Footmatic Football Table by René Wolff, Paris, 1950s

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Vintage "footmatic" football table – société rené wolff

boulogne-billancourt, near paris, france
oak, metal
1950s

dimensions: h x w x … Read more Vintage "footmatic" football table – société rené wolff

boulogne-billancourt, near paris, france
oak, metal
1950s

dimensions: h x w x d: 93 x 160 x 100 cm – playing area dimensions: 120 x 70 cm

a football table from the 1950s, standing on an unusual base frame with a surrounding plinth profile and metal-clad long sides.
the table was manufactured and distributed by ‘société rené wolff’ in boulogne-billancourt, near paris.

the solid oak body features horizontal, blackened grooves. The straight lower edge running down the centre curves downwards at the outer edge, forming a trough to catch the balls.
the playing surface, still painted in its original green colour, was only lightly cleaned during the restoration and has been allowed to retain the signs of wear accumulated over decades. The players, which were heavily worn at the time of purchase, have been colour-retouched and are now in a good, age-appropriate and authentic condition. The rubber suspension units on the outside of the player poles were replaced during the restoration.
the entire wooden frame was cleaned, re-glued where necessary and then oiled.
six old cork balls are included with the table.

a typical feature of french table football tables of that era is that the rods do not pass right through the body; in other words, they do not protrude from the opposite side. Instead, the rods are constructed in two parts and slot into one another.

the football table on offer here – like many models of that era – has no ball feed mechanism. At the start of the game, each player is given three balls, which are placed on the designated holders on the ‘ashtray’ and rolled onto the playing surface from there without any guidance.
in keeping with the total of six balls intended for this game, the bead counters above the goals also go up to six points.

inside the table body, there was presumably originally a ball retention system that was unlocked via a coin slot. This system was no longer present at the time of purchase. Only the two guide rollers located at the rear of the table body still bear witness to the system’s original existence.

the model on offer here was marketed under the name ‘footmatic’.

rené wolff’s workshop was located at 53, avenue du général-leclerc in boulogne-billancourt.

condition:
refurbished and fully playable. The rods move smoothly and freely. The construction is sturdy and suitable for everyday use.
i have official proof of authenticity such as vintage catalogs,
designer records,
or other literature sources and take full responsibility for any authenticity issues arising
from
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