Ace

The Ace pinball machine, manufactured by Ace Manufacturing Company of Brooklyn, New York in April 1932, is a notable find for pinball historians. As a purely mechanical countertop game from the first years of the coin-operated pinball boom of the early 1930s, the Ace represents the formative period in the evolution of the game.

The Ace offered either 1 cent or 5 cent play, a relatively common arrangement at the time but still notable. Its 18 trap holes provided the scoring challenge for the single player. What's more, the Ace was made without nails or screws, instead relying on a clever system where everything slides into grooves - an unusual piece of cabinet construction for its era. Samples reportedly sold for $16.50 each, with metal stands available at extra cost.

Despite being over 90 years old, the Ace remains an intriguing piece of pinball history, with details about its design and art sadly lacking. Interestingly, there is conflicting information regarding the machine's dimensions, with some advertisements listing it as 27 1/2 inches long by 15 1/2 inches wide, while others claim it measures 29 inches long by 16 inches wide. Whatever its exact dimensions may be, the Ace is a genuine artifact of pinball's earliest days that warrants further study and appreciation.