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Cover Story, Part Three: It's Quiet...TOO Quiet.
The third cover idea I've had since working on the book, and the second cover concept provided to me by my graphic designer was also within many of the parameters I laid out for him. It was certainly a more traditional cover when compared to other biography/history books.
As you can see this cover did have the old 1946 version of the El Rey Club, it had a warning label, it had The King of Casinos in big, bold letters. What it didn't have was any excitement to it. There's no real reason for anyone walking by at a book store or browsing online to stop what they were doing and pick up the book. It's a very good cover. Clean, crisp, and quiet...too quiet. It had none of the fun or intrigue that lies within the pages.
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Almost there. Stay on target.
©Andy Martello and Just A Martello Books
All Rights Reserved |
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It did have going for it the fact that even in tiny icon form or at a great distance, you could still read "The King" in the title and that appealed to me very much. I knew I wanted to keep that kind of name recognition involved since many may only be purchasing this from internet retailers.
Somewhere between the two concepts provided to me by Barrington Design Studios there was a way to capture that excitement and tone of the overall book. I asked Greg if he could combine the two. Get the showgirl in there, get the casino in there, get the warning label and the WOW factor all in there. initially I thought I'd take the showgirl photo and have him work his magic to make the onlookers part of the mountain landscape with the legs acting as the warning label. What he came up with absolutely blew me away and I am certain you'll love it.
The chance to get your name listed in the special thanks of this book is running out. Even a donation of one dollar gets you captured in this piece of history. It also helps pay for all this mess. Go to GoFundMe.com today and make The King of Casinos a reality!
The research & collecting of photos and memorabilia from the El Rey Club never stops! Please contact me at 702-465-5604 or email me at andy@andymartello.com if you have stories or memorabilia to share.
Labels: Andy Martello Author, Casino Collectibles, El Rey Club Book, El Rey Resort and Casino, The El Rey Casino, The El Rey Club, The El Rey Resort, The El Rey Resort and Casino, The King of Casinos
Cover Story, Part Two: Sex Sells
By the time I got to the stage where I was gathering files for publishing I needed a graphic designer to really make the cover art work. I certainly could have used the templates or paid for someone at CreateSpace to do this for me, but I wanted to get someone I knew and trusted especially if I ended up paying for the work. I also had a couple of other ideas for the cover and I wanted to give Greg Barrington as much to work with as possible knowing he could not only get the job done, but knowing he could come up with several great ideas based upon a theme.
I sent Greg my badly hacked cover idea and photo and we both agreed it would be better suited for the back cover. For the front there were some elements I wanted to incorporate.
First off, I had always envisioned seeing The King of Casinos in big bold letters, juxtaposed with the photo that first got me interested in the El Rey Club. That photo was of a run down shack and taken in 1946. I loved the intrigue it could create in the mind of a potential reader and thought seeing such a bold proclamation of grandeur along with the very humble (if not downright meager) image of the place as it looked in 1946 could be enough to get a person to want to see more.
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The photo that started it all.
One of only a handful of previously published within my book.
THIS is the KING OF CASINOS??? |
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Next I wanted to have some kind of warning label on the front cover. This was not to make the book look sleazy or like a pulp novel (although I liked that visual), but because I needed to hedge my bets a bit with regard to stopping the potential customer in his tracks and encouraging him or her to actually pick up the book and leaf through it, maybe even buy it. So on the warning label would be things that not only titillate but all help sell a product, particularly a book about Vegas. In short I was hoping to pander a little bit (Yes, I see the humor in a book about a one-time brothel and my use of the word "pandering".) I envisioned a warning that read, "WARNING! This book contains...Nudity! Celebrities! Prostitution! Adultery! Gambling! and...Mobsters???" After all, all of these elements are in there to one degree or another and any one of those things could get someone to leaf through the book. I knew that the prostitutes were among the things most everyone found fascinating about the story (It's what got me involved) and I knew that books about Vegas always sell better if A) mobsters are in there somewhere and B) if a showgirl was on the cover. This brings me to my last element I wanted to use.
