Parlor Bagatelle (One Star / Two Bell)

The Parlor Bagatelle (One Star / Two Bell) is a significant artifact in the evolution of pinball history, dating back to 1898. Manufactured by the M. Redgrave Bagatelle Company of Jersey City, New Jersey, this pure mechanical game predates modern pinball machines by decades, yet it shares an important ancestor relationship with them. Designer Montague Redgrave introduced the spring-loaded plunger shooter in 1870, a mechanism still found in pinball machines today, and his company produced at least 42 different models between 1871 and the mid-1920s.

The gameplay features of this early mechanical game are relatively simple compared to modern standards, yet they showcase the ingenuity and charm of its design. Using the spring-loaded plunger, players shoot balls up and onto a sloped playfield studded with pins, obstacles, and scoring targets. The One Star / Two Bell variant is notable for its single star-shaped target and two bell targets, which players aim to hit in order to score points.

The Parlor Bagatelle's design and art are characteristic of late 19th-century craftsmanship, with ornate metalwork and hand-painted decorations adorning the cabinet. While little information is available about Montague Redgrave himself beyond his role as designer, his creation remains an important piece of pinball history, offering a glimpse into the earliest days of the game's development, decades before flippers or electromechanical features were introduced.