Dateline Dayton — Last Saturday I was traveling again, this time with my fellow National Cash Register collector, Howard. We were headed to Creston, Ohio, in the northeast or opposite corner of the state, near Cleveland.
Bob Dale, who lives in Creston, is a fellow collector, a retired NCR repairman. He owns a business, repairing National Cash registers. He specializes in registers from the 1940s to the time when NCR stop producing registers, although he has taken on the restoration of a brass register now and then.
He travels the entire country servicing, selling and installing registers. Bob belongs to a dying breed — those who service registers and really take pride in seeing old registers still in use.
On the way to Bob’s, we stopped in Springfield because it was the weekend for the monthly antique show at the fairgrounds. There also was a paper show. It only took us an hour to do both shows, and neither of us saw anything worth our attention. A few vendors sold postcards, but the ones of interest to me were too expensive. I passed. After stopping for a takeout breakfast, we were on our way again to Creston.
Bob is a super person. He loves his cash registers and enjoys keeping them operational for his customers. Upon arrival in Creston t three hours later, Bob immediately took us to lunch at a downtown restaurant. It was great to share time with him over a good meal.
When we returned to his house and shop, we saw the items he had purchased from a gentleman in Pennsylvania. He told us about this purchase at lunch and that he filled a large truck then made another trip with a large trailer and still had to leave items for another time.
He did indeed have his out building full as well as his shop. What was neat in his shop was that the NCR factory picture I had sold on my last visit had been mounted on the wall. I was pleased to see that even with his busy schedule, he took time to mount the picture.
I did bring a few items to sell that Bob had expressed an interest on my previous visit. There were the bases for the two registers I sold him with the picture and two additional registers. He purchased the two registers as well as two more I had given him to repair.
Since I am trying to downsize, I decided if he was interested I would sell him those registers. He purchased all four.
Bob’s wife, Paulette, was selling roses for the Lions Club. Since it was Sweetest Day, both Howard and I purchased a dozen. They came in a box, and my wife appreciated receiving them. I told her that getting her roses was the purpose of the trip. I don’t think she bought that.
Should you be interested in learning more about Bob and his business, his website is myoldncr.com
Mr. Hennessey may be contacted at pmhenn@sbcglobal.net
