Our Aristocrat

Our Aristocrat, manufactured by Kozak Specialty Company in February 1933, holds a place in the history of early pinball. It was sold as a conversion kit — in fact Kozak's first and last replacement playfield — and, according to the Encyclopedia of Pinball Vol 1, its name was affected by an injunction against Birmingham Vending Company's 1933 game 'Aristocrat.'

From a gameplay perspective, Our Aristocrat is notable for its reliance on mechanical components to propel the ball through the game, predating flippers by over a decade. The absence of electric or electronic elements makes it an example of what's known as a Pure Mechanical (PM) pinball machine, where players relied on nudging and timing rather than flippers to influence the ball.

Unfortunately, there isn't any information available regarding the designer or theme behind this machine, leaving some aspects of its creation shrouded in mystery. Nonetheless, as an early example of pinball's mechanical, pre-flipper era, Our Aristocrat remains an interesting piece for collectors and historians seeking to understand the origins of the game.