When you think of Vintage Pinball Machines, the brands Vintage, Gottlieb and Bally Pinball
Machines instantly come into your mind. Collecting machines manufactured by these three brands
are a pinball collector’s dream come true, and these companies actually were the pioneers of
modern day pinball machines and games. Gotltlieb was basically established in 1927 in Chicago,
Illinois, and its first pinball machine was the table top Baffle Ball, introduced in 1931 and
was sold for $17.50 and allowed the players 6 chances for one penny to get the ball into the
hole. Williams developed a pinball machine which it named Horsefeathers in 1952 in which two
players were to play side by side with the ball getting bounced from the advanced mechanical
horses placed in the back of the box. Bally’s Caperville pinball machine was introduced in 1966
and used the theme of an underwater world.
For nearly 55 years, Williams was the main manufacturer for Pinball Machines, and William’s
Pinball Machines is a brand that all pinball players are very well aware of. The first machine
they launched in 1944 was the Zingo, and their last machine was the Star Wars: Episode I which
was released in 1999. All Pinball players have an emotional connection with the pinball machines
manufactured by Williams, and they are a favorite choice for collectors. Williams also released
the Gusher Pinball Machine in 1958, and was made entirely of wood, and was the first pinball machine manufactured by William’s which had a disappearing jet bumper. The High Speed Pinball machine is another great work of William’s, and is very easily available in the market today containing a red light placed on the top which flashes when you win the game by escaping from the police. William’s also released a newer model of the game by the name of High Speed 2. The Gusher by Williams in the end is one of best known Vintage Pinball Machines today.Gottlieb was one of the most famous pinball manufacturers, and was founded in 1927 by David Gottlieb, and made its first mechanical pinball tables in 1935 and its solid state tables during the late 1970s. It stopped the manufacturing of pinball machines in 1984 after it was taken over by Coca Cola and went into a loss. Its most popular game was the Baffle Ball which was released in 1931, and is known as the first official pinball machine, which was made by David Gottlieb himself.
Bally started manufacturing pinball machines in 1932 and its first pinball machine was the
Ballyhoo, and the brand was founded by Raymond Moloney, and the company quickly became very
famous for its pinball machines worldwide, and the brand continues to define high quality
vintage pinball machines. After the death of its founder, the company suffered financial
problems and was purchased by a new group of investors who gave the company a new direction.
Vintage Pinball Machines manufactured by Williams, Gottlieb and Bally have developed a very
deep hearted connection between pinball machines, their collectors and also those who have
enjoyed a game of pinball using them.