This Old Maid, published by Milton Bradley (again, the date is scrupulously concealed, but it’s an old one) is notable for a guest appearance by the famous Dr. Busby.  “Dr. Busby” was one of the more popular card games of the 19th century; and, like “Old Maid,” went through many editions.  Some of the artwork […]

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“Space Race” was published by Edu-Cards in 1969.  Among its scenes of outer space excitement was this doleful predicament.  I do hope they have a compass or something.
(Posted by Doug Skinner) 

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If you’re still undecided as to how to celebrate your God-given American Freedoms – in this case, when voting next Tuesday – you’ve always got Politics Party Pun to choose for you. Yes folks, this is indeed “the biggest GAME in the world.”
Like a cross between, Old Maid, craps, dreidel, and gambling, this game […]

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We continue our survey of “Old Maid” with this breezy deck from Somerville.  No date is given, as usual; I’d guess the ’40s.  The artist seems fond of triangular eyes, large ears, and pointed noses, giving all the citizens here a decidedly elfin cast.
And here’s the Old Maid.  From the look of that date book, […]

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I don’t know why westerns were so popular in the 1950s.  But they were; and those curious ephemeral artifacts, children’s card games, reflected the fashion.  This example comes from a miniature deck published in 1951 by Russell.  It’s called, with artless simplicity, “Wild West Game.”
(Posted by Doug Skinner) 

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We have another circus-themed edition of “Old Maid,” this time in an undated deck from Whitman.  Quite the breezy design, isn’t it?  And here’s the Old Maid.

(Posted by Doug Skinner)

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We offer here my talk on school lunches, from “Through the Blackboard.”  It’s stored on another page, so as not to clog the home page.  Happy reading!
(Posted by Doug Skinner)

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“Sky Trails,” a 1951 miniature game from Russell, was a bit more complicated than most.  There are two kinds of cards, Map Cards and Route Cards.  The Map Cards can be laid end to end to show the route from San Francisco to Shanghai; the Route Cards show the destinations along the way.  The objective […]

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We check in again with our friend, the Old Maid, and find her taking in a local circus.  This 1959 edition from Ed-U-Cards has a distinctly cartoonish touch; perhaps an animator was moonlighting.  And here, as is customary, is the Old Maid herself.

(Posted by Doug Skinner)

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This example of that old favorite, Animal Rummy, comes from an undated deck from the Warren Paper Products Co.  And a fresh, clean design it is, too.  Good work, anonymous artisan!
 (Posted by Doug Skinner)

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