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BER911 
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Joined: Aug 04 2018 Location: Central VA Status: Offline Points: 314 |
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 Topic: Rock OlaPosted: Dec 06 2018 at 9:48pm |
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I am in Raleigh, NC for a couple days attending the Raleigh Antique & Collector Car Auction.
They have a category called "Memorabilia" which includes slot machines, bubble gum machines, neon gas station signs and jukeboxes. What to my surprise did I discover...a real Rock Ola jukebox that will go on the auction block on Saturday morning. The way I look at this is if you own a Rock Ola carbine, you must have a Rock Ola jukebox to keep it company. It will be interesting to me to see what it sells for at auction. My credit card is ready!   |
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Semper Fi, Bruce
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New2brass
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Dan Pinto, Photo Editor Joined: Nov 29 2015 Location: CT Status: Offline Points: 4657 |
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Posted: Dec 06 2018 at 11:16pm |
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LMTmonoMan
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Posted: Dec 06 2018 at 11:44pm |
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I hope you win it, and good luck!
Rockola carbines are the coolest in my book...and are so representative of the carbine story. I think it's cool how many of the carbine contractors were from such unrelated firearms industries like making jukeboxes, typewriters, or business machines, etc. |
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BER911
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Posted: Dec 07 2018 at 8:24am |
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I love learning about the various companies that made our great carbines. Rock Ola is a fascinating company and to own one small piece of their war-time production is a great feeling.
Thanks Dan for the link to more Rock Ola history! |
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Semper Fi, Bruce
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painter777
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Joined: Feb 18 2016 Location: Central MI Status: Offline Points: 1718 |
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Posted: Dec 07 2018 at 5:42pm |
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Did you know:
David Rockola used the same lawyer that John Dillinger used. Worked out better for Rockola than it did for Dillinger. Attorney Louis Piquette. I posted back in 2011 about Rockola on Milsurps, titled: Interesting Old News About Rockola........ David Cullen Rockola lived to the age of 96. Passing away the 25th of January 1993 In an interview in the mid 80's he noted that he felt Pin ball machines might go out of style but that music would forever be loved. In the early days, The coin-operated jukebox, a key improvement over the noncoin variety, was devised in Chicago in 1934 by David Rockola. Before his breakthrough, Rockola was employed as a slot machine inspector for the Syndicate-infiltrated O. D. Jennings slot machine manufacturing company. It was later found that Jennings had shipped thousands of his slot machines to New York Commission member Frank Costello, who had in turn flooded Southern states such as Louisiana with Jennings’ contraption. Rockola was charged in 1929 in a huge slot machine scandal, wherein he freely admitted his involvement with gangsters, corrupt politicians, and police. Although acknowledging that he had made numerous payoffs, Rockola escaped prison by cutting a deal in which he would implicate his boss, James “High Pockets” O’Brien. Now, in 1934, Rockola’s new device provided gangs an easy way to skim money: Since no one could prove how many nickels were inserted, the owner of the machine could siphon off any amount of pretax lucre he desired. In 1934, Rockola opened the Rock-Ola Manufacturing Company, employing thirty-two hundred workers, and covering four city blocks on Chicago’s North Kedzie Avenue. Not only did his machines take coins and play more selections, but they were priced at $198, $52 cheaper than his competitors’ versions. As will be seen, the Outfit became the largest purchaser of “jukes” in furtherance of its rackets, Under Crime boss Mooney’s guidance, the jukebox racket provided a pleasant surprise for the Outfit (Gang), reaping huge profits for decades to come. Managers of up and coming musicians were known to bribe Organised crime so their records would be placed on the Jukeboxes. Whispers of many early stars careers took off after so. Again seeing another angle at income records were soon being counterfeit. David Rockola was never allowed to install a Jukebox in his personal home even though when building it, they had pre-wired for ceiling speakers. Davids wife Margaret said "You've got enough jukeboxes at the factory. We don't need one here."
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Living Free because of those that serve.....
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LMTmonoMan
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Posted: Dec 07 2018 at 5:56pm |
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That's crazy....ole' David Rockola sounds like he was cut from the same cloth as Carbine Williams.
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painter777
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Posted: Dec 07 2018 at 6:39pm |
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Found this about the family:
The Rockola family lived near Virden, Manitoba, Canada in the early 20th century after George A. Rockola, a Russian immigrant came from Byelorussia to McCauley in the 1890’s.
He was an avid inventor and Blacksmith holding in 1906 the Patent on a double stroke pump. David was born in Virden on 22nd January, 1897. His parents separated, David and three of his four brothers moved with their mother to Virden where they built the house they lived in. When David was fourteen his mother died so he left home, and travelled across Canada taking various jobs, including a mechanic in a vending machine factory. In 1919 he was manager of a cigar store in Chicago where he became familiar with a coin operated machine. When he was in his 20’s he started the Rock-Ola Manufacturing Company |
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Living Free because of those that serve.....
