Buffalo Bill

Buffalo Bill, created by designer Harry Mabs with artwork by Roy Parker for D. Gottlieb & Company in May 1950, is a true relic of pinball's early flipper era. With a confirmed production run of only 500 units, it is a scarce machine today, and its Western historical theme - built around the legendary showman himself - fits squarely in one of the most popular pinball motifs of the period.

The machine's most distinctive feature is its oscillating ball shooter, also known as a turret shooter: instead of the standard fixed plunger, the shooter sweeps back and forth, letting players time their launch to aim the ball. Two flippers and two scoring bumpers round out the playfield, providing the core of the challenge in this early-1950s single-player game.

With Harry Mabs - the designer who had brought flippers to pinball with Gottlieb's 'Humpty Dumpty' - behind the layout and Roy Parker's classic illustrations dressing the cabinet, Buffalo Bill offers a fascinating glimpse into Gottlieb's postwar design workshop, and its low production count makes it an attractive addition to any serious pinball collection.