C.O.C.A. Holds Tenth Annual National Convention in Boston, Mass.
August is always a great time to visit New England, and this year was no exception as more than 95 members gathered in Boston, Massachusetts for COCA’s tenth annual convention. What was started when a small group of COCA members organized the first convention in Cleveland, Ohio in 2004, is now a highly anticipated annual event for many of our members. While there were many familiar faces from past conventions in attendance, 20 members were attending the convention for their first time.
When the registration time scheduled for Thursday evening came, the lobby of the Crowne Plaza quickly filled with members eager to pick up their credentials and proceed to the rooms of several members who brought items for room to room selling. A silent auction of a large collection of trade publications, flyers, magazines, and out of print books donated to COCA by Mel and Anne G. was also held with proceeds benefiting the club.
Unlike in previous years, this year’s convention was expanded to include a full day of events on Friday. Busses were boarded Friday morning for a scenic ride to Hartford, Connecticut, ending at our first stop, lunch at Black Eyed Sally’s, a local favorite BBQ restaurant in the downtown area. Following lunch and a short ride to the home of Arnold and Sandra C., we were ready to tour our first collection.
The tour began with the entire group seated in the 103-seat theater for a short presentation by Arnold explaining how he began collecting coin operated and mechanical music machines. Our group was encouraged to enjoy all of the machines in this incredible collection, not just by viewing, but also playing these marvelous machines.{image_4}{image_2}{image_6}
Music was non-stop in the two-story music room as Jack B. assisted with demonstrating the wonderful collection of band organs, orchestrions, and mechanical music machines. A favorite of many in the group was the animated Decap Robot Organ which was played multiple times. The arcade collection featured machines from the cast iron era, including Mutoscopes and strength testers, a room of English arcade machines featuring several Working Models, and an extensive collection of mechanical and electro-mechanical arcade games dating from the 1920’s to the end of the electro-mechanical era.
All of the machines were lit and operational for our conventioneers to enjoy, and enjoy they did as the sounds of pinballs and arcade games emanating from the huge arcade room were reminiscent of the bustling arcades of a bygone era. One machine that drew a lot of interest was the Mold-A-Rama, a 1960’s coin operated machine that molds a souvenir plastic toy in seconds as you watch. Several members were seen carrying freshly molded rockets as they toured the collection.
A short ride to Bolton, Connecticut brought us to our dinner stop, Georgina’s Restaurant and Banquet Hall, for a nice buffet dinner before the ride back to Natick. Friday was quite a first day, but it was just the beginning of a great convention.
Saturday morning began with a tour of the collection of Mike and Carol G., a diverse collection wonderfully displayed throughout their home, featuring early floor model penny arcade machines, early gambling machines, vending, and service machines. The emphasis on figural cast iron was evident with excellent examples of early strength machines, such as a Howard Uncle Sam, a Mickey Finn, and a Tiger’s Tail Puller, as well as many other great figural items.{image_1}
Along with the great arcade collection, there was also a wonderful collection of advertising filling every available space within their home. With salesman’s samples, early tin litho and reverse painted glass signs featuring tobacco, beer, and whiskey, trade signs, and folk art pieces, as well as Boston related items, it was a fascinating collection that Mike and Carol have put together.
After viewing Mike and Carol’s collection, it was time for lunch at Blue Ginger, Celebrity Chef Ming Tsai’s award winning restaurant in nearby Wellesley, Massachusetts. Following the delicious buffet lunch, it was on to the home of Ken and Sandy G. to view their wonderful collection of orchestrions, music boxes, automata, slot machines, and items related to the time of the orchestrions.
With the collection displayed in multiple rooms within their home, Ken, Sandy, and their son Alex, all participated in demonstrating the music machines, explaining their workings and histories, and answering questions. The large music room was the focal point for the collection with rare mechanical music machines lining the room, a loft dedicated to the gambling and arcade machines, as well as a group of carrousel animals, and a fine collection of rare advertising signs and posters displayed on the walls.
{image_3} Ken’s interesting stories of how he acquired many of the music machines provided insight into how he built this marvelous collection, and the chance to hear these rare machines play their beautiful music was priceless. A real treat was getting to watch the intricate movements of several automata in his world class collection as Ken narrated the stories of these rare mechanical marvels.
Then it was back to the hotel for a little rest and a quick change to get ready for the Saturday evening event, a Boston Harbor dinner cruise aboard the Spirit of Boston. The weather was perfect as we boarded for what was a really fun evening. With the buffet dinner served as soon as the boat left port, there was plenty of time following dinner to party on the dance floor, mingle with fellow conventioneers, or just relax enjoying the beautiful lights of the Boston skyline.
{image_5}Sunday brought the close of the convention, but not before a visit to the home of Julius and Patty S. to view their fun collection of everything coin-op and more. With slot machines, trade stimulators, vending machines, arcade pieces, pinballs, and jukeboxes, there was plenty of coin-op to view.
Their game room, with nice examples of a Basketball Champ, Evans Bowler, Williams Ten Pins, a full size Skeeball machine, diggers and some modern pinball machines was definitely laid out with some fun evenings in mind. The collection also includes a full-size soda fountain and a great collection of soda fountain collectibles. Julius also set out some items for sale in the garage, and several members left with new treasures in hand.
Now that the 10th annual COCA Convention is behind us, planning is underway for next year’s convention in the Boca Raton/Fort Lauderdale area of Florida. Dates have not been set, and there are still a lot of details to be worked out, so watch for future announcements as plans are finalized. Hope to see you there!
Submitted By Doug Cain VIEW THE BOSTON CONVENTION PHOTO GALLERY HERE
