And here’s another specimen of “Black Peter”: a Danish one this time.  In this one, players match black and white sketches of couples from different countries.  I’ve chosen to post the cover this time, since I thought you’d like a splash of color. (Posted by Doug Skinner) 

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Black Peter is a Christmas tradition in several European countries; he accompanies St. Nicholas, and punishes the bad children.  He was usually depicted as an African or Moor, and portrayed in parades and pageants by a Caucasian gent in blackface and fanciful “exotic” silks and trappings.  Due to changing racial and cultural mores, he’s now usually shown as a chimney […]

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The Piatnik Company, of Vienna, produced this game, “Famous Cities,” sometime in the ’50s.  The English edition seems to have been handled by Benno Products of London.  The young players were expected to collect cities in sets of four.  Besides such familiar metropolises as Paris, Berlin, and Rome are some less obvious choices, like Örebro. (Posted by […]

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  Our next “Old Maid” is a cheaply produced deck, simply marked as “Made in Hong Kong.”  Some version of it can still be found in dollar stores, among the toys sold as party favors. And here’s the Old Maid. (Posted by Doug Skinner)

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We have some bold graphics here from “Spots and Stripes,” a variation on dominoes, put out sometime in the ’50s by Arrco.  Players matched patterns of spots and stripes; a few spotted and striped animals acted as wild cards. (Posted by Doug Skinner)

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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 […]

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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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