LAS VEGAS – The William F. Harrah collection, one of the most lauded collections of vintage gambling machines and equipment, will be sold at auction by Victorian Casino Antiques on Sept. 19-21. The auction, Victorian Casino Antiques’ first since the Las Vegas-based auction house was acquired in August by Morphy Auctions of Auctions of Denver, Pa., will also feature about 1,600 other rare coin-operated machines, band organs, gas and oil collectibles, toy automobiles and advertising art.

LiveAuctioneers.com will provide Internet live bidding.

The Harrah collection boasts more than 75 upright slot machines, trade stimulators, three-reelers and floor consoles hailing from the late 1800s to the mid-1900s, as well as several ephemeral displays from various Harrah’s (now Caesars) Entertainment properties. The collection includes items that previously resided inside corporate offices at those casinos, including Mr. Harrah’s prior to his passing, as well as in the Pony Express Museum that he owned in Reno, Nev.

This amazing assemblage of working gambling machines includes an early-model 25-cent Caille roulette floor console, circa 1904, in a beautiful mahogany case; a fully operational, 5-cent Mills/Hoke “Trap the Snake” three-reel bell slot machine from 1939 in original condition; and an ornately detailed, 5-cent Mills duplex from the turn of the 20th century, in beautifully restored condition.

One of the rarest items in the Harrah collection – and in the world of vintage gaming devices overall – is the 25-cent “Midget Derby” floor model horse racing machine, in excellent condition. Only one of these machines is known to exist, and it’s so unique, even its manufacturer is unknown.

Other highlights among the lots offered in the three-day auction include a 5-cent Mills “Violano Virtuoso” upright violin-and-piano music player circa 1912; a beautiful, black-and-chrome, 5-cent Paces Races light-up horse racing slot machine; a 5-foot-tall, painted, carved Native American princess cigar store figure; an Emil J. Paidar Co. three-station barber shop wood back bar, featuring Art Deco styling with rounded mirrors and chrome detailing; and an early-20th century 5-cent Mutoscope viewer featuring scenes from Universal Pictures’ Beware of Windows, starring Laura LaPlante.

View the fully illustrated catalog and register to bid absentee or live via the Internet as the sale is taking place by logging on to www.LiveAuctioneers.com.

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ADDITIONAL LOTS OF NOTE

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