Musée Mécanique

 

Musee's History and Ownership is quite a geographical  and chronological jumble. Some of the info and dates are in question here. This is an attempt to give you the basic History of the Musee Mecanique. Musee Mecanique can be defined as a Museum of Antique Mechanical Amusements, exhibits and wonders.  

 

The story encompasses its Collectors..... Adolph Sutro, George Whitney and Ed Zelinsky.

 

This collection possibly started with closing of  Woodward's Gardens  and the California Midwinter International Exposition of 1894 in San Francisco.  Both showcased modern wonders of the era. Woodward's Garden was more focused on the Nature settings, animals, taxiderm animals and exhibits. The Expo was like a Worlds Fair with a focus on the uses of electricity, rides and California exhibit halls. Adolph Sutro purchased many exhibits and unique amusements from both sources for his soon to open Sutro Baths, 1896.  Sutro collected everything from amusements to Egyptian artifacts, many were on display in Sutro Baths Museums, 1896-1953.

 

In 1952-3, George Whitney purchases the Sutro Baths. George Whitney owned Playland and the Cliff House at this time. He was another Collector of Collectables. Many of the high end Sutro artifacts are sold off to collectors at the time of Whitney purchase. Sutro's Egyptian collection was quite unique and valuable, pieces were purchased from collectors all over the world. A large portion of Sutros Egyptian collection can be found at the San Francisco State University Museum. Most of the taxidermic animal exhibits were hauled off and destroyed due to age.  Whitney opened his Musee Mecanique at Playland in 1950+/-, showcasing his mechanical amusements and game collection. Whitney, then opened a second venue at Sutro Baths which we assume included part of Sutro's collectables in 1953-4.

 

George Whitney and Edward Zelinsky (1922-2004) had befriended each other early on. Both being collectors of mechanical amusements and antiquities, they were known to trade antiques and items from their collections with each other. (See Ed's Story below). Sutro Baths and Playland Musee close in 60's. George Whitney passes away in 1958, his son George Jr started to sell off parts the Whitney collection. Some of Whitney's mechanical amusements are purchased by Ed Zelinsky, other items are sold to private collectors or placed in Playland's Arcade. Musee Mecanique was condensed into the basement of the CLiff House.

 

Ed and his son Dan Zelinsky manage their collection at the Cliff House.  Dan Zelinsky takes over management/maintenance full time in the 1970's. The Zelinsky Musee thrived in the Cliff House's hostile Basement for many decades. The Cliff House was remodeled many times by the Whiney's and current owners, the Hountalas Family. By 2000, the Cliff House basement is showing it's age. The ceiling plaster is falling and Musee is plagued over the years by the ocean and natural elements..... Winds frequently break windows and ocean/rain water flood the Musee. In 2003, the CLiff House starts a major renovation. Dan is told not to worry, the Musee will have a spot in the new restructuring. This doesn't come to pass and the Musee loses it's CLiff House location.

 

With support from the National Park Service, the Golden Gate National Recreation Area, and museum owner Ed Zelinsky; the museum is moved to the Pier 45 at Fisherman's Wharf. Today, the Musee can still be found and experienced at the Wharf.  Dan Zelinsky is still your host and oversees over 300 mechanical amusements, games and exhibits. Entry is free, you pay for the amusements. Still a popular attraction, the Musee attracts over 100,000 visitors a year. In 2011 U.S. News & World Report called the Musée Mécanique one of the top three "Things to Do in San Francisco"

 

There's many video clips attached to the images below, but here's a lengthy video with Dan Zelisnsky. VIDEO

 

From the Musee Mecanique web site:

 

How It All Began

By Edward Galland Zelinsky

 

My collection consists of more than 300 items, ranging from orchestrions, coin operated pianos, antique slot machines, and animations, down to small bird boxes. Most of the items are displayed at the Musée Mécanique at Pier 45 in San Francisco, although I keep some of the more fragile and collectable items in my home.

