Deauville

The Deauville is an electro-mechanical machine from March 1937, manufactured by the L. B. Elliott Products Company of Chicago, a firm that operated only from 1935 to 1937. It takes its name from the prestigious upper-class resort on the French coast, whose history dates back to the 11th century - a touch of glamour befitting the game's gambling character.

Deauville is a one-ball payout machine, the format used by the gambling side of the coin-op industry, and it has no outholes. Its most eye-catching feature is its mechanical backbox animation in the form of slot machine reels, linking the pinball playfield directly to slot-machine-style rewards. The cabinet was advertised as 53 inches long by 24 inches wide. An Electropak was included (batteries were optional), and operators could purchase extras including an Adaptopak, 2-ball play, and a Ticket Unit.

Little is known about Deauville's designer or original design intent, and its short-lived manufacturer left few records. As a payout game with slot-reel animation from a small Chicago maker, it offers a glimpse into the gambling-oriented branch of the coin-op business in the late 1930s.