Mechelen 2007

In the mean time it became a tradition. We only took part in one fair a year and each time we wanted to show a wide selection from our collection. Our good friend Carl Jacobs sent us an invitation for the Collector Fantasies fair in Mechelen 2007. He did not know that we did restorate a unique and wanted bingo for him. In the past we sent a few Bounty's to the USA, now we did make a Bounty for Carl. But we also made a few machines for a Belgium manufacturer of electronic bingo's. Our bingo's could be presented in their showroom between the new versions.
We selected various machines. And as all of the bingo's had to be transported to Mechelen, we needed a truck again. Fortunately I could make an appeal to an old relationship from the past and we did load six bingo's. A Miami Beach, Big Show, Sun Valley, Bounty, Roller Derby (in the colours of the Belgium manufacturer) and a Golden Gate.
This time no unrestorated and a restorated machine next to each other. We noticed that nobody was interested in  an unrestorated machine. They just wanted to play. No admirers of the restorated items, playing was the only thing that counted.
It became obvious that the number of Bally Bingo enthusiasts is not very extensive and that this group is ageing. When a young chap stood behind a bingo, he (mostly he, never a she) pressed the red button once and shot the ball. After that the hands were searching for the side buttons on the cabinet. Of course in vain and surprised he was investigating the machine and start pushing all buttons on the front bar. But as he only pressed the red button once, none of the features were energized. Than the game was over and disappointed he went.
That situation did learn us something and we did not put on credits on the register anymore. Only if someone was really interested to play, we put credits on and prevetd in this way that children damaged our loving objects from our own collection.
We did learn to know our regular visitors in a better way and knew their questions and remarks. Some of them played the machine in the hope of finding a fault and others told us that they were so good in playing a bingo that a bingo did not have any secrets form them. Let's say in this way, everyone is living his hobby in his own way.