Bagatelle and Early Pinball History

This page is for those interested in the history, collecting, and any anything else to do with game of bagatelle from 'Rocks of Scilly', first recorded in 1799 through to early pinball machines as late as the early 70s. This includes related games such as Japanese Rolling Ball, Bar Billiards and the ancestor of all these games, Trou Madame (also known as Pigeon Holes, Mississippi, Small Trunks, Bumble Puppy).

Rocks of Scilly (probable) c.1830	E.J. Riley Folding Nine Cup Bagatelle (with removable Mississippi arch)	Cockamaroo / German Billiards	Redgrave Parlor Bagatelle	Corinthian Imperial Model 1

Mailing List

An email mailing list exists for sporadic discussions whether it be historical debates, information about the latest acquisition in a collection or wild new theories.
Anyone can email this list without subscribing. Email: bagatelle at-sign gamesboard.org.uk

Mailing List Subscription and Information

Discord Group

In conjunction, a Discord discussion thread 'Gaming Alexandria - coinophistory - pinball ancestry' also exists for real-time discussions and general chatting.

Other Information

See also the extensive blog pages by Caitlyn Pascal "So I bought a pinball machine".

The five games shown above represent the early history of Bagatelle. Rocks of Scilly was first recorded in 1799 in the journal of a nautical chap from New York. Nine Cup bagatelle appeared by 1812 and Cockamaroo is mentioned in a work of fiction dated 1847. Redgrave patented his parlor bagatelle in the USA in 1871. This was mis-named as it is a form of Cockamaroo but it seems to have led to the term 'bagatelle' being used for tables of this form, as well as Nine Cup bagatelle, thereafter. The game evolved and became fad in the 1930s, best exemplified by the Corinthian brand in the UK and the Lindstrom company in the USA. By the 1930s, coin-operated bagatelle games with glass tops began to be seen in bars and arcades while lesser quality, fun pin bagatelle games for children were popular for the home market from the 1950s onwards. In 1933, the first electrified bagatelle game was produced with the addition of battery powered lights and in 1947, Humpty Dumpty, the first game with flippers, appeared which led to the first fully fledged pinball machines in the early 1970s.

Lindstrom Gold Star Bagatelle	Show Jumping Bagatelle	Coin-operated Bagatelle	Humpty Dumpty Pinball1	Kick Off Pinball machine1

Remarkable video showing the refurbishment of an old French bagatelle game:

Footnotes

1 © Caitlyn Pascal with thanks