I had some fabulous photos of dancers, showgirls, and other performers inside the El Rey Club. I wanted to get a showgirl on the cover somewhere. I just wasn't certain how it would work out knowing I also wanted the casino in there somewhere. So far as I was concerned, that wasn't my problem. I don't ask a graphic designer to spin plates and he wouldn't ask me to design a killer book cover. Let him figure it out!
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Photo courtesy Nevada State Museum
[J. Florian Mitchell Collection]
©Andy Martello and Just A Martello Books
All Rights Reserved |
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What Greg came up with were two rough, but excellent cover ideas. The first (pictured here) utilized one of my favorite photos of a dancing girl inside the El Rey Club, was certainly eye-catching and capable of stopping a person walking by an airport book store, and it had the warning label.
What this cover didn't have was any real indication that the setting was the El Rey Club. This could be the inside of any night club anywhere in the world. It also was a bit too in-your-face and it had too much of a tabloid feeling to it. This cover suggested more of a smarmy tell-all of some seedy underbelly of Vegas life, and anyone who bought this book would expect something different than what was inside. The warning label was also difficult to read. But again, this was just a rough idea designed to get the creating juices flowing.
A great idea, but not quite hitting the mark. What followed was also not quite what I wanted. Where this cover was too far on one end of the scale, the following cover was on the opposite end, Stay tuned to see cover concept #3.
There's still time to make a donation and help finish this project. $20 gets you a signed copy of The King of Casinos. However the opportunity to get your name in the special thanks is running out. head to GoFundMe.com today to help make this book a reality!
The research & collecting of photos and memorabilia from the El Rey Club never stops! Please contact me at 702-465-5604 or email me at andy@andymartello.com if you have stories or memorabilia to share.
Labels: Andy Martello Author, Casino Collectibles, El Rey Club Book, The El Rey Casino, The El Rey Club, The El Rey Resort, The El Rey Resort and Casino, Willie Martello
Cover Story, Part One: The Name Game
This is the first in a four-part series of posts leading up to the reveal of the book's cover. In my life as an entertainer I hear quite actually hundreds of questions about the creative process. I'll try to detail in full the thoughts that went into the final cover and all the drafts.
I had several ideas for a cover in the years since I started working on this book. Of course, the cover had to match the title and I had as many or more ideas for a title.
After considerable deliberation I decided to go with something that featured "king" in the title. At least the majority of the titles I came up with had "king" in there. "El Rey" means "the king" and Willie Martello considered himself to be a king in the Vegas area. For the longest time the working title was simply The King with a full title of The King: The Story of Willie Martello and the El Rey Club (or simply The King). I thought that would end up as THE title until Steve Fischer, author of the wildly popular book, When the Mob Ran Vegas, convinced me that "THE KING" would likely get people to think it was a book about Elvis and then be disappointed. I agreed and decided if I were to keep "king" in the title it needed to be tweaked.
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Photo courtesy Nevada State Museum
[J. Florian Mitchell Collection]
My original cover design.
A very B-A-D mock-up made at home.
©Andy Martello & Just A Martello Books
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED |
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Long before I found THE title I found a KILLER photo at the Nevada State Museum. I knew I wanted it in the book and on the cover. The image you're seeing is a VERY rough idea I made myself to serve as inspiration for a real graphics designer and to have something to show potential agents or publishers. I love the stoic look on Willie's face, the runway seemingly going off into infinity as if to suggest Willie and his casino are eternal, a story for the ages. I also liked such a sober photo with such a strong title. No King is without his problems and it appears this King had some problems in his kingdom.
This is NOT what ended up as the cover. this was just the first in a series of concepts that led to what you'll all be reading very soon. At the time I thought I'd ask Jerry Schafer to write a foreword, but he contributed so very much to the book I asked Mark Hall-Patton (Pawn Stars) to write one.
Eventually I settled upon The King of Casinos: Willie Martello and the El Rey Club as the title. No Elvis confusion and "king" was still in there. Plus that title spoke to both the casino which I believe was a template for modern Vegas resorts and Willie himself who thought he was the King of Casinos.
Stay tuned to see the evolution of the cover for The King of Casinos!
There is still time to donate and help fund this project. there are still many great thank-you gifts available for the casino collectors out there. However the time to get your name listed in the special thanks is running out. Donate today and become a part of history!
