4-Belles

The 4-Belles is an electro-mechanical pinball machine from D. Gottlieb & Company, manufactured in October 1954 in a confirmed run of just 400 units — a small production even by the standards of the day. This nautical-themed single-player game was designed by the prolific Wayne Neyens, with artwork by Gottlieb's celebrated staff artist Roy Parker, and it shares its playfield layout with Gottlieb's 1954 'Dragonette'.

Gameplay-wise, 4-Belles offers two flippers, five pop bumpers, and five trap holes, providing an engaging challenge for players. As with most mid-1950s Gottlieb games, players must time their shots carefully to work the ball among the bumpers and drop it into the trap holes for points.

Roy Parker's sailing-themed artwork gives the game its charm and its name, in keeping with the simplicity and character typical of Gottlieb's woodrail-era style. With its low production run and its pedigree as a Neyens/Parker collaboration, 4-Belles is an appealing find for collectors of 1950s Gottlieb machines.