Zeta

The Zeta, designed by Wendell Bartelt and manufactured by Stoner Manufacturing Company in August 1938, is a rare and intriguing example of early electro-mechanical (EM) pinball design. Its production during the late 1930s came during a period when pinball was evolving from purely mechanical designs to incorporate electro-mechanical components.

As a pre-flipper machine (flippers were not introduced until 1947), Zeta's gameplay would have relied on skillful plunging and tilt management to route the ball across the playfield, in keeping with EM machines of its era. The machine's most distinctive feature is its removable plastic top, an unusual design element that set it apart from other pinball machines of the time.

Due to its age and rarity, there is limited information available on the Zeta's theme or artwork. The Zeta remains an important piece of pinball history, offering a glimpse into the design experimentation of the late 1930s.