Big Ben

Big Ben, manufactured by Daval Manufacturing Co. of Chicago beginning in February 1936, is an electro-mechanical payout machine from pinball's formative pre-flipper era. Daval announced in The Billboard in early 1936 that production was under way on the game, placing it squarely in the busy mid-1930s coin machine market. Its presence during this formative period makes Big Ben an interesting addition to any serious collector's or museum's collection.

Big Ben's gameplay is notable for its adjustable ball count, which can be set between 3 and 10 balls per play by the operator. The backboard's clock-like dial with a moving hand to register each score adds an extra layer of visual interest, tying neatly into the machine's namesake London landmark and making it stand out from its contemporaries.

While not much is known about Big Ben beyond its technical specifications, its design is a classic representation of the mid-1930s pinball aesthetic. The scarcity of information about this specific machine makes it all the more intriguing to enthusiasts who value rarity and provenance in their collections.