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CHARLES FEY
Slot Machine Inventor

Charles Fey, 1862 - 1944, is considered the Thomas Edison of Slots. He arrived in San Francisco in 1885 to begin a 50 year career devoted to slots.

He created his first machine in 1895 in the basement of his home. He placed a few on location and did so well he terminated his partnership in an electrical supply business so that he might devote full time to inventing, manufacturing, and operating machines.

In 1896 Fey opened a slot factory in San Francisco where he created many machines including the Liberty Bell, Draw Power, and Three Spinde and the Klondike. The business was destroyed in the 1906 Earthquake and Fire. Seventy years later the site was memorialized as California Historical Landmark 937.

First Three Reel Slot In 1898 Charles Fey created the first three reel slot machine, the Liberty Bell Slot. This slot is the forerunner of over one million of this genre of slots that have been manufactured worldwide.

First Draw Poker Machine In 1901 Charles Fey invented the first draw poker machine. Poker machines were very popular during the 1890s in saloons and cigar stands.

First 3-Reel Dollar Slot Machine In 1929 Charles Fey introduced the first silver dollar 3-reel slot machine for the Speakeasiers' Big Spenders that were popular at the end of the Roaring Twenties.

A Pictorial History of Slots SLOT MACHINES: A PICTORIAL HISTORY of the FIRST 100 YEARS, 5th Edition with PRICE GUIDE This publication by Marshall Fey is one of the best selling books on coin-op machines (over 30,000 copies sold) and is a collectors favorite. It has won the National History Award. It covers Slots, and Trade Stimulators from their inception up to today's casino machines. It has 667 photos, 412 in full color.

Liberty Belle Saloon

The Liberty Belle was owned by Marshall and Frank Fey, the sons of the Charles Fey, who was the inventor of the first three reel slot machine. Besides the nations largest public display of vintage slot machines, the world famous Liberty Belle Collection includes arcade machines, a beautiful Brunswick "Del Monico" back bar, two immense combination gas and electric brass chandeliers, original leaded glass shades, numerous beer trays , a multitude of early advertisements, firearms, old photographs, Edison phonographs, and massive brass cash registers. The twenty-five piece horse drawn vehicle collection features two 1860's horse carts, two covered wagons, a stage coach, a surrey, buckboards and an ore car. In addition to the First 3-Reel Slot Machines, you can see the first First Draw Poker Machine and the First 3-Reel Dollar Slot Machine .

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Ken Durham
GameRoomAntiques
please email: durham@GameRoomAntiques.com