The research & collecting of photos and memorabilia from the El Rey Club never stops! Please contact me at 702-465-5604 or email me at andy@andymartello.com if you have stories or memorabilia to share.Cover Story, part One:
Labels: Andy Martello Author, Casino Collectibles, El Rey Club Book, El Rey Resort and Casino, The El Rey Casino, The El Rey Club, The El Rey Resort, The El Rey Resort and Casino, The King of Casinos, Willie Martello
Title Page Teaser
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Photo courtesy Nevada State Museum
[J. Florian Mitchell Collection]
The King of Casinos: Willie Martello & the El Rey Club
©Andy Martello and Just A Martello Books
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED |
What you are looking at is the title page (NOT the cover) for my upcoming book. This welcomes the reader after a brief perusal of the book (a perusal inspired by a truly AMAZING cover) inviting you to take the journey back to Searchlight, Nevada, as I did eight years ago.
That's Willie standing proudly on his newly built airport runway, looking eager and hopeful for the future. Knowing this book will be out soon, I feel the same way!
There are still plenty of pieces of El Rey memorabilia available for
donations and pre-orders, however the time to get your name mentioned in
the Special Thanks is running out. Head to GoFundMe.com today!
The research & collecting of photos and memorabilia from the El Rey Club never stops! Please contact me at 702-465-5604 or email me at andy@andymartello.com if you have stories or memorabilia to share.
Labels: Andy Martello Author, Casino Collectibles, El Rey Club Book, El Rey Resort and Casino, The El Rey Casino, The El Rey Club, The King of Casinos, Willie Martello
El Rey Club Updates: A Roll of the Dice, a Big Fan (Dancer), and a Good Sign.
I hope you will excuse this long post, but it has been far too long since I've paid any quality attention to this blog, specifically any El Rey Club updates. Some of the reasons for not adding more to the blog has been due to me finally tackling the chore of writing the book. I actually finished the first draft roughly around October/November of 2010. Since then there have been revisions, new drafts, and the tireless task of trying to find a literary agent and/or publisher. While I can't claim to be at my wit's end regarding my hopes to sell the book, I can say that it is TOUGH getting an agent to take a look at your work. I continue to push forward, I continue to revise as new information comes about, continue to find this book a home, and continue to add to the collection of memorabilia. The section of this blog (and my El Rey blog) dealing with my collection is sorely out of date as well. This will be rectified whenever I get my scanner back up and running and when I have the time to do all the work. That being said, let's address how exciting the end of 2011/beginning of 2012 has been regarding new El Rey items and information.  If you recall, I'm ALWAYS collecting items like dice, poker chips, advertising items and the like. Truthfully, ANYTHING that survived the years I try to get my hands on somehow and I've had tremendous luck over the years. Among the things I have been hoping to get a hold of are these rare dice, pictured on the right. I was told close to 7 years ago that these were not for sale. That was then. Some time in 2011 I was able to secure the purchase of the single die on the lower left of the photo. The seller told me he was liquidating his collection and promised me he'd keep me posted if the others came up for sale. Right after the ball fell and 2011 turned into 2012 I was able to purchase the others in this image at what can only be termed as "a fair price." I pride myself on buying items at a fair price whenever possible, especially in this economy. For me, if I have the money, I want the seller to know I'm honest and eager to preserve the history all while keeping him happy to let something go from his collection (it is harder to do than you think). Plus, I truly believe that for all of the times I don't haggle, even occasionally overpay for something, the karma and good faith comes back to me later on. There have been plenty of items I've received as gifts, as trades, or simply at a better price than others would have paid because of the devotion I've had to this project. This kind of karma came around for a very special visit! Right before the New Year