933. Sales remained sluggish until 1926, when the Mutoscope viewer machines suddenly became fashionable again in Britain. As sales rapidly increased overseas, Rabkin’s business grew fast, and he was able to combine his experience as a machinist with a new influx of capital to expand his arcade offerings beyond the peep show business. The first new themed machine International Mutoscope created was the Shootoscope, a countertop target shooting trade stimulator released in 1926. Like other games in the genre, play consisted of inserting a penny into a coin slot, which the player then fired at a target housed in a glass covered wooden case. If the player’s coin hit the hole in the center of the target, the penny would be returned to the player. Next, Rabkin developed his take on the classic fortune telling machine, marketed it as Grandmother’s Predictions, which debuted in 1928 and it was embraced by the public. Both machines remained popular for many years, but Rabkin experienced his greatest success through the newly emerging crane games. He developed his Electric Travelling Crane in 1928 and he continued to improve the device over the next several years. By 1933 the Travelling Crane had played a crucial role in igniting a digger boom that swept across the United States and Europe. Before long, crane games housed in art deco elaborate wood cabinets could be found not only in penny arcades and carnivals, but also in department stores and upscale hotel lobbies. There were even so called “craneland” arcades that housed nothing but digger machines. By 1936, Rabkin had sold over 25,000 diggers, a significant number for a large arcade piece of the era. In 1941, International Mutoscope introduced the driving game that added a lighted back glass to keep track of the player’s progress across a map of the United States, with the player scoring more points the longer he is able to remain on the road. The concept proved very popular, so Mutoscope released a two-player version called Cross Country Race in 1948 and a deluxe version with a sit-down cabinet named Drive Yourself in 1954. Driving games became one of the staples of the 1950s and 1960s, with most either using the rotating drum method or slot cars like those found in a toy racing set. My all-time favorites from International Mutoscope are still all the Mutoscope viewer machines, the fortune tellers and the awesome war themed amusement games. This impactful amusement company went out of business in the late 1950s.
International Mutoscope Reel Co. released 90 machines. (1895 - 1957) - Below are some examples from The Torrence Collection.
1900 INTERNATIONAL MUTOSCOPE INDIAN HEAD MUTOSCOPE
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The rarest and most desired Mutoscope in existence, this gorgeous Indian is extremely original. Original Mutoscope reel as well. Very heavy original cast iron castings. These factors demand much more market value. Operates with the same basic principle of the clamshell. Deposit a penny in the coin slot and turn the handle to view a wonderful short film. The original reel is titled "The Sorcerer's dream". Works on English penny.
EARLY 1900S INTERNATIONAL MUTOSCOPE CLAMSHELL MUTOSCOPE
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Produced by International Mutoscope Reel Co. in the early 1900s. Insert a dime, turn the hand crank, the light burbs turn on and the original Mutoscope movie reel begins to turn simulating a short film. One of the most popular and desired early arcade treasures ever made. The original reel is named "What really happened at the wedding". Beautifully restored.
1910 INTERNATIONAL MUTOSCOPE PUNCH-A-BAG
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Rare 1910 Punch-A-Bag. Original condition and works perfectly. An authentic punching strength testing contest, where each player competes by inserting a penny and punching the bag as the dial registers the force of the punch. Great fun, great competition and a special piece of coin-op history. The collection has had several of these over the years, below are other examples.
1910 INTERNATIONAL MUTOSCOPE PUNCH-A-BAG
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A second example of the rare Punch-A-Bag in original condition and works perfectly. An authentic punching strength testing contest, where each player competes by inserting a penny and punching the bag as the dial registers the force of the punch. Great fun, great competition and a special piece of coin-op history.
1910 INTERNATIONAL MUTOSCOPE PUNCH-A-BAG
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A third example of this extremely rare antique. Fantastic, restored condition and works perfectly. A real punching strength testing game, where each player competes by inserting a penny and actually punching the bag and the dial registers the force of the punch. Great fun, great competition and a beautiful piece of coin-op history.
1930S INTERNATIONAL MUTOSCOPE GRANDMOTHER PREDICTIONS FORTUNE TELLER
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Exceptionally rare and an extremely original fortune teller with historical relevance. Grandmother's wax head moves left and right and nods up and down, her hand moves over the cards, her chest moves like she is breathing, and she drops out a fortune card. Works perfectly, fantastic patina and a really special fortune teller.
