exploring the arcade in 1992-01 TVムック故郷は欧州 意外なパチンコ進化論 / TV Mook Mystery Journey: Surprising theory of pachinko evolution

I just recently was able to share 1992-01 TVムック故郷は欧州　意外なパチンコ進化論 / TV Mook Mystery Journey: Surprising theory of pachinko evolution in another post, so of course we need to dive in and focus on the games!  The machines here follow the video, and so we early games from Japan, USA, UK, and France.

Be sure to check out the post about the video, but here is the English subtitled version again:

ダービー2 (Derby 2) by 京楽 (Kyoraku)

The next 2 games are toy Corinthian game bagatelles from Japan.  They do not use a plunger, they are played by using a small wooden cue to hit/push the ball up the shooter lane.  While most USA bagatelle toys had plungers, many places around the world still loved the versions where you used a small cue.

These next two photos show large Corinthian bagatelle games, probably from the 1930s.

large Corinthian tables, part of the birth of smartball

this is most likely a sign for a Corinthian parlor

2022-09-24 bagatelle lecture by Ed Nickels

I was finally able to get this video edited and up online.  On September 24th, 2022 Ed Nickels gave a lecture about his bagatelle pinball collection that was on display at the Field House Museum.

You can see the prior lecture by James Masters from 2022-08-16 over here.

2nd bagatelle lecture at the Field House Museum

 This weekend there will be another lecture on bagatelle!  

Ed Nickels will be giving a lecture about his bagatelle collection, 2022-09-24, 1pm CST (2pm EST)

It is Ed Nickels who is showing his collection at the Field House Museum, and I'm very excited to hear the lecture about his collection.  To join via Zoom, you must register in advance here.

The first lecture, by James Masters, is available to watch online!

About this event

Join the Field House Museum on Saturday, September 24, 2022, at 1:00 pm as we welcome avid collector Ed Nickels for a special Speaker Series on Bagatelle. Before the ring of pinball machines echoed through arcades, Bagatelle was filling parlors and pockets across the world. Learn all about this unique collection of intricately decorated and brightly colored tabletop games from the 1800s to early 1900s as Nickels takes an in-depth look at the games on display.

This program is free with limited availability in person and on Zoom. Reservations must be made in advance through Eventbrite, by calling the Museum at 314-421-4689, or by emailing info@fieldhousemuseum.org.

bagatelle exhibit + lecture at the Field House Museum

There will be a talk about bagatelle on 2022-08-10!  (that's tomorrow, as I write this)

FB event link, eventbrite link (use the eventbrite link to reserve for the lecture!)
remember, it is 2pm EST

I've been writing back and forth with James for a year or so and I'm super excited for this talk!   He runs the store Masters Traditional Games and the wonderful resource site TradGames: The Online Guide to Traditional Games

Join the Field House Museum on Wednesday, August 10, at 1:00 pm for a Speaker Series that takes Bagatelle from the parlor to the arcade. Gaming expert and creator of the Online Guide to Traditional Games website, James Masters, will join us via Zoom, all the way from the UK! Masters will share his passion and interest in the evolution of the table game through to pinball. For those joining us in person for the watch party, explore our main gallery exhibit, "Bagatelle," after the presentation.

This presentation will primarily take place on Zoom, but the Field House Museum will host a small watch party during the event. Reservations must be made in advance through Eventbrite, by calling the Museum at 314-421-4689, or by emailing info@fieldhousemuseum.org.

About the Speaker:

James Masters has been into the history, mathematics, strategy, camaraderie, rules, and even the playing of games since early childhood. His interests tend to whirl around pub games, table games, ancient board games, and how games of all sorts evolve over time. Author of the Online Guide to Traditional Games website and maintainer of the Games Research Database, most recently, he has completed a paper on the medieval sport of Loggats and an article on the ancient Egyptian game of Mehen for the Fitzwilliam Museum in Cambridge.

The Field House Museum in St. Louis, MO is currently hosting a marvelous exhibition of bagatelles from Ed Nickel's collection.  Here are a few pictures that were sent to me by Ed:

And from the Field House Museum staff:

Between the knowledge of Ed Nickels in the USA, James Masters in the UK, Wayne Morgan in Canada, and Kazuo Sugiyama in Japan, we are piecing together a robust history of bagatelle and related table games.

We do need someone from Finland to discuss the history of Fortunaa, perhaps...

Ed Nickels' The History of Bagatelle and its Influence on Pinball

Here is a very short article by Ed Nickels, published by the Association for Games & Puzzles International (AGPI) Quarterly.  It can  still be seen online in the Spring 2008 issue (Vol 10 No. 1) but I am including it here just in case that site goes offline some day.

 

I very much appreciate the breezy tone that loops in Bowls from ancient Egypt and 14th century Paille Maille.  The quick sentence that connects Bowls and nine hole bagatelle!

It hits lot of salient historical notes without dwelling on aristocratic France as some magical womb of pinball.

It is excerpted from his speech at 2007's Pinball Expo.  I am very grateful for Pinball News for sharing the audio from the presentation (mp3).

Ed Nickels at Pinball Expo 2007 - via pinballnews

Ed Nickels had an exhibition in 2016 showcasing his bagatelle collection, but I've yet to find images from it.  

2016-01-16 bagatelle exhibit note in the St. Louis Post-Dispatch