Nostalgia Games

COAXING THE PIGS TO MARKET

The photograph shows the lid of the box (minus its sides) and four large wooden 'pigs'. On the reverse of the lid are the rules for this game. Along with some useful pieces of string, these items were kept in a Kodak Display box. I have a feeling that there should be some hooks to be fitted to the strings and the pigs via the end of the table you are playing on. Each pig is about 6" long and over 5" in circumference in the middle. I believe the game dates from the first quarter of the 20th century. PRICE: £30.00

THE NEW LONDON SPELLING GAME

This was an educational game made between 1850 and 1900 by an unknown maker. Inside the original would have been over 300 letters, numbers etc to help make words and sentences. The hinged wooden lid has battens making four lines onto which the letters can be laid. This set (between 110 - 160 years old) has around 150 of the original 'tiles' which were made of wood covered on one side with a paper printed with a letter, etc. and on the other with a 'tartan' print. The box seems to be mahogany and is in reasonable condition. A wonderful collector's item: PRICE: £75.00

POT - IN - EGG

This game is by an unknown British manufacturer and very similar to that old favourite, "Pop-in-Taw". There are four wooden 'shovels', eight 'eggs' and six 'egg cups'. The object is to place your eggs in the cups. The rule sheet is in the box which is complete. The paper covering of the box is a little torn though mostly correct. PRICE: £25.00

ELECTROULETTE

This is a game by Kay dating from the 1950's I would imagine. I have just spent an hour or so making sure it works well - and it does! The six bulbs light up at the right time, the circuits now work and there is a brand-new battery, too. You will notice a little extra padding in the battery area which holds the battery in place and makes it work properly. The little switch has to be held down to help the circuit connect at the right time but all in all this game is very attractive and usable. The box is good with just a little scuffing on the corners. PRICE: £35.00

GIBSON'S TRI-TACTICS

I wasn't going to carry on selling games but I just received a box containing all the bits that go with Tri-Tactics - all the many game pieces and their stands, the rules and the 'Value Tables" and I just happened to have a spare Tri-Tactics languishing in my stock-room! The board is in lovely condition and quite a large one - three fold and about 16" x 7" when closed - you can see it in the photo. The pieces etc are contained in an old box from Harrods Drug Compartment and used to contain a jar for a "Ranworth Ozonising Outfit". If you're looking for a set to use as a game, this is a really good one - not so good for a collector, though. Everything is in good condition and complete. PRICE: £25.00

SKITTLES WITH FACES

This is a nice little set of painted skittles. The faces and buttons have been put on with a rubber stamp, the bodies painted yellow with other colours on top. There are three wooden balls to throw at the skittles though one or possibly two are probably replacements - but still quite old. The box is in good but used condition and it comes from around the 20's or 30's. PRICE: £45.00

WILD DUCK SHOOTING

This puzzle comes in an anonymous box with the title and number of pieces hand-written on a label stuck to the lid. I should imagine it was cut by Robert Plumb or at least in his style. There are 100 pieces in this complete little puzzle. There are a few bits of insect-nibbled paper missing. PRICE: £12.00

DOLPHIN PUZZLE D

I've had a similar puzzle before...this is ever so slightly different, I believe. It is a plywood puzzle consisting of 15 pieces of wood, each with a 'dimple' in the centre. The puzzle is one in which the pieces are moved/slid along until the desired pattern appears. In this case, the large lighter coloured piece has to travel from top left to bottom right. (I've already started to move the piece in my photo - but I didn't get very far!) PRICE: £6.00

THE STREAM

This is another series which was cut by Robert Plumb or someone working with/for him. This series - "The Bridge" - was made to be sold at Smiths as were "The Expert" series for Boots and the Chandos puzzles. This is a little puzzle of 125 pieces but what a beauty! It is complete and the pieces are all good. The pieces are contained within their original box. PRICE: £30.00

GAME OF ANNEX

This little box says it contains "The Popular Game of Annex, complete with Men, Board and Rules", though, in this case, the rules are missing. Luckily I was able to find out that the game of Annex is basically the same as Othello or Reversi. The box, in fact, contains the men needed to play and a 'board' made of printed paper. The box is in remarkably good condition for a game that was produced in the mid to late 19th century and the paper 'board' is in one piece, as bright as it was the day it was printed and with only a little tearing along some of the folds. PRICE: £25.00 RESERVED FOR MW

CARD HOUSES GAME

This game was made by Spears, manufactured when they still had a factory in Bavaria (before about 1920, I would guess). The box is in reasonable condition with one short edge torn at the corners and a small part of one of the longer edges missing. Inside the box are a range of cards illustrated with items of everyday life in Edwardian England which can be slotted together to make buildings and another set of plain cards which are used to form 'floors'. The inside of the lid contains directions for various types of buildings that can be built. All but one of the cards are in excellent condition as is the lower part of the box. PRICE: £25.00

"THE FLYING SCOTSMAN" OR

THE NORTH EXPRESS FROM LONDON TO EDINBURGH.

This is a game board which is rare and lovely! It was designed in England and printed and made in Bavaria which is all the info I have as the manufacturer didn't add their name. It is on a four-fold board which, when opened is 26" long and closes to a board 6" x 9" approx.
The object of the game must be to reach Edinburgh from London by one of three railway stations - Euston, St Pancras or Kings Cross - and by one of three railways - L.& N.W.R., M.R or G.N.R. There are numbers along each of the rails which probably relates to throws of a die. The winner would be the first to reach Waverley Station in Edinburgh. The board is in good condition though the fabric holding the folds together is fragile and split in one or two places. The outer coverins is a wood grain paper, the inner (game) side has chromolithograph pictures of London and Edinburgh as well as the three lines. It's a great board! PRICE: £25.00

EARLY VICTORY PUZZLE - DUTCH GARDEN AND FOUNTAIN

This is a gorgeous, little, complete (except for one broken knob which is present), early Victory jigsaw. It's a GOLD BOX "Artistic" puzzle with whimsies and about 250 pieces altogether. The box is original and has an early label but, surprisingly, a lift-off top instead of the usual hinge. PRICE: £30.00

ALNWICK CASTLE

This black and white jigsaw was really fun to do! It's partly interlocking and mostly non-interlocking and with no colour, there were few clues as to which piece went where. I got quite good at spotting the right shape - those who have been reading my site notes know that I'm not much good at shape and am not too bad at colour. We had no idea of what the picture would look like and were pleasantly surprised by the outcome. There are just over 400 pieces with one re-made in wood professionally before I bought it; there is also one small bit of one knob broken off and lost. The measurements of the finished puzzle are 23.5" x 16.5". PRICE: £55.00

CHAD VALLEY - EDWARDIAN TABLE CROQUET GAME

This is a lovely little set of table croquet contained in its original box. The set consists of 4 wooden mallets, 4 balls of different colours (some paint missing), 2 wooden 'pegs', painted with four coloured stripes, and 6 brass hoops with bases which make them stand on your table. The instructions are in the lid. Everything is in good, used condition. PRICE: £30.00

THE LONELY COMMON

This is quite an early Chad Valley puzzle in a box covered with 'crazy paving' paper. (The label says it is made by Chad Valley and is "made of unbreakable material forming coloured picture)! The complete puzzle of about 150 pieces shows a common with a town in the distance. The picture was painted by David Sherrin. PRICE: £20.00