Vintage Cash Register

Collecting stamps and coins are hobbies that are very commonplace with philately and numismatics probably being some of the most common pastime in the world. But there are some people who put in a lot more resources and money into their collections. There are many serious collectors all over the world who are forever looking for antiques that can add value to their existing collections. You will often find people rummaging garage sales and flea markets looking for items like gramophones, typewriters, older models of telephones and even vintage cash registers. There are also people who have dedicated their life to building collections consisting of only cash registers, from the oldest model of the machine to the most modern-day version. A collector often enjoys the process of restoring a cash register as much as finding one.

Vintage Cash Register: An Overview

Invented by James Ritty, the owner of a saloon, to prevent pilfering by employees, the first cash register ever invented was known as the Incorruptible Cashier. The very first cash register was put to use in 1879 and was known as the Ritty Model I. These cash registers were generally heavy and bulky with doors on the top that could be opened with a key. These registers were completely mechanical and could be opened only after a sale had been made. After every transaction, the cash register had to be rung to open the drawer. When this happened, a bell would go off which alerted the owner to the fact that a transaction had been made. James Ritty sold the patent for the Ritty Model I to John Patterson who went on to start the National Cash Register Company (NCR). Patterson was the one who added paper roll for receipts to the design. The use of cash registers was very slow at first with most shop owners remaining unconvinced about their functioning and necessity. It was due to the aggressive marketing methods that John Patterson employed that cash registers became as popular as they did.

Today, the most sought after cash registers are those that belong to a period known as the Brass period. This period lasted from 1883 to 1917, and most antique cash registers that belong to this era are more elaborate and have parts made mainly of brass. There were supplementary materials like wood, tin, iron and steel also used in these cash registers. It was only in 1906 that the first cash register with an electric motor was invented by Charles Kettering, paving the way for more sophisticated models of cash registers. While there are many manufacturers of cash registers from that period like McCaskey and Hallwood, models of cash registers from NCR remain the most popular because of their intricate designs, sheer beauty, mechanical innovations, and of course the history attached.

Today, most collectors can find these antique cash registers at auctions, garage sales and even flea markets. In fact, the NCR holds auctions from time to time allowing people to bid on cash registers which are over a hundred years old. While many of these models can be found in good working condition, there are some that will need you to indulge in some form of repair. If you are planning to conduct repair work on the cash register, it is important that you first get it valued, as restoring with original parts can often turn out to be an expensive affair. The value of these collectibles depends on several factors like the material they are made of, the condition they have been found in, and whether or not the cash register has any additional functionalities. The price of a cash register also differs accordingly ranging from USD 300 for a wooden cash register to a starting rate of USD 1000 for brass and metal cash registers.

A vintage cash register once repaired and restored to its former glory can be a brilliant addition to your collection of antique items. If you own a shop and have managed to acquire a cash register in working condition, you can also use it for business. Whether as a decorative item or a functional one, an antique cash register will always have people enamored and intrigued by it.