Parker Brothers published “Hidden Titles”; as usual, there’s no date.  It contains thirty cards, “representing many different geographical titles in pictures.”  I like its flamboyant lettering and deft charcoal sketches. (Posted by Doug Skinner)

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“Cheery Families” was published by Thomas de la Rue & Co, in London.  There were thirteen families in the deck; all headed by contented tradesmen like Mr. Butt.  I suspect brewers would be barred from a children’s game nowadays. (Posted by Doug Skinner.  Thanks to Angela Alverson.)

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We have here an old, isolated card; I don’t know to what game it once belonged. (Posted by Doug Skinner)

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“Reformed Lesson Cards” were distributed in Sunday Schools.  Each card carried a picture and Bible verse; and, on the back, a brief sermon and quiz.  After twelve lessons, there was a review card.  The above card was handed out on June 27, 1897.  And here is Lesson XII, from the week before. (Posted by Doug […]

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We have another “Old Maid” deck to add to the survey.  This one is from the Whitman Publishing Company: there’s no date, but it’s fairly early in the illustrious career of the Old Maid brigade.  It was hard to choose, but I’ve picked Mr. I. Never for his unusual anatomy and coloration. And here’s the […]

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Parker Brothers put out the “Quiz Kids Own Game Box” in 1940, based on the popular radio show.  It contained a variety of educational games: a map puzzle, anagram tiles, a board game, and several card games.  These cards seem to come from some kind of number game.  Unfortunately, the rules are missing from my […]

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Gather around, students of “Old Maid,” I have another specimen.  It’s a 1968 version, from Milton Bradley.  The choice was difficult, but I’ve picked “Go Go Gertie” as particularly representative of the year. And here’s the Old Maid. (Posted by Doug Skinner)

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The old game of “Authors” was given a different twist in “Bible Authors,” published back in 1895 by the Zondervan Publishing House.  Samuel, Moses, Christ, and others (14 in all) are celebrated in these gray, but lushly ornamented, designs. (Posted by Doug Skinner)

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“Easy 3’s” — a 1959 confection from the Ed-U-Card people — offers a somewhat startling design.  A variety of familiar cartoon characters are depicted in black and white, trisected, against bright color backgrounds.  Once you assemble three of a kind, you can piece together your cartoon pal, much as Isis did Osiris. The selection of […]

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What could be jollier than a rousing round of “Bible Action,” a 1994 game from the All Church Technical Service, in Fayetteville, AR?  There were two decks, one per Testament; as the booklet says, you can also combine them “to form a much larger and somewhat more difficult game that includes all Bible books.” (Posted […]

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