Queen of Hearts

The 'Queen of Hearts' pinball machine, released by D. Gottlieb & Co. in 1949, represents a classic example of post-war American pinball design during the golden age of electro-mechanical machines. This playing card-themed table emerged during a period when pinball was regaining popularity following World War II, as manufacturers returned to civilian production.

The machine featured classic card-based artwork centered around the Queen of Hearts character, reflecting the popular design aesthetics of the late 1940s. Like most pinball machines of this era, it utilized mechanical scoring, chime units for sound effects, and relay-based logic for game operations. The playfield likely included traditional elements such as pop bumpers, kickout holes, and scoring lanes typical of the period.

As an electro-mechanical pinball machine from the late 1940s, 'Queen of Hearts' would have been built using the robust and serviceable engineering that Gottlieb was known for during this period. While specific production numbers are not readily available, machines from this era typically saw production runs between 1,000 to 2,500 units. The card theme proved popular among operators and players, contributing to a trend of playing card-themed pinball machines throughout the 1950s.