Unknown
About This Machine
This unidentified pinball machine from Shyvers Coin Automatic Machine Company of Seattle, Washington dates to the company's brief 1934-1935 run, as part of its Spirit of America series. Only a surviving advertising card documents this game; its actual name can't be confirmed with certainty, though partial lettering on the card suggests words like "Big" and "Round," leading IPDB to suspect this may be a converted version of Shyvers' 1934 'Big Round Up,' which similarly features two cowboys on horseback on the lower apron and a Horses/Western theme.
The gameplay features that have been noted are characteristic of early electro-mechanical pinball of the era: a two-level playfield, and "The Great Green Light" feature, which flashes a green light in one of two faceted inserts positioned in the center of the playfield when a winning score is achieved — a payout-oriented feature Shyvers added to all Spirit of America games starting January 1934.
Notable design aspects include the lower apron, where instead of the typical Shyvers 'S' logo, a large letter 'R' is prominently displayed — an unusual flourish that adds to the machine's mystique, and which may hint at a rebrand of the 'Big Round Up' title. Unfortunately, due to the lack of information on its designer and exact identity, it remains unclear what inspired this distinctive design choice.
Images (2)
Technical Details
- Theme:
- Horses - Western
- Toys:
- Part of the Spirit of America series. The only evidence we have of this EM game is the Shyvers advertising card show here. A close inspection of this card does not confirm the name shown on the apron although we imagine to see portions of the words 'Big' and 'Round'. We do list the mechanical game, Shyvers Coin Automatic Machine Company's 1934 'Big Round Up'. We note the two cowboys on horseback on the lower apron. According to the Encyclopedia of Pinball Volume 1, Shyvers' original games did not have the green light feature, but it was quickly added. Shyvers called it "The Great Green Light. The most sensational pay-off system the industry has ever known. Oper ators are amazed and exhilarated by the efficiency and simplicity of this cleverly controlled arrangement. The Great Green Light will come on all Spirit of America games after January 15th [1934] at no extra charge." We infer from Shyvers' description that location payouts were intended with this feature. Perhaps this advertising card shows a "Big Round Up" game after it was converted to EM.
- Notable Features:
- Two-level playfield. "The Great Green Light" feature. A winning score flashed a green light in one of the two faceted inserts positioned in center playfield. The lower apron shows a large letter 'R' where normally the Shyvers 'S' would be.
Credits
Other Files
- DownloadAdvertising Card Reproduction - Large Size39 MB