I like weird, old things. Like my husband! :) We have many unusual contraptions around our house including this antique roulette game. It belonged to his great-grandfather and was hidden away in the barn where my husband found it.
Did Grandpa have a secret gambling addiction? He was such a religious man that certainly he must have believed gambling was wrong. Back at the turn of the last century though, there were many lodges and fraternal organizations. He belonged to several and this is where he probably used the game.
The game is still complete and works perfectly, probably because no children ever got their hands on it. A small key opens the back so the money could be retrieved. The key isn't original though as it says it is a Maryland Trust Company lock box key. There are about a dozen tokens which probably were given out to encourage people to try the machine for free before plunking down their own pennies. The token says that it is for amusement only and that it has no value.
I can't find out much about this roulette box. There is no manufacturer's name stamped into metal, no paper inside to indicate what it was called. I like having it around though. It makes me smile to imagine the very dignified Grandpa sneaking out to the barn after his lodge meeting to hide this shameful machine. 
