candyflip Posted August 1, 2009 Share Posted August 1, 2009 (edited) The Paris Pinball Museum is a private labour of love by one man, Raphael Lankar. The retired 70 year old used to run pinballs and bingos all through Paris back in the 60's, and his museum is a collection of both machines he hung onto, and machines he imported from the States subsequently. Each and every machine is in near perfect condition. Some look brand new, most play perfectly well, and the backglasses, where not in great condition, have been replaced with one-off repros, so everything looks absolutely shmick. I can confidently say this is the finest, largest, most comprehensive collection of pre-80's pinballs (Gottlieb and others) I have ever seen and it was a pleasure to see and play all these fine old antiques, especially with each one being in such immaculate condition. Raphael charges 20 euros entry, but as he noted to me, this is really only to scare off other Parisians!! He neither has the time nor inclination to open the museum up everyday (it is some distance from his residence in Paris, to Aubervilliers where the warehouse is located). He also told me the French visitors are always asking him for something, for free, and this grates. He was surprised and pleased to here there is such a large pinball collecting fraternity in Australia, a country he knows well as his latest wife (the 4th) is from our country. Suffice to say, we were not charged anything to visit!! Rapahel maintains an engineer he has known for many many years, and each Monday, this technician arrives to fix any broken machines and perform routine maintenance on anything else. As a result, everything works like clockwork. If it doesn't, Raphael marks it with a bright pink Sticky Note, and the tech fixes it right up on Monday. We also toured his 2nd warehouse in Aubervilliers, where he maintains all his parts (and there was a whole room full of them, including all the original documentation and schematics). So its a much easier matter for him to make *sure* that each and every machine is maintained as it should be. I can't fault Raphael's setup, nor his maintenance schedule, and the philosophy behind his museum, which is to share with like-minded individuals a singular obsession for the round silver ball, for no profit and donating all his time and money to maintain it. Simply : this is the ultimate pinball museum - one where money is totally secondary to the pursuit of a dream to share his collection. I hope you enjoy the following photos as much as I did obtaining them: http://www.jonscanlon.com/PARIS/6FAF6799.JPG Gottlieb's Gypsy Queen (1955) and Mystic Marvel (1954) __________________________________________________________________________________________________ http://www.jonscanlon.com/PARIS/6FAF6810.JPG Gottlieb's HUMPTY DUMPTY (1947) http://www.jonscanlon.com/PARIS/6FAF6811.JPG __________________________________________________________________________________________________ http://www.jonscanlon.com/PARIS/6FAF6812.JPG Another Mystic Marvel angle. __________________________________________________________________________________________________ http://www.jonscanlon.com/PARIS/6FAF6813.JPG ROYAL FLUSH by Gottlieb (1957) __________________________________________________________________________________________________ http://www.jonscanlon.com/PARIS/6FAF6814.JPG SILVER by Gottlieb, (1957) __________________________________________________________________________________________________ http://www.jonscanlon.com/PARIS/6FAF6815.JPG ROCKET SHIP by Gottlieb (1958) __________________________________________________________________________________________________ http://www.jonscanlon.com/PARIS/6FAF6816.JPG MAJESTIC by Gottlieb (1957) 4 player game. http://www.jonscanlon.com/PARIS/6FAF6819.JPG http://www.jonscanlon.com/PARIS/6FAF6820.JPG http://www.jonscanlon.com/PARIS/6FAF6821.JPG __________________________________________________________________________________________________ http://www.jonscanlon.com/PARIS/6FAF6824.JPG ROTO POOL by Gottlieb (1958) http://www.jonscanlon.com/PARIS/6FAF6825.JPG Edited August 1, 2009 by candyflip Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Administrators Arcade King Posted August 1, 2009 Administrators Share Posted August 1, 2009 I've stickied your threads mate so they don't get lost. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
