He said the machine needs a good deal of work. 'This is a 1930s Castle Front made by Mills,' he said, 'which will be my next project.' He removed a soft protective quilt from the latest slot machine a client wants to have restored. In his shop, he has dozens of machines from several eras. Harr doesn't work on any machine that is newer than 1950. 'They're mostly for the homebuyer that want (the machines) for decoration.' 'For the last eight years, I have worked on an average of 120 slot machines a year,' he said. Wes Harr restores such machines at his home in Deer Lodge. They're prized for their colorful history and unique craftsmanship.
But in Montana, and many other states, private collectors are permitted to own them. Today, antique machines can't be used for gambling. From the 1920s to the late 1940s, slot machines were common fixtures in Montana speakeasies, taverns and saloons.īut in 1950, the Montana Supreme Court ruled the machines were illegal under the Montana State Constitution.Įstablishments were raided and many machines were destroyed.