1930S INTERNATIONAL MUTOSCOPE WITH STAND FEATURING BABE RUTH
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Beautiful original Mutoscope with the famous New York Yankee slugger Babe Ruth. Original Babe Ruth International Mutoscope reel. A scarce Babe Ruth collectible, Americana and vintage baseball piece.
1930S INTERNATIONAL MUTOSCOPE WITH STAND FEATURING MAX BAER VS JOE LOUIS
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Gorgeous small tin Mutoscope viewing machine. The case, top sign, reel, coin mechanism, eye piece, top door, etc. are original. Original stand, coin drawer, coin door and eye glass. This machine has been completely restored and runs perfectly. Reel is stamped #7740. "Louis K.O.'s Baer".
1940S INTERNATIONAL MUTOSCOPE FEATURING THE CORONATION OF KING EDWARD
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Beautiful floor model Mutoscope viewing machine. Nice original condition with great patina. Illuminated marquee. Original reel is The Coronation of King Edward VII from 1901. Works perfectly.
1940S INTERNATIONAL MUTOSCOPE WITH STEP FEATURING COWBOY RODEO
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Beautiful model S Mutoscope machine with kiddie step. Fantastic original Mutoscope cowboy rodeo reel and in beautiful condition. Very rare and art deco step up Mutoscope.
1930s INTERNATIONAL MUTOSCOPE HOCKEY
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This hockey themed game was manufactured by International Mutoscope Co. and plays on a nickel. The housing is made of oak which includes two manikin players on either side in yellow and in red. This game is not to be confused with the 1940 Play Hockey of the same company because player controls are on either side instead of the front of the cabinet. Rare.
1940 INTERNATIONAL MUTOSCOPE SKY FIGHTER
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Here is fantastic early vintage WW2 themed arcade piece. Always included in the top WW2 coin-op collections. Insert a nickel and shoot 300 shots of anti-aircraft gun fire fun. Restored and fantastic eye candy.
1940 INTERNATIONAL MUTOSCOPE ACE BOMBER
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Rare WW2 treasure. Absolutely one of International Mutoscope's best EM games. Enemy bomber planes fly overhead, and the player must coordinate the two-handed trigger with four sets of search lights and anti-aircraft machine guns at the passing bomber. In perfect working order. A fine WW2 visual piece.
1940 INTERNATIONAL MUTOSCOPE ACE BOMBER
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A true "barn find". Repaired, cleaned, etc. and then kept as found. Rarely, if ever, do you see a working example Ace Bomber with all its original guns, search lights, playfield, figurines, etc. They are always upgraded and replaced with newer repro. guns and other playfield parts. Extremely interesting thing about this particular Ace Bomber is that there are original cast metal military figurines on the playfield. In 25 years, Jon has never seen another like this, and it actually came out of a barn!
1940 INTERNATIONAL MUTOSCOPE ATOMIC BOMBER
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Another fantastic vintage WW2 themed arcade piece. Should be in all WW2 coin-op collections. Look through the bomb eye viewer, lineup the target through the cross hairs, drop the bomb and blow up your enemy. Perfect working order in every way.
1948 INTERNATIONAL MUTOSCOPE DRIVE MOBILE
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What an incredible animated driving machine and very rare. Another very special piece in the collection. A true survivor and works to absolute perfection. A really beautiful art deco vintage car themed coin-op piece.
1948 INTERNATIONAL MUTOSCOPE SILVER GLOVES
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Very rare, especially with this caliber of restoration. Museum quality using all original parts, including both boxers and marquee. A special piece of boxing and sport themed arcade collecting. Polished hardware, gorgeous paint and works perfectly.
1954 INTERNATIONAL MUTOSCOPE DRIVE YOURSELF
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RARE! A very special piece in the collection. Jon spent countless hours making sure this was without a doubt the finest Drive Yourself in existence. What a really beautiful art deco coin-op piece of art. Museum quality.
1954 INTERNATIONAL MUTOSCOPE MYSTIC SWAMI FORTUNE TELLER
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Extremely rare! Only a handful known to exist. 1954 International Mutoscope 10 Cent fortune teller, Mystic Swami. This is the first male animated fortune teller ever made. Insert a dime and watch Swami come alive. His eyes light up, his eye lids open and closes, he breathes, his head moves, and his hands move over the crystal ball. A fortune card will dispense. This fortune teller machine works perfectly.