candyflip Posted August 1, 2009 Author Share Posted August 1, 2009 http://www.jonscanlon.com/PARIS/6FAF6826.JPG PARADISE by Gottlieb (1965), with the most amazing backglass. My photos don't do it justice, but this one is really superb. Looks much younger than it is. If you ever get a chance to see this one, do. http://www.jonscanlon.com/PARIS/6FAF6827.JPG http://www.jonscanlon.com/PARIS/6FAF6828.JPG http://www.jonscanlon.com/PARIS/6FAF6829.JPG http://www.jonscanlon.com/PARIS/6FAF6830.JPG http://www.jonscanlon.com/PARIS/6FAF6833.JPG _______________________________________________________________ http://www.jonscanlon.com/PARIS/6FAF6835.JPG A SEEBURG Quadrophonic in lovely condition... it plays and we enjoyed some Stones with our pinball. :cool: _______________________________________________________________ http://www.jonscanlon.com/PARIS/6FAF6836.JPG SEA JOCKEYS by Williams (1951) has a great backglass animation, but average to play. http://www.jonscanlon.com/PARIS/6FAF6837.JPG http://www.jonscanlon.com/PARIS/6FAF6838.JPG _______________________________________________________________ http://www.jonscanlon.com/PARIS/6FAF6839.JPG SPARK PLUGS by Williams (1951) is another with a cool animated horse race backglass. But again, I don't really dig these very early machines to play, even though they look amazing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AskJacob Posted August 1, 2009 Share Posted August 1, 2009 Thanks a lot for these posts. So many nice woodrails there! Looks like that guy has sure built his own chunk of heaven there. Cheers Jacob Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
candyflip Posted August 1, 2009 Author Share Posted August 1, 2009 I'm not even close to finished yet - you can't believe the size & quality of this collection, and I only photographed the rarest and most interesting (IMO). :o http://www.jonscanlon.com/PARIS/6FAF6840.JPG Chicago Coin's THING from 1951. The middle bar section you see there between the flippers pops down or up, depending on hitting a rollover button. Acts as a ball saver when activated. Tough to play though when its not up! _______________________________________________________________ http://www.jonscanlon.com/PARIS/6FAF6841.JPG BOWLETTE by Gottlieb from 1950. Plays really nice and in immaculate condition for the time. Wish we'd had more time, and been more drunk. ;) _______________________________________________________________ http://www.jonscanlon.com/PARIS/6FAF6842.JPG FOTO FINISH by Gottlieb from 1961. Not the woodrail (less than 50 made), but still very nice. http://www.jonscanlon.com/PARIS/6FAF6843.JPG _______________________________________________________________ http://www.jonscanlon.com/PARIS/6FAF6844.JPG Genco's SOUTH PACIFIC from 1950. My good mate Alan from England is shown playing it here. _______________________________________________________________ http://www.jonscanlon.com/PARIS/6FAF6845.JPG TRIPLE ACTION from Genco produced in 1948. Fun backglass. http://www.jonscanlon.com/PARIS/6FAF6846.JPG _______________________________________________________________ http://www.jonscanlon.com/PARIS/6FAF6847.JPG PLAYTIME from Exhibit produced in 1949. _______________________________________________________________ http://www.jonscanlon.com/PARIS/6FAF6848.JPG Chicago Coin's KILROY from 1947. A flipperless pin which isn't much fun to play, but important historically nonetheless. _______________________________________________________________ http://www.jonscanlon.com/PARIS/6FAF6849.JPG VOLLEYBALL by EM Marchant of France from 1950. Very strange to play with its floating, opposed flippers! http://www.jonscanlon.com/PARIS/6FAF6850.JPG http://www.jonscanlon.com/PARIS/6FAF6851.JPG http://www.jonscanlon.com/PARIS/6FAF6852.JPG See the pink slip - yep, we broke this one and the tech is gonna need to attend. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Super Moderator Foot Posted August 1, 2009 Super Moderator Share Posted August 1, 2009 Thanks for the great write up and pics, really enjoyed it :023: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