 

Now, I started my collection when I was about 11 years old, and that's a long time ago. I went to the Ellis Theatre on Fillmore Street and during the intermission they had a Bingo game. My number was called and I ran on stage. They had a big wheel, I spun the wheel, and believe it or not, I won the grand prize! No, I didn't win a slot machine or a music box; I won five quarts of motor oil. Well, as I was 11 years old and I didn't have a car, I carried the five quarts of oil home and then sold the oil to my piano teacher for 75 cents. With the 75 cents in my pocket I rode the streetcar down to Golden Gate Avenue, an area where they sold slot machines and old jukeboxes. For 5 cents I bought a penny skill game that you put a penny in and get five balls and it goes around in a circle. I put pennies in it and taught my parents and my friends to do the same; it acted like a bank. I used the money I saved from the machine to buy more equipment and I visited that area many times over the years. One of my favorite purchases was a slot machine, which is now a collector's item. At the time slot machines sold for $20-$25, sometimes less. I bought a Charley Fay Liberty Bell slot machine for $25 and sold it for what I then thought was the fantastic price of $200 (it is now worth between $25,000 and $30,000). But that's the way of a collector-you should have done this and you should have done that.

 

When I returned from the service after World War II, I again visited Golden Gate Avenue. In the basement of one of the warehouses I found eight picture machines for $10 apiece, including delivery. These machines have been working ever since-first, for a penny. Then, later, I changed them to a nickel and they received the same amount of play. Later on, I changed them to a dime and the number of plays increased. Several years ago, I changed them to a quarter and the number of plays tripled.

 

In 1946, while learning the painting business, I visited a job in Oakland at the Mills Novelty Company. While I was there, I noticed a Seeburg piano with a xylophone and mandolin attachment. I inquired about it and asked if they would play it for me. As soon as it started playing, several of the mechanics gathered around and tried to make it play better. I asked the manager if it was for sale and he said he would love to get it out of his shop because it was costing the company too much money to have these men play around with the machine. I paid $200 for the piano and had it delivered to my home.

 

The machine hardly played, so I asked Sherman Clay Piano Company to come out and give me an estimate to repair it. They came out, admired the piano, and said they hadn't seen one like it in years. But, they had no idea how long it would take them to fix it-or if they even could fix it-which they would do on a labor and materials basis. I called two other piano companies and received the same answer. I finally decided to fix it myself. I did not smoke at the time, but I blew cigarette smoke and then cigar smoke (which lasted longer) through the tubes to see where the smoke led. I finally got it playing, and it's still playing today.

 

I seldom sell, but I love to trade. I did a lot of trading with George Whitney, Sr.; we traded music boxes and pianos back and forth. I made one trade with George Whitney that I will never forget. I had lunch with him every third Thursday and Mr. Whitney sat at the same table that he sat at for 20 years.

 

I remember he had a scotch over ice, shrimp cocktail and a minute steak. I tried to copy him, but I couldn't keep up with him on the drinks. Well, one time I had quite a few drinks, and I was feeling no pain and George said, "Ed, you have a 1904 Franklin, do you want to trade it?" And I said, "George, what will you give me for it?" Well, I don't really remember the conversation, but I do remember shaking hands with him and Mr. Whitney telling me, "Ed, you are the proud owner of a steam motorcycle."

 

Later, we had dinner again and he asked me who got the best deal in the trade. I said, "I don't know, George, you tell me." He said, "Ed, I got the best deal. I got a Franklin that's running and you got a motorcycle that isn't, and needs repair." I told him, "That's funny, George. I thought I got the best of the deal because I got the only steam motorcycle, perhaps, in the whole world." He called me up a few weeks later and asked if I wanted to trade back again. That's when I knew I had a good deal. The motorcycle was made about 1912 in Sacramento by a man named Gillingwater. It is still in working condition and is on display at the Musée Mécanique.

 

Recently, I received an unsolicited offer of $250,000 for the motorcycle. Now I know I really got the best deal!

 

More photos to be added at Request or by submissions.