began I received a phone call from Mike Madden of Searchlight, NV. He's a long-time resident of the area and his aunt owned the Kaye Motel in Searchlight. He's quite a character and a fixture in Searchlight with many friends and quite a collection of STUFF. By his own definition he is a big-time hoarder. On the 29th of December he stumbled upon a rather fascinating item and remembered hearing about some random guy interested in all things El Rey Club. It didn't take him long at all to locate me. He mentioned that he had quite a few copies of newspaper articles pertaining to the El Rey. He had donated the originals years earlier to the Searchlight Museum and thankfully, thought to keep copies for himself.  These articles featured some amazing things. Advertisements for the "Premier Performance" of Peggy DeCastro, stories advertising the filming of Jerry Schafer's Wide Open Spaces, a photo of the very first airplane to arrive at Willie's airport—quite a treasure trove of information that will surely add to the story, if not my workload. Mike then mentioned he had an original photo of the one and only Sally Rand, used to promote her appearance at the El Rey. You may recall that Rand appeared at the El Rey New Year's weekend in 1960. This photo had a sticker on the back referring to her appearance at the El Rey and her willingness to sign the photo in between performances. He told me what he had found lying in the desert a few thousand feet from where the El Rey once stood and sent me some photos from his phone. The images really did not help give a better idea of what he had found but his description, along with the promise of "new" archival footage intrigued me enough to plan a visit to Searchlight. We met at the Searchlight Nugget Casino where he presented me with an envelope with the aforementioned newspaper articles as well as the Sally Rand photo. Needless to say I was already giddy to be holding such a piece of history. It's cool enough to have a new piece of El Rey history in my hands, but something that in all likelihood Sally Rand herself touched? Super-geek moment for me. He told me I was free to make copies of all the articles for my own collection, which certainly made me very happy. I was afraid to ask, but I told him if he ever felt he could part with the Sally Rand photo I'd be happy to pay a fair price. He smiled and pushed the photo next to me along with all the news clippings and said, "You just take that home with you." My mind was blown! I insisted on paying him something for the image and he just shook his head and said, that's yours now. Indeed it is! Don't believe me? Here's a photo! Apologies for the quality of the image.
My scanner is out for the moment.
Next it was time to see what he found in the desert. He said he had found a sign, he described it as a billboard, that had some advertising for the El Rey. He described it as pretty large, but I got the impression from the photos he sent that it may have been a Chamber of Commerce sign with many of the local businesses advertised. Regardless, I thought if there were some original advertising from the place that survived after baking in the desert all these years, I would surely want it! We drove just down the road a spell and then made a very short walk into the desert. Truthfully, it was barely off the edge of the highway. There, face up on the ground, completely invisible from the road and something you'd only find if you happened to be walking past it, was a 12-foot long by 5-foot tall, hand-painted sheet metal sign, faded and sandblasted from nearly 60 years worth of desert weather. The billboard was framed nicely in dried redwood and what remained of the ground posts stuck out from the bottom. A quick glance gives you no reason at all to think anything of it (nor will my own photographs). Closer examination and you can CLEARLY read the block letters... Open 24 Hours Lovely Scenic Bar
EL REY CLUB
Of the items I've managed to get into my collection that clearly fall into the "this just shouldn't exist anymore" category, this has to be on the very top. It once stood alongside Hwy 95 as you headed north about 1500-2000 feet away from the El Rey, most probably since the 1950s. It was likely removed to make way for the MASSIVE BIG-TIME BILLBOARD nest to the Terrible's Casino and the McDonalds in Searchlight today. If I were a betting man, I'd wager that the sign was painted by Bob Martello himself.
