Brownie Pool

The Brownie Pool, manufactured by J. Kammen of Cleveland Heights, Ohio in February 1932, is a small pure mechanical (PM) table-top counter game from the early days of coin-operated amusements. Its simplicity and mechanical gameplay offer a glimpse into the era before electromechanical pinball took hold.

A key aspect of the Brownie Pool is its ability to accommodate 5 to 10 balls for just one cent, an affordable and entertaining experience typical of Depression-era counter games. The cabinet itself measures 20 inches long and 14 1/2 inches wide, compact compared to later floor-model pinball machines.

The Brownie Pool's design is typical of its era, with minimal decoration and an emphasis on functional simplicity. One surviving example is marked internally with the name 'J.B. Felber,' reportedly the owner of a drug store in Eureka, Missouri, where the machine was located. Little else is known about the designer or the machine's history, leaving it an enigmatic but still interesting piece of early pinball history for enthusiasts to study.