Exhibit Supply Co. | Pull the Tiger Tail

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When he produced this machine, John Papa decided to put legs on the ‘Tiger Tail Puller’ to make it look more elegant and to increase its presence in the collection. The original catalog photo depicts the ‘Tiger Tail’ as fastened to the floor with four mounting plates on the base of the machine to aid functionality. In this case, Exhibit designed a cabinet that had a very wide base with a narrow upper half and slanted mid panels to take the weight of the heavy feline casting that sits on top of the machine.

 

The use of this machine is simple: the patron inserts a coin from the top of the tiger’s head, to reset the needle. He then grasps the rope, places one foot on the plate, and pulls the rope as hard as possible, making the tiger roar!

 

The Tiger Tail is one of the most commonly reproduced machines from the penny arcade era and it is not hard to find an example of this machine today. Hence the value of the ‘Tiger Tail Puller’ is negligible.

 

The tiger is the largest of the cat species and presents the duality between beauty and ferocity. This exotic beast is the national animal for several Asian countries. A ‘tiger economy’ is a metaphor for a nation in rapid development. The tiger is also well-known for its conflicts with humans. Dare you pull the quick-witted tiger’s tail and test your strength against it?

 

Read more in No Tampering! A Guide to Papa's Re-creations.