What's remarkable about this sign, aside from the fact that it survived in the first place, was the relatively great condition it was in. Very little rust outside from the many nails and bolts holding the sign together. Some original paint and colors are visible. There are NO bullet holes, NO graffiti, nor any of the typical damage (aside from weather wear) you'd find in a small, remote town on an ancient, forgotten road sign. Quite possibly...the find of the century for me!  Mike was describing ways to get it free from its desert home and had even taken time to cover it in plastic so no further damage would happen. We both felt that even one more desert rain could tear away all the history. I began asking if he wanted a finder's fee or some kind of payment for this great item. Let's face it, no matter how old you are, "Finder's KEEPERS!" can always come into play, especially in a mining town. He just smiled again and said, "How are you going to get this home?" THAT is the kind of karma I'm talking about. I've done so much research, worked so hard to learn and preserve history, and spent the kind of money on "junk" that only people with silly hobbies can justify, and when it has mattered the most, great gestures of kindness and generosity come along to offset the effort and expense. These gifts have come from Willie's family, other collectors,interview subjects, and now from a guy I'd only met an hour previously. Just like that, I had not one, but two pieces of El Rey history that simply shouldn't have survived the years. The big payment that Mike accepted? One cold bottle of beer. While the patina that comes from antiquity is very cool, I've decided one of my goals for the year is to get the sign fully restored. If all goes well, I'll get it on American Restoration and make it so it looks the way it did along that Nevada highway and hang it on my wall. Maybe even commission a miniature version that I can bring to shows and future book signings. Who knows? So there's more than enough El Rey update to satisfy your curious soul. I still revise and expand upon the book while waiting for a YAY or NAY from a publisher that has stressed a serious interest in the book. I know I've had some amazing luck with this silly, remarkable hobby and believe me when I say I am truly grateful. I'm choosing not to look at this recent burst of El Rey-centric fun as mere luck, but quite literally, a good "sign" that this will be a great year.  While many of the El Rey posts have been temporarily removed from the blog to protect the upcoming book, you may still get caught up on a lot of the El Rey Club news by clicking HERE or HERE. If YOU are a literary agent or publisher looking for a fascinating page-turner to release, or someone with information or artifacts relating to Willie Martello's El Rey Club, contact me immediately at 702-465-5604 or andy@andymartello.com______________________________________ www.andymartello.com Like Andy? "LIKE" Andy on Facebook! Like Andy That Much? BOOK ANDY! Call 702-465-5604 or email andy@andymartello.com Andy on YouTube Labels: American Restoration, Casino Collectibles, El Rey Club Book, El Rey Resort and Casino, Jerry Schafer, Sally Rand, Searchlight, Searchlight Museum, Tonight for Sure, Willie Martello
WANTED TO BUY: El Rey Resort & Casino Items, Part Two: The Wish List
This is part two of my "Wanted" posts. Today features Items I know exist and hope to find, as well as a plea for damn near everything else out there.
Items I'd Like to Find
These are items I've seen around, but haven't been able to purchase.
Click on the photos for a larger image.
Newspapers & Magazines
 Original Las Vegas Review-Journal, Dated October 17, 1957
I can't get a high quality scan or any decent microfilm of this issue, featuring TWO, FULL PAGE ADS promoting the grand opening of the NEW El Rey Lodge.
The real HEY-DAY of the El Rey was a result of the remodeling and additions to the classic El Rey. There are great photos, descriptions, and names of several people who worked there within the ads. If only I could fully see them all.
 Original Las Vegas Review-Journal, Dated January 22, 1962 I have been able to procure a high-quality reprint of this photo from the fire, but I'd love to get a hold of the original paper.
 Original Issue of the Las Vegas Review-Journal, Dated May 25, 1951
Not only a great photo of the El Rey CLub bar with Buddy Martello's gun collection, but an article detailing the closing of three Searchlight houses of prostitution.
 Original Issue of The NEVADAN, Dated February 16, 1964
A compelling, but fluffy, and not entirely factual column by the late, great Ray Chesson. read more about this column HERE.
 Original Issue of The NEVADAN, Dated February 11, 1968
An equally compelling, reasonably fluffy, and decidedly more accurate column by the late, great Ray Chesson. This features a lot of anecdotes provided by Chef Luigi Scirocco and speaks well of Willie after his death.
(NOT PICTURED) Original Issue of The NEVADAN, Dated February 6, 1961
Not at all sure what's in this as I can't find a microfilm copy anywhere, even though a few places have it archived in their microfilm files. Lost? Misfiled? I need to know.
Don't tell me there are no 20th century newspaper collectors out there! There are several other issues I have interest in owning, but these top on my list!
Chips
Always interested in different denominations or styles!
 El Rey Casino Dice
I have recently come into FOUR different and otherwise "unseen" sets of El Rey dice. None of them is represented here. So clearly there are a lot of different styles out there.
 Willie's family made it possible for me to get the ones I currently have. Perhaps someone out there has these others available for trade or purchase.
For now, these scans and the dreams of adding the real things to my collection will have to suffice.
Brochures, Menus, Etc
 El Rey Brochure
I'm certain there are quite a few different brochures that were designed to encourage the vacationers and tourists to arrive.
