IMO-JUWEL

The IMO-JUWEL, manufactured by Max Jentzsch & Meerz of Leipzig, Germany in 1938, is a rare and significant electro-mechanical, flipperless pinball machine. Per notes on the game, it is considered one of the first German pre-flipper games with an illuminated backglass, giving it a notable place in the history of German pinball manufacturing.

The IMO-JUWEL features 22 scoring bumpers on its playfield, an impressive design for its time. The backglass and two large towers on the playfield are illuminated, adding to the machine's visual appeal - a phrase on the backglass, "Apparat nicht kippen" ("Don't tilt machine"), even lights a warning window reading "gekippt" (tilted) when the machine registers a tilt. The game is similar to the same manufacturer's 1938 'IMO Diamant', which uses two alleys instead of the illuminated towers.

No information is available about the machine's designer or theme, but its rarity, illuminated features, and 1938 production date make it an important piece of pinball history that continues to interest enthusiasts who study the evolution of the game.