A Cash Register Stand
American, Early 20th Century
in oak and mixed woods with eight drawers.
Height 31 1/2 x width 27 1/4 x depth 21 inches.
Property from the Collection of Lee and Paula South, Albuquerque, New Mexico
Lee and Paula South of Albuquerque, New Mexico assembled their eclectic collection of coin-operated machines over four decades, seeking out whimsical pieces evocative of their shared happiness and hard work. Lee (1929-2020) was born in Kansas and moved to La Junta, Colorado at young age. The family home was a railroad boxcar surrounded by junked cars, and he often came home after school to cut metal, dismantle, and retrofit cars to sell. He met and married Paula (1930-2019) following her move to La Junta in the late 1940s, and the couple later moved to New Mexico to manage and own a mobile home park. They began investing in self-storage properties and travelling throughout the United States via RV, adding new machines along the way. Lee and Paula relished sharing their collection with others and reminiscing about the history of each piece.