| Absinthiana IV A circa 1900 "Zanzibar" with advertising for Absinthe Blanqui. |
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The brass coin-slot for this "Zanzibar Automatique".
Click to enlarge.
Click to enlarge.
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Coin operated slot machines ("machines a sous" in French) were first
developed in the 1890's and many of the most innovative
manufacturers were French. There were dozens of varieties, some
offering the chance to gamble - roulette, dice, card and ball-in-slot
games were all popular; other designed purely for entertainment -
horoscopes, tests of strength, fortune telling, magic lanterns and
music-boxes of all types. Particularly popular in bars and cabarets
were so-called trade stimulators - machine that encouraged patrons to
purchase a particular product, either by automatically dispensing it, or
by offering it as a prize in a game of chance.
Dice games like this, with their relatively simple internal mechanism,
were amongst the earliest trade stimulators, and were known as
"zanzibars" or "zanzi-bars". Pushing a 5 centime coin into the slot
caused the green circular plate inside the glass dome to vibrate
vigorously, thus "throwing" the dice. This model, called "L'Epatant"
was manufactured by Charles Barrier in Lyon around 1900, and
served as a publicity vehicle for Absinthe Blanqui. There were two
ways of playing - either against another patron, or alone against the
barman. In the first case, the highest score won, and the loser was
required to buy the winner a drink - hopefully, an Absinthe Blanqui! In
the second, more usual, scenario a customer played alone against the
barman, and depending on the fall of the dice, could win a drink of the
value specified on the scorecard. Effectively this was gambling, but
since the winnings were paid in the form of a drink, rather than in
cash, the anti-gambling statutes of the era were circumvented.
developed in the 1890's and many of the most innovative
manufacturers were French. There were dozens of varieties, some
offering the chance to gamble - roulette, dice, card and ball-in-slot
games were all popular; other designed purely for entertainment -
horoscopes, tests of strength, fortune telling, magic lanterns and
music-boxes of all types. Particularly popular in bars and cabarets
were so-called trade stimulators - machine that encouraged patrons to
purchase a particular product, either by automatically dispensing it, or
by offering it as a prize in a game of chance.
Dice games like this, with their relatively simple internal mechanism,
were amongst the earliest trade stimulators, and were known as
"zanzibars" or "zanzi-bars". Pushing a 5 centime coin into the slot
caused the green circular plate inside the glass dome to vibrate
vigorously, thus "throwing" the dice. This model, called "L'Epatant"
was manufactured by Charles Barrier in Lyon around 1900, and
served as a publicity vehicle for Absinthe Blanqui. There were two
ways of playing - either against another patron, or alone against the
barman. In the first case, the highest score won, and the loser was
required to buy the winner a drink - hopefully, an Absinthe Blanqui! In
the second, more usual, scenario a customer played alone against the
barman, and depending on the fall of the dice, could win a drink of the
value specified on the scorecard. Effectively this was gambling, but
since the winnings were paid in the form of a drink, rather than in
cash, the anti-gambling statutes of the era were circumvented.
| Absinthe Blanqui La Plus Hygenique Nice Click to enlarge. |
The scoring guide explained the rules of the
game, and listed the prices of the drinks that
could be won. Although the tariffs look enticingly
attractive, in reality, as with all gambling
machines, the odds were heavily stacked in
favour of the house. It's statistically most likely
that the total score of 5 dice rolled
simultaneously will lie in the range 11 to 23 - and
it's generally these numbers, apart from the
cunningly included 15, which didn't pay out,
resulting in the patron losing his 5 centimes bet.
Click to enlarge.
game, and listed the prices of the drinks that
could be won. Although the tariffs look enticingly
attractive, in reality, as with all gambling
machines, the odds were heavily stacked in
favour of the house. It's statistically most likely
that the total score of 5 dice rolled
simultaneously will lie in the range 11 to 23 - and
it's generally these numbers, apart from the
cunningly included 15, which didn't pay out,
resulting in the patron losing his 5 centimes bet.
Click to enlarge.