Description
A vintage original 1936 chrome Mills Adams coin operated gum dispenser from America.
This has a lovely chrome front with a gum decal on the glass for Dentyne, Chiclet’s and Beeman’s gums. Put in 1 cent in the slot then slide the lever to the gum you want and press down to dispense. This was originally property of Mills Automatic Merchandising Corp. New York. It has the serial number 6561 engraved into it.
The back and sides are green metal which is a bit loose from the front. You can see along the top where it doesn’t quite fit together. There are also surface scratches and some rust spots in places. This is shown in the photographs.
In 1871, Thomas Adams patented a machine for the manufacture of gum. By 1888, an Adams’ chewing gum called Tutti-Frutti became the first chew to be sold in a vending machine. The machines were located in a New York City subway station. Thomas Adams first tried to change chicle into synthetic rubber products, before making a chewing gum. One day in 1869, he popped a piece of surplus stock into his mouth and liked the taste. Chewing away, he had the idea to add flavouring to the chicle. Shortly after, he opened the world’s first chewing gum factory. In February 1871, Adams New York Gum went on sale in drug stores for a penny apiece.
The Mills Novelty Company, Incorporated of Chicago, was once the world’s leading manufacturer of coin operated machines, including slot machines, vending machines, and jukeboxes, in the United States. By the late 1930s, gum vending machines were being installed by Mills Automatic Merchandising Corporation of New York.
Please remember when buying vintage items, they will have signs of use but that is also what makes them so unique. We do our best to photograph and explain the condition of the item as best we can. If you have any questions about a particular item, please contact us. Please take the time to look at all pictures.
Product Code: 2108294
Styling: Would look great in any bar or restaurant, retail space, man cave or for collectors of old dispensers or gum machines.