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Grendl
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Posted: Dec 07 2018 at 6:49pm |
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I just spent the last hour going down that hole. Fascinating,
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painter777
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Posted: Dec 07 2018 at 7:29pm |
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Left: David C Rockola and Attorney Louis Piquette 1929
Piquette had quite the colorful career. From Wiki... (Digested version) In the early 1920s he was appointed Chicago city prosecutor by the Mayor. He was indicted in 1923 on corruption charges, which were subsequently dropped. By the Summer of 1923 Piquett was in private practice in Chicago..... Now a Defense lawyer. In 1934 Piquett defended Dillinger in Crown Point, Indiana. He successfully argued that Dillinger should be allowed to appear in court free of shackles and without armed guards present. After Dillinger's dramatic pre-trial escape, an investigation by the state of Indiana revealed Piquett's complicity. In January 1935, Piquett was charged with harboring the fugitive Dillinger and of conspiring with a number of others, including two doctors, to hide Dillinger while he underwent plastic surgery. He was acquitted after less than four hours of deliberation. During this trial he was called "the brains of the Dillinger mob." In May 1935 he was convicted of harboring a Dillinger associate Homer Van Meter, fined $10,000, and served time in the United States Penitentiary, Leavenworth. Piquett appealed his sentence all the way up to the Supreme Court, which denied Review in 1936. He was pardoned for this crime in 1951 by President Truman. Piquette died in 1951.  Maybe just me, but looking at Rockola reminds me of 'The Bookkeeper' in the movie The Untouchables, who Kevin Costner and his fellow G men were trying to catch, so they could turn the tide on Capone.... played by Robert De niro. "The Chicago Way" Just some Tid Bits I hope you find interesting ........... Cheers, Charlie-Painter777 |
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Living Free because of those that serve.....
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LMTmonoMan
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Posted: Dec 07 2018 at 8:08pm |
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Great information Charlie...appreciate it for sure! I already wanted a Rockola bad enough before your great history lesson, now even more so.
It's best to remember..."the greatest good" saying when learning about some of these gentlemen, and their contribution to the WWII effort. I agree about David Rockola looking like a preppy gangster...the glasses aren't fooling anybody, especially when your standing next to the definition of prohibition era gangster 
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BER911
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Posted: Dec 08 2018 at 1:42pm |
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The 1947 Rock Ola jukebox sold for $5700. It was a nice piece, but a bit more than I wanted to pay.
I’ll just enjoy my Rock Ola Carbine. 😊 |
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Semper Fi, Bruce
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W5USMC
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Posted: Dec 08 2018 at 6:55pm |
I had a feeling that the jukebox was going to go pretty high. As far as your comment above, my thought is if you own a Rock Ola Carbine, you need another Rock Ola Carbine to keep it company! One is nice but two is better! |
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Wayne
USMC Retired NRA Life Member |
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painter777
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Posted: Dec 08 2018 at 11:16pm |
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How about one of the table top controller models ?
Much cheaper, takes up less room..... I'm often Warned about collection 'Overflow' by the Wife... They also have these Wipod 3 converted (sp?) models that play music from a IPod, That extra $5k~ saved could come in handy. Cheers, CH-P777
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Living Free because of those that serve.....
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BER911
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Posted: Dec 09 2018 at 10:03am |
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"That extra $5k~ saved could come in handy."
Not a bad idea. The extra $5k could probably buy a couple nice Rock-Ola carbines.  |
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Semper Fi, Bruce
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BER911
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Posted: Dec 09 2018 at 10:05am |
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"I had a feeling that the jukebox was going to go pretty high. As far as your comment above, my thought is if you own a Rock Ola Carbine, you need another Rock Ola Carbine to keep it company! One is nice but two is better!"
I like the way you think Wayne! Just might have to send Santa a note.  |
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Semper Fi, Bruce
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RClark9595
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Posted: Dec 14 2018 at 9:22am |
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I think every mancave deserves a Rock-Ola it just sets the right mood.
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Ron
USAF 4535 CCTS F4 Combat Crew Training Vietnam era Vet. |
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BER911
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Posted: Dec 14 2018 at 10:23am |
Yes they do Ron. Maybe someday. They sold two other Rock-Ola items at the auction (no pictures though). There was a weight scale like you used to see in the old corner drug store. Drop in a penny, step on and weigh yourself. It went for $1800. New2brass put a link to traditional Rock-Ola items in his post above. There is a picture of the lowboy scale in that link. There was also a tabletop Rock-Ola jukebox. Unfortunately, it sold while I was in another building looking at some cars, but I did see it after it sold. It was nice, but I would prefer the full size jukebox like the one pictured above. To many treasures to buy, so little money!
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Semper Fi, Bruce
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WJH1958
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Posted: Dec 22 2018 at 9:37pm |
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I have a reproduction Rock Ola that plays CD's and paid about $5K 10 yrs ago - I believe the one your looking at is from the 40's and guessing it will go between $4500 to $6500 but I could be way off but good luck hope you get it for sure - It'll make you smile every time you look at it!
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WJH
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BER911
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Posted: Dec 23 2018 at 8:51am |
You do know your Rock-Ola jukeboxes! The one pictured above was a 1947 model and it sold for $5700. It did not come home with me. Merry Christmas! |
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Semper Fi, Bruce
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WJH1958
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Posted: Dec 23 2018 at 1:55pm |
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Thanks Bruce, for some reason i didn't or wasn't able to see the other post or I guess I would have known more about your trip - i'm new and still learning how to navigate the site - i'm looking for an Inland Paratrooper if you know of any - Thanks
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WJH
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BER911 wrote: