Here’s a charming deep cut for the Gottlieb devotee — Buttons and Bows, an electromechanical single-player from the celebrated hand of designer Harry Mabs, a genuine giant of early pinball, with art by the legendary Roy Parker, whose storybook illustration gave Gottlieb machines their unmistakable charm. With light-based scoring and a confirmed run of 2,200, it’s a woodrail-era piece whose greatest calling card is that distinguished creative pedigree.
The available layout details on this machine are limited, but its provenance speaks volumes. Harry Mabs was a founding visionary of the modern flipper game, and Roy Parker was one of the finest artists the medium ever produced, responsible for the warm, whimsical artwork that gave Gottlieb’s machines their storybook soul. Any machine bearing both their names carries that heritage of craftsmanship, the hallmark of an era when Gottlieb was at the very top of its game. Even where the specific playfield documentation is thin, the machine represents the reliable quality and design sensibility that made these Mabs-and-Parker collaborations such enduring favorites among collectors. The cheerful, folksy title evokes the light entertainment of its day.
Buttons and Bows is a piece of history for the collector who treasures the golden age of EM pinball and its greatest creative talents. The Mabs-and-Parker partnership is genuinely revered in the hobby, and owning or playing one of their games is a small brush with that legacy. Documentation on the specifics is modest, which only adds to the intrigue for those who love chasing the deeper corners of the Gottlieb catalog. For anyone who reveres the craftsmanship of pinball’s woodrail era, it’s a worthy find — a machine whose value lies as much in the names behind it as in the play itself. Drop a coin and pay your respects to two of the greats. (Note: detailed layout data for this title is limited.)