ERBU BALL
About This Machine
The Erbü Ball, manufactured by Erich Büttner in Leipzig, Germany in December 1933, is an example of the pure mechanical pinball machines produced in Germany during the format's early years. Little else is documented about the machine's origins, but it offers an interesting counterpoint to the American machines of the same period.
Gameplay features on the Erbü Ball include ten snap traps, a horseshoe diverter, and a distinctive 'Figure 8' playfield layout. The machine accepts two different coin denominations (5 or 10 pfennig) and has separate slots for each. Players can view their scores through a wooden faceplate totalizer, distinct from another known example of the game that instead uses a cast metal totalizer bearing the ERBÜ name.
Notably, the Erbü Ball features images of men engaged in various industrial tasks — farming, carpentry, bricklaying, and others — on its playfield, an early theme that is somewhat generic but still reflective of the era. The machine's design and artwork are characteristic of early pinball machines, which often featured simple yet functional designs. The Erbü Ball's cabinet corners feature bolt holes for attaching legs, a common practice at the time to facilitate portability.
Images (1)
Technical Details
- Notable Features:
- 5 or 10 pfennig per play. Snap traps (10), Horseshoe diverter (1). "Figure 8" playfield layout. The name of this game appears in the passageway between the upper and lower playfields, and is not hyphenated. The playfield shows eight images of men performing various tasks of industry such as farming, carpentry, bricklaying, etc. In an example of this game not pictured here, the manufacturer name ERBÜ appears on a cast metal totalizer in the lower playfield. In contrast, the game pictured here uses a wooden faceplate on its totalizer. The game has two coin slots and two coin returns. The cabinet corners have bolt holes for the attachment of legs.