and this is a collection of my small table games and bagatelle tables. I refer to this as "Pinball Ancestry".
Most of these tables range from 1850-1937. There are 2 that might be from the late 40s / early 50s.
learn more about that stuff at http://pinballnovice.blogspot.com/search/label/bagatelle
that photo was hard to take. Imagine me balancing on the arm of a couch on the toes of one foot while I stretch my camera phone up towards the ceiling...
God damn. I have always dreamed of owning even just one table. You're doing the lord's work over there.
Also, I like you Stuart. You're not like the other people in this trailer park.
It is a very achievable dream! 1970s EM machines are still quite affordable and tonnes of fun to work on! You would know this if you would look to the ground, because that's why they call it a Burrow Owl!!!
All serious collectors need to consider the logistics of their collection and death, so no worries. But I regret to inform you there is very little institutional interest in any of this, and the work to document and preserve them is mostly done by hobbyists
Understood. That said, and at the risk of (and with preemptive apologies for) telling you things you already know, the Strong Museum of Play in Rochester NY might be interested in at least some of it.
I am in Canada, but I am somewhat familiar with the Strong. Unsure of their current acquisition drive though, but I hear they do need to open up their vaults to researchers a bit more, alas.
Lots of this isn't actually super rare and many USA collectors have me beat by far.
I have owned an Ice Cold Beer before, I love that game. They have gone up in price a bunch over the past decade and a company has recently been remaking them, so you can actually go and buy a BRAND NEW ICB if you were so inclined.
They are also doing a Zeke's Peak run (variant).
What's 'Rainier'?
