The current quarantine has many families looking for creative ways to pass the time. We have our phones and tablets and Netflix. But, to delight of adults and kids alike, many families are pulling out board games that have not seen the light of day in many years. Thinking of starting a “game night” at your house? Consider starting it with vintage games.
Board games have been manufactured in the U.S. since 1822. Early games of value include 1840s games from the W.B. Ives Company, 1860s games from Milton Bradley and Mcloughlin Brothers, and Parker Brothers from the 1880s. Games from the 19th century are prized by collectors who are drawn to their incredible color lithography. If you are fortunate enough to have one of these you may not want to turn the little ones loose with it as some examples are bringing upwards of $2,000.
More commonly found are games from the mid-20th century. Baby Boomers will remember the popular television-based games produced from 1949-1979. Many of these were modeled after children’s shows, including Roy Rogers (1949), Hopalong Cassidy (1950) and The Partridge Family (1971). Shows that leaned more to an adult audience also had accompanying games like Ben Casey (1961), Charlie’s Angels (1977), and Laverne and Shirley (1977).
Intellectual games that combine fun with learning have long been a favorite of families. Scrabble, which was trademarked in 1948, ranks at the top of “letter cross-word” games, making it into the Guinness Book of Records as having been played by over 500 million people. Risk, a game of strategy published by Parker Brothers in 1959, is a map of the world during the life of Napoleon which is won by eliminating your opponents and ruling the world. And who doesn’t remember the challenges of the top selling game of 1984, Trivial Pursuit?
The Game of Life, originally created by Milton Bradley in 1860, was modernized in 1960 by toy designers Reuben Klamer and Bill Markham. In its reincarnation it featured two innovations to the world of board games, a three-dimensional board and an integral plastic spinner. To promote the 100th anniversary edition of the game Milton Bradley hired one of the top TV personalities of the day, Art Linkletter (who’s picture appears on the front of the box and on the $100,000 bills that are part of the game). Players pass through the various stages of life as they travel the board in a small plastic car trying to land in “Millionaire Acres” and avoid “The Poor Farm.” The re-release of The Game of Life is recognized as the top selling game of 1960.
It will come as no surprise that Monopoly reigns as the top selling board game of the 20th century. Originally based on the 1903 designs of Elizabeth Magie, the game underwent a series of changes from 1906-1930, eventually evolving into what we recognize today as Parker Brother’s Monopoly. The original game (Black Box #7) is the ultimate find for collectors, but any game dated 1934-1954 will demand top dollar. Also highly collectible are the game pieces which include the Scottie dog, top hat, thimble, boot, wheelbarrow, cat, racing car and battleship. Games from 1991 forward were produced by Hasbro.
During WWII Monopoly was delivered to prisoners of war by the American Red Cross. These “special” games included a metal file, compass, silk maps of safe houses, and hidden in the board was high denomination currency. Credited with saving countless lives, they are identified by a red dot in free parking on the board. Ordered destroyed after the war, none are believed to exist. But that doesn’t stop collectors from searching for the Monopoly game that literally offered the chance to “get out of jail free.” Until next time . . . Linda
Linda Kennett is a professional liquidation consultant specializing in down-sizing for seniors and the liquidation of estates. She is currently not taking new clients.
