Hit The Deck Play Cards

Hit The Deck Play Cards, manufactured by Field Manufacturing Corporation in February 1932, is a pure mechanical pinball machine from the earliest years of the industry, predating the introduction of electrically-powered games as well as flippers, which would not be invented until the late 1940s. According to the Encyclopedia of Pinball, it is a converted game, likely adapted from Bingo Novelty Manufacturing Company's 1932 'Bingo Play Cards.'

The gameplay revolves around traditional early pinball mechanics, with players propelling a ball onto the playfield toward targets and scoring pockets, all under a playing-cards theme likely inspired by the popularity of card games at the time. The compact cabinet measures 24 1/2 inches long, 16 1/2 inches wide, 9 inches high in the back, and 8 inches high in the front.

The design and art reflect the machine's vintage charm, with playing-card imagery and graphics adding visual interest. Little information exists on the designer or additional trivia surrounding this machine, but as a converted counter-top game from the very early 1930s, it offers a glimpse into how manufacturers repurposed existing designs during pinball's earliest commercial days.