The Silver King

The Silver King, manufactured by Standard Amusement Co., Inc. of Beaumont, Texas in October 1932, is an early example of a Pure Mechanical (PM) pinball machine, designed by Charles A. Toce and Glenn D. Fleak. It predates flippers entirely -- those would not be introduced to pinball until 1947 -- so play relied purely on mechanical elements like plungers, pins, and gravity to guide the ball.

The game spawned a small family of related titles: a two-player version, 'The Silver King Twins,' and a smaller two-player variant, 'The Silver King Twins Junior.' Beyond its mechanical construction, little specific detail survives about its playfield layout, artwork, or theme.

Given the scarcity of surviving documentation, much about The Silver King's design remains uncertain. Still, as a product of the very earliest days of coin-operated pinball, it represents an important artifact from a formative period in the game's history.