A French 'Jeu de la Grenouille'

A rare, 19th century French folk art 'Jeu de la Grenouille' game, an early version of a pinball machine, once found in rural French bistros. The players would toss heavy, cast iron coins from a distance of about three metres, trying to get the coins to go into the holes on the top of this cabinet. The top has several holes, two flap-traps and a cast iron wheel. As the coins enter through the various holes, or through the swivelling trap doors, or the open mouth of the 'Grenouille' (the frog), and depending on the difficulty of the hole, the coins reappear having come down different slides. Each of the she slides is marked on the facade with scores, the higher scores being reserved for the more difficult holes. Please note: this Jeu de la Grenouille game retains its original cast iron coins. Area of Normandy, circa 1880.