candyflip Posted August 1, 2009 Author Share Posted August 1, 2009 http://www.jonscanlon.com/PARIS/6FAF6856.JPG CONTACT from Exhibit produced in 1948. The war was over of course, but the themes reamined the same for many years after. Flipperless. ________________________________________________________________ http://www.jonscanlon.com/PARIS/6FAF6857.JPG Chicago Coin's ROLL DOWN from 1947. This bowler is a nice idea, but its kinda hard to play in practice. More a pinball with giant bowling balls and no flippers (!!??). You roll the giant white bowling balls on the glass above the playfield, it drops down the back, and then comes back towards the player on the bottom playfield to fall in holes or hit numbered buttons. How this game survived on location in one piece (no broken top glasses??) I don't know. ________________________________________________________________ http://www.jonscanlon.com/PARIS/6FAF6859.JPG THE KING from Alben produced in 1959. In Raphael's words, a "hopeless earner and bad to play". Looks good though! :laugh: http://www.jonscanlon.com/PARIS/6FAF6862.JPG http://www.jonscanlon.com/PARIS/6FAF6865.JPG http://www.jonscanlon.com/PARIS/6FAF6870.JPG http://www.jonscanlon.com/PARIS/6FAF6872.JPG http://www.jonscanlon.com/PARIS/6FAF6873.JPG ________________________________________________________________ 2 more (better) shots of Mystic Marvel from Gottlieb produced in 1954. This little machine is worth a small fortune. http://www.jonscanlon.com/PARIS/6FAF6875.JPG http://www.jonscanlon.com/PARIS/6FAF6876.JPG ________________________________________________________________ http://www.jonscanlon.com/PARIS/6FAF6878.JPG AROUND THE WORLD by Gottlieb from 1959. Great looking machine. ________________________________________________________________ http://www.jonscanlon.com/PARIS/6FAF6882.JPG SCORE-BOARD by Gottlieb from 1956. Alan playing it again. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
candyflip Posted August 1, 2009 Author Share Posted August 1, 2009 http://www.jonscanlon.com/PARIS/6FAF6866.JPG SWEET SIOUX by Gottlieb from 1959. http://www.jonscanlon.com/PARIS/6FAF6867.JPG ___________________________________________________________ http://www.jonscanlon.com/PARIS/6FAF6869.JPG CONTEST by Gottlieb from 1958. ___________________________________________________________ Some more general photos of the interior..... http://www.jonscanlon.com/PARIS/6FAF6807.JPG http://www.jonscanlon.com/PARIS/6FAF6808.JPG http://www.jonscanlon.com/PARIS/6FAF6809.JPG http://www.jonscanlon.com/PARIS/6FAF6822.JPG http://www.jonscanlon.com/PARIS/6FAF6823.JPG If you get a chance to go, and you love the history of the early machines that built the platform for everything afterwards, then look Raphael up. An incredible experience. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tnpshow Posted August 1, 2009 Share Posted August 1, 2009 I have massive respect for this stuff (geez I sound like Ali G). Thanks for the pics - the old woodrails fascinate me! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
candyflip Posted August 1, 2009 Author Share Posted August 1, 2009 Oh, and here's a space invader I found in the area near Sacre Couer. bloody things are everywhere!! :) http://www.jonscanlon.com/PARIS/IMG_0321.JPG Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mango Posted August 1, 2009 Share Posted August 1, 2009 great pics, thanks for sharing :) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fish Tales Posted August 1, 2009 Share Posted August 1, 2009 Amazing condition of those machines. Thanks! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ddstoys Posted June 26, 2010 Share Posted June 26, 2010 Just found this thread and damn glad i did what a fantastic collection makes me want another woodrail to go next to my Marathon Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bongostar Posted September 18, 2011 Share Posted September 18, 2011 What an awesome collection! The woodrails are really something special to admire. I really enjoy hearing the bell\chimes on these machines. Real nostaligic :) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kkb Posted September 18, 2011 Share Posted September 18, 2011 Thanks for the thread - Heading to Europe next year and written this down on my to do list Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dodge City Posted November 8, 2011 Share Posted November 8, 2011 That is an awesome collection, great photo's. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Corones Posted November 21, 2011 Share Posted November 21, 2011 Very nice indeed, and hasn't he got them arranged perfectly, a straight line all the way. Definately on my to do list. Thanks for the post. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hoopstar Posted June 26, 2014 Share Posted June 26, 2014 sad the photos are gone :( Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scotty T Posted June 26, 2014 Share Posted June 26, 2014 sad the photos are gone :( x2 :( Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ManiacMat Posted May 1, 2015 Share Posted May 1, 2015 Absolutely amazing Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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