Old Orchard

Old Orchard, manufactured by the Automatic Amusements Company of Los Angeles in April 1932, is an early example of a Pure Mechanical (PM) pinball machine — a category defined by manual, gravity-driven play with no electrical components. Games from this brief window in pinball's early history offer a glimpse of the industry before flippers or electro-mechanical scoring existed.

Little is known about Old Orchard's specific mechanics or rules, but its PM classification means play relied entirely on a plunger, pins, and gravity, without motors, relays, or lights — features that would arrive with the electro-mechanical era later in the decade.

As a product of the short-lived Automatic Amusements Company (active 1932-1935), Old Orchard offers some insight into the design and manufacturing landscape of very early West Coast pinball. Unfortunately, no information survives about its theme, artwork, or gameplay specifics, leaving its primary significance rooted in its place within pinball's earliest mechanical era.