Machine Description

Buttons and Bows, released by D. Gottlieb & Co. in 1962, represents a classic example of early 1960s electro-mechanical pinball design. The machine's theme appears to draw inspiration from the popular fashion and clothing aesthetics of the era, a time when both buttons and decorative bows were prominent design elements in American fashion.

The machine featured the characteristic single-player format common to early 1960s pinball games, with mechanical scoring reels and the distinctive chime sounds that defined the electro-mechanical era. Like other Gottlieb games of this period, it likely employed the company's signature add-a-ball feature rather than multiple balls per game, which was their standard approach to extending gameplay before the advent of multi-ball mechanisms.

While specific production numbers are not widely documented, Buttons and Bows would have been manufactured during a period when Gottlieb was the dominant force in pinball manufacturing, known for their high-quality games and reliable mechanical systems. The early 1960s represented a golden age for electro-mechanical pinball, with machines like this one being fixtures in drugstores, bowling alleys, and arcades across America.