This is at least the third I'm aware of and I lost this one on eBay in the last seconds. Naturally, that buyer isn't returning e-mails either. If I can't buy it I'd at least like to get a decent scan of the thing. I'm fine with good scans of any items I don't have. They all help with the research even though they make me drool otherwise.
 Menu from the El Rey Continental Cafe
Thanks to Sharon Richardson I know what one looks like and I know one exists. Some day...
I'm also keen on finding old photos, newspaper articles, advertisements, and other items pertaining to the El Rey and Willie Martello. I'm certainly happy with photo scans of actual items as well. Knowing the items exist and having a photo to keep not only helps with the research, but it gives me something else to search for.
Misc.
 El Rey Bow tie
These also come in an orange color. I've seen examples of both colors at the Searchlight Museum.
These ties were worn by all the dealers at the El Rey. You can clearly see them in the film, "Tonight for Sure".
I MAY have a lead on where to get one of these. Keeping fingers crossed!
 El Rey Resort Hotel Hats
These fall into the "Never knew they existed before" category. Thanks to an image sent to me by Suzan Martello I have even MORE "new" things to look out for.
I don't know if any other collector one out there has one, but I may actually have a decent chance of scoring one. Keeping fingers crossed. Until then I admire the "Vintage Trucker Hat". Some day I'll share the entire photo from which these images were taken.
 El Rey Resort Hotel Sash
No, this wasn't a "Miss El Rey Club" costume piece, though I wouldn't have put it past Willie to come up with such an idea. This was worn by a lovely lady at tourism networking events. I truly doubt there were more than one or two of these in existence and to think that one actually exists today is a LONG SHOT. However, if anyone can find one it would be me. Speaking of long shots...
 El Rey Resort Hotel Advertising Balloon
Yup. No chance in hell any of these survived the years. the rubber wouldn't have lasted. nobody would have thought to keep one. Why should I even hope? It is my WISH LIST ya know.
Truthfully, ANY items (furniture, desk blotters, receipts, business cards - whatever may have survived) are all welcome.
If you have an item to sell please contact me at andy@andymartello.com or by phone at 702-465-5604. If you simply have a scan or a memory to share, the same contact info applies.
Read ALL my El Rey posts HERE!
For a listing of items I have available for trade, CLICK HERE!
For a listing of items I currently own, CLICK HERE!
Labels: Casino Collectibles, El Rey Resort and Casino, Magazine Collectors, Newspaper Collectors
WANTED TO BUY: El Rey Resort & Casino Items, Part One: Items I Own
CLICK PHOTOS FOR LARGER VIEWS
Many eBay vendors hoping to find info on value on El Rey Casino items are finding this blog. I thought it would be a good time to post a list of what I currently own and what I'm looking for. I'll do this in two posts, starting with what I already have (but could always use more).
If you eBay folks would like to know what I paid for these items you can contact me. While you're at it, you can tell me what you're selling and ask if I'd be interested in purchasing from you directly. I know it is not as exciting as starting a bidding war, but it certainly would be much nicer.
Items I Own
#1 & #2: Two El Rey Ashtrays.
I actually have a couple of these. I bought a lot of 4 of them not too long ago andgave each of my siblings one of them so they could share in the El Rey fun.
#4: El Rey Mailer/Brochure
This one is very cool indeed! It folds up for easy mailing and unfolds to reveal some great photos and descriptions. This is one of two that were available on eBay some time back. I got outbid on the other one. I wish the seller would have called me first!
#5: El Rey Post Card #1.
This is one of three post cards I own
(Two are of the same image. One mailed, one not.)
This seems to be the rarer of the two cards I've found thus far.
#6: El Rey Post Card #2.
This is the one I have two of. The photo is fairly common among the few websites out there with El Rey info and I believe this to be a more common card, even though it may actually be an older card.
#7 & #8: El Rey Poker Chips (Later issue).
These are fairly common. They are probably from after the 1962 fire and may be from a time when Willie was less involved with the club I bought two more of these and donated them to the Searchlight Museum. Why?
