La Tour de Paris

La Tour de Paris, manufactured by Bonzini et Sopransi of Paris, France, is a rare and intriguing pure mechanical (PM) pinball machine likely dating to the mid-1930s. It is a copy of Rock-ola's 1933 'World's Fair Jig-Saw'; while an exact date isn't confirmed, the upper playfield's depiction of the Palais du Trocadéro (demolished in 1937 for the Exposition Internationale) suggests the game predates that year.

The gameplay on La Tour de Paris centers on a playfield animation in which puzzle pieces align themselves as balls fall into holes. Different sections of the puzzle depict Paris landmarks: the Eiffel Tower at center, the Palais du Trocadéro at upper left, l'Opéra Garnier at lower left, the Arc de Triomphe de l'Étoile at upper right, and l'église de la Madeleine at lower right. The cabinet measures a compact 93cm x 41cm.

The World Places theme is charmingly rendered through this landmark-based puzzle design, evoking the sense of European travel and discovery popular in games of the era. Little else has been documented about this machine, but its animated playfield and Parisian imagery make it a distinctive piece of pure mechanical pinball history.