One might ask why anyone would find an antique cash register something worth collecting. The answer to that question lies in the actual history of the cash register.
When they were first introduced in the late 1800′s, storekeepers were not interested in the mere function of the cash register, nor were they dependent on them. So, in order to be marketable, cash registers had to become “show pieces”, items of interest that would lure curious customers into the store. They were contrived of intricately carved brass and silver buttons, and had a bell that was marketed as “the bell heard around the world.”
Today, it is a rare opportunity if you come across an antique cash register. Collectors consider these vintage machines to be jewels, and they spend their lifetime building their collections. One collector may have a collection that honors the progression of the register’s design through the years. Another collector may celebrate the different variations of cabinet style over a specific period of time. Some collectors are even “brand specific”, focusing only on NCR registers. Some collectors restore their machines, while others choose to leave them as they found them.
You can always find auctions for vintage cash registers and more and more parts for old cash registers are becoming available on eBay.
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