Because I'm a nice guy and I'm hopeful others reading this will be equally as nice to me one day. :)
#9: El Rey $25.00 Chip
I just got this one recently. This one is supposed to be the "thrid issue" of the chip, but I don't care. I'll happily purchase others of earlier issue if I can afford it.
#10: "Tonight for Sure"
Not technically something from the El Rey, but the casino is prominently featured in the film. Since it is something of a harder to find item I included it here. You can get your own copy of the film at Something Weird Video.
#11: El Rey Matchbook.
Gold foil (Not that you could tll by the scan). This is one of two matchbooks I'm aware of. There may be more. All I know is that I got my heart broken losing an auction for the other one and I can't quite get over it.
#12: El Rey Matchbook w/Willie Martello's Image
 Yeah, baby! I not only managed to get a hold of one of these beauties, I have one with all the matches inside, and some winning hands of poker printed on the matches. For the complete story of just how I got this fantastic matchbook click HERE.
#13: $1.00 Poker Chip in DAMN EXCELLENT CONDITION!
 Jerry Schafer himself gave this to me personally. I'm more than honored. The whole story about this chip can be found HERE.
#14: El Rey Dice in EXCELLENT CONDITION!
 An eBay purchase gone right & one AMAZING bit of generosity! I know there are several other styles to collect, but I'm happy as a clam to have these. So far as I can tell I have seven different styles and know of at least 11 in total, maybe more.
The bottom set has matching serial numbers. Details on the first pair of dice can be found HERE. Details on the other two sets can be found HERE.
And speaking of dice...
#15: Christy & Jones El Rey Resort Dice in Original Packaging Serial #209
 TOO COOL! More from the amazing generosity of Ed Darling. I can't thank him enough! Read all about these beauties HERE.
And the dice keep on rolling...
#16: Midwest Game Supply "Certified Perfects" El Rey Dice in Original Packaging
 HOLY CRAPS! These are just beautiful and they have the date hot-stamped on the box from when they were packaged (April 27, 1965).
These are smaller than all the other styles of dice.
This design is very cool as well. Don't believe me...
 A close-up of the above dice.
Info about these dice (AND THE DICE I HAVE AVAILABLE FOR TRADE) can be found HERE.
The following dice added June 1, 2009
 #17: EL Rey Dice, Script Logo, Non-Matching Serial Numbers
This is the only set I've ever seen of these. VERY cool, even if they're not "perfect" by collector's standards. I'm not selling them anyway so it doesn't matter.
 #18: Christy & Jones El Rey Dice, Smaller Size, Matching Serial Numbers
These are the same design as the above pictured C&J dice with the embossed serial numbers. However, these are a smaller size, the same size as the "Certified Perfects" above. I am fairly sure these were made by C&J. If anyone has info about them, let me know. Yet another style that "didn't exist" until i got my hands on them!
 #19: Single El Rey Club Die (Circa early 1950's???)
Not the prettiest of my collection, but certainly one of the most rare!
#20: TWO Original 8x10 glossy promotional Photos from "Tonight for Sure"
Will get scans up soon!
#21: Original "Tonight for Sure" Advertising
All too cool to limit this to a small jpeg. Check out the whole post HERE.
#22: The El Rey Photo that Started this Crazy Habit
Just click the link to see what I'm talking about.
#23 El Rey Buttons
 Currently I own two of these and I may be able to get my hands on more. I am looking into their history as they may not be actually form the El Rey Era. Not sure yet. Also, these may available in different colors. OOH! The extras I accumulate over the years COULD be available for trade and MAYBE for purchase. Contact me if interested.
#24 El Rey "City Ledger Card" (Line of Credit), #336, 1956-1957
 This item is believed to have come from the home of Mary Patterson (Click image to enlarge). There is writing on the front and back detailing a gambling story (front), a rather colorful story about a guest at the El Rey, and possibly the combination to the safe at the El Rey (back, not pictured). The bearer of this card (if properly issued and signed) was allowed a line of credit at the El Rey Club.
#25 1961 W2 Slip for M.A. Patterson, Employee of the El Rey
 Generally the collectibles people find have more to do with the items you've already seen in this post. Ashtrays, gaming chips, and the like. Finding something tangible from a person who worked there is special for me. I've been looking into the history of the person who worked there and when I have something to share I certainly will do so.
