Keeney and Sons

Keeney and Sons, also known in trade as J.H. Keeney & Company, was founded in Chicago in the early 1930s by John H. Keeney and became a notable regional pinball manufacturer and coin-operated machine maker. The company began with a range of coin-operated devices and quickly moved into electromechanical (EM) pinball tables distinguished by detailed cabinet and playfield artwork, inventive mechanical features, and steady design evolution that kept its machines competitive in the golden age of arcade amusements. Keeney released several mid-century EM titles—dating into the 1940s and beyond—and is documented in period pinball listings from 1947 and surrounding years, reflecting its active role in that era of pinball production. Though never as large as industry leaders, the company adapted flipper and scoring improvements through the decades before the shift to solid-state electronics and changing market pressures led Keeney to exit pinball production by the early 1980s, leaving a legacy of collectible vintage machines. Notable titles associated with the brand include Colorama, Poker Face, Go-Cart, Hi Straight, Eleven Belles, Arrowhead, Cover Girl, and Band Leader, machines prized by collectors for their period artwork and mechanical charm.