Unknown ("One Bell")

This "One Bell" bagatelle is a remarkable relic from the earliest days of pinball's mechanical ancestors. Manufactured by Nash Manufacturing Company of Boston in 1889 (a date drawn from the September 16, 1889 patent shown on the playfield and storage compartment cover), it predates the modern coin-operated pinball era, which is generally dated from the early 1930s, by roughly four decades. As a sports-themed bagatelle featuring a baseball diamond, it would likely have been found in taverns, parlors, or other venues offering games of skill and chance for a small stake.

Despite its simplicity, "One Bell" boasts some intriguing gameplay features. The machine's compact size — 15 by 8 1/4 inches, with a rounded top end — and single large bell suggest it was designed as a tabletop or counter game rather than a freestanding cabinet. A paper lithograph depicting an aerial view of a baseball diamond covers the playfield, with instructions printed at the bottom, and marbles used as the game's balls are stored in a compartment above the shooter (though the current shooter itself may be a later replacement).

As one of the oldest known examples of a mechanical bagatelle game with a baseball theme, "One Bell" offers a glimpse into the pre-pinball roots of the games that would evolve into the modern arcade format. Its designer and broader manufacturing history remain undocumented, making it a fascinating curiosity for collectors and historians of pinball's earliest ancestors.