Camel Caravan

Camel Caravan is a fascinating example of early flipper-era pinball from Genco Manufacturing Company, one of the pioneering manufacturers in the industry. Produced in the summer of 1949 in a confirmed run of 857 units, this electro-mechanical machine was designed by Ed Cebula with art by Paul Loreli. Its title echoes 'Camel Caravan,' the popular Camel cigarettes-sponsored musical variety radio program of the 1930s and 40s.

The gameplay reflects the transitional design of the late 1940s: five balls per play, two impulse flippers, four passive bumpers, and no fewer than seven kick-out holes that add an element of unpredictability. The machine's maximum displayed point score of 3,500,000 points gave players big numbers to chase.

The game's theme falls under transportation and world places, and surviving examples show an interesting production quirk: at least three different artwork treatments appear at the bottom of known playfields, with the game's name rendered in different styles and the flippers and rollover buttons in different colors. The reasons for these variations, and how many of each were made, remain unknown, which only adds to the game's appeal as a subject of collector research.