Standard

The Standard, manufactured by Exhibit Supply Company (ESCO) in December 1935, is an early electro-mechanical payout pinball machine, produced in both coin and ticket payout models. It predates the 1947 introduction of the flipper, so gameplay relied on tilting and guiding the ball through the layout by skillful handling rather than flipper control.

As a payout machine, the Standard's design centered on scoring outcomes tied to coin or ticket rewards rather than the toy-and-mode-driven gameplay of later pinball. This reflects the close relationship between pinball and gambling devices common in the mid-1930s.

Little else is documented about the Standard's specific design, art, or theme; ESCO was a prolific manufacturer of this era, but detailed records are scarce. Its simplicity and utilitarian design reflect the era's focus on functionality over aesthetics, and it remains an artifact of pinball's pre-flipper, payout-driven early years.