Pickwick (Improved)

Pickwick (Improved) stands as one of the earliest and most intriguing pinball machines from Pessers, Moody, Wraith & Gurr, a pioneering manufacturer based in London. Built in 1914, this Pure Mechanical (PM) vertical playfield bagatelle predates flippers and other modern pinball conventions entirely, with players guiding balls purely through gravity and mechanical layout.

A notice on the game indicates it was judged legal by the courts in 1912, two years before it went into manufacture, hinting at the legal scrutiny early coin-operated amusement games faced. The machine's layout and construction are characteristic of early pinball's ancestors, offering an experience distinct from later flipper-based designs.

Little is known about the designer or theme behind Pickwick (Improved), which only adds to its mystique as one of the earliest surviving examples of pinball's evolution. As a relic from the dawn of pinball's history, it provides valuable insight into the development of the game and its early pioneers.