Christian Tabart

Christian Tabart was a French pinball manufacturer and designer who operated under the trade name Christian Automatic from 1984 to 1986 in Montgeron, France. The company was founded and led by Christian Tabart, a pinball operator and enthusiast who sought to revitalize aging pinball machines through creative conversion kits. Rather than manufacturing entirely new games, Tabart specialized in re-theming existing Gottlieb pinball machines with original artwork, new playfield designs, and updated rule sets. This approach allowed the company to offer unique, localized content during a time when few new pinball machines were being produced in France.

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The company released three known titles during its short tenure: Sahara Love (1984), Le Grand 8 (1985), and L’Hexagone (1986). Each game was based on a previously released Gottlieb table—Sinbad, Panthera, and Genie, respectively—but was transformed with new themes, hand-drawn art, and in some cases original playfield layouts. Production was conducted in partnership with Italian artisans: cabinets and components were shipped between France and Italy, where specialists such as Pierino Castagno (electronics) and Alberto Baldazzi (artwork) contributed to the builds. L’Hexagone, in particular, stood out for its satirical depiction of French culture and original wide-body layout, making it the most ambitious and distinctive of the company’s releases.

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Despite limited output—each title had production runs of approximately 100 to 150 units—Christian Tabart's games are remembered for their creativity and for offering a rare example of French pinball manufacturing in the 1980s. The company ceased operations around 1986, likely due to the broader decline of the pinball market at the time, as video games overtook mechanical amusements in popularity. Nevertheless, the conversions remain collectors’ items in Europe and are appreciated for their unique designs, clever reuse of hardware, and their place in the history of European pinball.