Early Bagatelle games
 
Early Bagatelle's used cue sticks to launch marble ball's in a manner similar to Billiards. This is Tivoli, a Bagatelle from the mid 1800's. Note the angled miniature cue stick laying on the left side of the playfield.
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    • In 1870, Montague Redgrave patented a spring loaded plunger mechanism to launch the ball setting the stage for 'pinball'. Above is a 1871 Redgrave Parlor Bagatelle This is Redgraves first production game with a spring loaded plunger. The game that started it all!
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    • This 1898 Redgrave "Two Bell" Parlor Bagatelle shows a slot over the ball plunger allowing the player to see how far they pulled it back, thus allowing more control. Most 1898 Redgrave models included a wooden cover to place over the game for transport. The picture above has the Bagatelle sitting within it's cover.
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    • 1876 Redgrave Original Parlor Bagatelle This is the 1876 model Redgrave bagatelle. This particular game was awarded as a premium by Necco Sweets and their label is still present on the ball shooter cover. Also note that the solid shooter cover makes it difficult to know how far back you have pulled the plunger inorder to get accurate shots.
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    • A Redgrave Instruction Sheet and Patent Warning Montague Redgrave attached a instruction sheet to the bottom of each Bagatelle he produced. The sheet also included a warning about using his patented spring loaded plunger concept without permission.
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    • 1898 Redgrave One Star/Two Bell Parlor Bagatelle. Here's another model offered by Redgrave in 1898, This one has a green cloth playfield. If you look carefully at the upper portion of the playfield, you will see where some players wrote their name's on the game over 100 years ago!
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    • 1902 Redgrave One Star, One Bell Paper Bottom Bagatelle In 1902, Redgrave Bagatelle's had become so popular, they were featured in the famed Sears Roebuck & Co. catalog!
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    • 1880 Redgrave Parlor Bagatelle In the late 1870's Redgrave expanded manufacturing operations to Jersey City New Jersey as well as Philadelphia Pennsylvania. The Parlor Bagatelle Table shown here was built in 1880 and is constructed of black walnut. It is approximately four feet long by two feet wide and is quite hefty. This particular table was built for public use such as in pub's. It has a metal plate over the shooter showing it's origin at the Redgrave facility on Lienau Place in Jersey City.
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    • 1885 Redgrave Parlor Bagatelle No. 3 By 1881 the popularity of Redgrave Bagatelle's created the need to move to larger quarters. Montague Redgrave moved the Jersey City factory from Linenau Place to a larger facility at 14 Willow Court, a short street off Pavonia Avenue. This table was produced in 1885 with the metal plate stamped indicating it's origin as the Pavonia Avenue, Jersey City location. This particular game was gratefully aquired from the former collection of Betty Lou Goodwin's Country Store-Antiques, Morgantown, WV.
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