#26 El Rey Resort Hotel $4.00 Gaming Voucher #1777
 So far as I know, prior to my finding these, they simply "didn't exist anymore". I've not met anyone with any to share or sell and I certainly never saw one until I managed to get my hands on SEVERAL of them. These are printed on check paper and were used as "comps" back in the day (Willie was ahead of the game I tell ya!) I believe these were also handed out to passengers on the airplane while heading to the El Rey. These will likely be used as special incentives to buy my upcoming book. Meaning, a special edition will feature my signature as well as an El Rey artifact. However I can be persuaded to trade or sell some of them, if a collector would like to have one.
#27 El Rey Resort hotel $4.00 Gaming Voucher, Signed by Willie Martello
 This is just another "impossible" thing to find. I can't believe I have this one in my collection. Far too cool!
   #28 & #29: El Rey Advertising Chips
These had no real cash value (accept for collectors) and were used as Willie Martello's business card for some time. I FINALLY got my hands on not one, but TWO of these through an eBay sale. I even know where to find one additional one, but currently it is not for sale. Why do I have TWO of them? Well, one is the Willie Martello chip and the other is the even more rare W.M. Sawyer chip. Looking into who Sawyer was and what capacity he worked for the El Rey.
#30: Searchlight Business Men's Association
(Willie Martello, President...of Course)
 Amazingly, with all the old Nevada memorabilia collectors, with all the casino collectors, with all the El Rey hounds out there, NOBODY bid on this fabulous item on eBay and I won it for a GREAT price. I'll get a full scan up here one day soon.
The names alone are worth some cash, if not historical value. Sixteen names appear on this great stationery and I intend on learning about all of them.
Because of this I did learn that M.C. Patterson was NOT a lady who worked at the El Rey, but rather a man who worked for Willie and ran his Texaco station in town. This is a cool item and I have TWO of them (One available for trade).
#31: Metal El Rey Ashtray (RARE!)
 Details on how this very rare gem came into my hands can be found HERE.
 32: $5.00 Navy Blue El Rey Poker Chip (Large Crown Mold)
One of the "white whales" is now in my collection! It is estimated that there are fewer than 15 of these left in existence. I am very happy to have this one, even if I paid...some money for it.
This one came from 1946, the year the casino opened. I'm keeping my fingers crossed that other chips will surface from Willie's family members as there are not many other types of casino chips known to be around eny more. Rest assured, if it exists somewhere I WILL find one.
 #33: $5.00 El Rey Poker Chip w/Willie's Picture (Drilled)Bought this one at an auction. Didn't spend as little as I wanted, but didn't spend as much as I thought I would. So I'm very happy. This was the second one I picked up in the same day. YES! #34 & #35: El Rey Beer CansThe beer that inspired the names for the El Rey Clubs in California and Nevada! Not the greatest or most pristine examples of either can, but that's no matter to me. I'm happy to have them in the collection. Sure with this beer were around today. I'd love to find out why the Martello's liked it so much.  #36: El Rey Barboot Table??? This one is actually a bit of a mystery, but I think I've figured it out. Barboot (aka Barbooth, Barbudi, Barbut, Barbotte, Bar'Boot, and Even-Up Craps) is an even money game pitting player against player (two players at a time). When played in a casino, the house generally takes a percentage of the losing players wager.
While it has origins in Greece and the Middle East, a little homework online shows that this game was heavily favored by Italians. Illegal Barboot rings are cited among many mobster families (including Capone) and could be found in the back rooms of taverns & cigar shops. It was also played for fun among Italian families.
I'm still looking for some confirmation that Willie's large family may have played this game, it is very possible that it could have been played or offered at the El Rey. It is a licensed game in Nevada, though you'll rarely find it anywhere.
I also have a piece of the planter holding a palm tree, which is really the last surviving piece of the original El Rey. I even took a dried up piece of the palm itself. No need for photos. They're not special nor valuable to collectors.
If anyone is interested in trades I do have a few sets of dice, some ashtrays, buttons, and other items available. Click here to learn about the items for trade!
Read ALL My El Rey Posts by Clicking HERE!
Labels: Casino Collectibles, El Rey Resort and Casino
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