Bidspirit auction | Mills 10-Cent Jewel Bell Slot

Mills 10-Cent Jewel Bell Slot Machine - An antique mechanical three-reel slot machine, appearing to be the Jewel Bell model by Mills Novelty Co., characterized by its Art Deco design. The housing is constructed from metal with a textured, dual-tone burgundy and blue painted finish, accented by horizontal chromium-plated stripes and a wooden base. The front face features the name MILLS in raised chrome lettering. Above the reels, a transparent horizontal window displays five dimes. A circular blue emblem to the upper right is embossed with the numeral 10, indicating its ten-cent denomination. The three reels are printed with traditional fruit and bell symbols, including lemons, oranges, plums, cherries, and bells. To the right of the reels is a vertical chrome-plated coin indicator. The reward schedule panel at center is printed with illustrations of the reel symbols and their corresponding payout values ranging from 2 to 20. At the bottom center, a chrome coin-return hopper is set into the casing. The right side features a long, chrome-plated mechanical pull handle with a textured burgundy base. The back of the machine is secured by a black textured metal door with a central lock; a key is present and holds an adhesive paper tag with handwritten text reading 1939 10c Mills Slot Machine. The interior reveals a complex mechanical assembly including the reel drums, multiple tension springs, cast metal linkages, gears, and a removable grey-painted metal coin drawer containing several dimes. A paper label is adhered to the interior left wall, though the text is largely obscured. The machine measures approximately 26 inches in height. The base plate measures approximately 16 inches in width. The base plate measures approximately 15 inches in depth.