The Western Publishing Company left posterity this aggressively cute version of “Snap.”  The colors are a treat, though. (Posted by Doug Skinner)

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Another “Snap” deck; and another based on nursery rhymes.  This one comes from Thomas de la Rue & Co., in London.  Like the frog, all depict delicately colored figures against crisp black and white backgrounds.  I particularly appreciate the distinctly froggy hands. (Posted by Doug Skinner.  Thanks to Angela Alverson for this one!)

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Our next “Snap” is a cheaply printed deck from China, still available in 99c stores.  Each card shows a character from a nursery rhyme.  Note that a couple of musical notes seem to be coming from Tom’s kilt.  Has our bored artist slipped in a fart joke for his or her own amusement? (Posted by Doug […]

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We begin here a survey of that grand old game, “Snap.”  This first entry is a Whitman deck; it features storybook animals, of various degrees of anthropomorphism, all hooked in somehow to the word “snap.”  Freddy is certainly snappy, and the anonymous artist rendered him with an easy charm. (Posted by Doug Skinner)

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Another “Old Maid” has surfaced: I’ll add it to the roster.  This one is a miniature “Peter Pan” deck from Whitman; and it boasts a rather disparate bunch: in addition to Briny Bill, you can meet Judge Grump, Pancho, Conchita, Pirate Bones, Merry Mary, Mermaid McCoy, Tubbins, and other oddballs.  And, of course, the Old Maid. […]

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The “Charlie Chaplin Card Game” was published in 1972 by Edu-Cards.  And what could be more representative of the time than high contrast photos of a silent film star, set against bright geometric backgrounds?  A bit of Warhol influence in there, don’t you think? Like many decks of Edu-Cards, the deck also had a little flip book on […]

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“Busy Bee” was published by Ed-U-Cards in 1959.  Like a number of other games, it’s a variation on dominoes, with animals instead of dots.  It makes for an unusual design, doesn’t it? (Posted by Doug Skinner)

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I thought we’d come to the end of this second series of “Old Maid” decks; but I’d forgotten this one.  It’s a “Built-Rite Toy”: as usual, no date or other data.  All of the subjects in this version are children: Fickle Frankie, Rollicking Ruth, Fancy Nancy, and other lively kids.  I’ve picked Scary Harry.  He seems […]

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This edition of “Animal Rummy” is an Arrco “Pla-Mor” game: “Ten true to life animals of the woodlands make the all-time favorite game of Rummy more fun to play.  The beaver, the bear, the squirrel, and even the skunk are mixed and matched in this new version of a great old game.”  I’ve selected the bear: nice […]

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This “Old Maid” was published in 2001 by Cardinal Industries.  I’m intrigued by the fact that Piano Pete seems to be playing inside the piano.  Is he performing a piece using extended techniques?  Or is he simply tuning — in black tie?  At any rate, it’s a bold and bright design. And here’s the Old Maid.  This, by the way, […]

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