Pontiac

The Pontiac pinball machine, manufactured by Markepp Manufacturing Company of Cleveland, Ohio, in February 1932, comes from the very first year of pinball as a commercial coin-op format, making it an early artifact for enthusiasts and historians alike.

As a Pure Mechanical (PM) machine, the Pontiac has no electrical components and predates the introduction of flippers by 15 years; gameplay would have relied on a plunger to launch the ball and gravity and tilt to influence its path, in keeping with pinball games of the early 1930s.

Little information is available regarding the design or theme of the Pontiac, leaving much to speculation about its original appearance and intended appeal. As one of the earliest pinball machines manufactured for commercial sale, it would have been a novelty item in 1932, drawing attention with its mechanical layout rather than any specific art or theme.