B.C. Wills & Co. Mahogany American Double-Zero Roulette Table – Southwestern Gambling Circuit Provenance

This distinguished B.C. Wills & Co. roulette table combines professional casino-grade craftsmanship with a rich and colorful Southwestern backstory. Built in Detroit by one of America’s premier gaming equipment manufacturers, it features solid mahogany construction with carved claw feet, turned pedestal legs, and a stretcher bar. The green felt betting surface surrounds an integrated American double-zero wheel, its polished metal spindle and vividly painted pockets restored for smooth, precise play.

Acquired from the family of its original 1940s operators, the table was stored for decades in a locked basement crate before a complete professional restoration in the early 2000s. Work included replacing the betting layout with premium felt, mechanical servicing of the wheel, refinished wood surfaces, and the addition of a custom 3/8" beveled glass top designed to fit over the playing area while leaving the wheel accessible. The result is a functional, elegant piece equally suited to serious play, display, or as a striking entertainment centerpiece.

Condition:
Very good restored condition with light handling wear. Glass top shows several scratches but no chips or cracks. Wood finish is even and attractive; wheel spins freely with all fittings intact.

Dimensions & Markings:

• Overall: 42.5" H × 95.5" W × 56" D
• Wheel: 21.75" diameter
• Wheel base: 31" diameter
• Table height: 34.5"
• Width (leg to leg): 67"
• Wheel marked “Made by B.C. Wills & Co Detroit Mich USA” with stamps 544 and 596; pedestal/base stamped A1 and A2.

Inclusions:
Roulette table with integrated wheel and custom glass top. (Stools shown in some images are not included.)

Gambling in the Southern New Mexico Mining Belt, 1940s

By the mid-20th century, southern New Mexico’s mining and rail towns were alive with a blend of frontier heritage and discreet vice. In Las Cruces and Mesilla, roadhouses along the old Camino Real drew ranchers, soldiers, and travelers, their back rooms filled with the hum of conversation and the rattle of chips. The scene ran largely undisturbed until the 1949 “Cricket” Coogler scandal exposed a protection network that allowed illegal gaming to flourish and brought statewide crackdowns.

In Hot Springs—later renamed Truth or Consequences—local lore recalls small casinos in the bathhouse district, where the neon glow hid the spin of the wheel and, some claimed, municipal coffers were quietly topped off by gambling proceeds. Deming’s role as a rail hub made it a natural waypoint for traveling games, while Silver City, Hillsboro, and their surrounding mining camps carried a deep-rooted saloon culture that kept gaming alive well after it was officially outlawed. Smaller towns like Capitán and Carrizozo offered intimate games in barns, rented halls, or back rooms above general stores, just far enough from the sheriff’s main beat.

Collector’s Note:
Authentic B.C. Wills roulette tables from this era are scarce, and those with strong, documented regional provenance are rarer still. This example offers not only professional-grade playability but also a tangible connection to the colorful, itinerant gambling culture of the American Southwest—making it a standout acquisition for serious collectors of vintage gaming equipment and Americana.