“Make sure all the pieces are back in the box when you put your board game away.” Perhaps we would have taken our Mother’s warning more seriously if we had known that our “Truth or Consequences” game would one day bring $125 at auction, or that serious collectors would consider our “Gilligan’s Island” game a good deal at $200!
Board games have been manufactured in the US since 1822. Early games of value include 1840s games from the W B Ives Company, 1860’s games from Milton Bradley and Mcloughlin Brothers, and Parker Brothers from the 1880s. Most all games from the 19th century are highly prized by collectors, due in large part to their incredible color lithography, with some examples bringing upwards of $5,000 at auction.
But, don’t despair. If you were thinking of starting a collection, there are hundreds of 20th century games out there that fall into a more moderate price range, and some of them may be right under your nose. Or . . . right under a pile of boxes in the attic! Referred to as “modern” games (1940-1970) they will fall into two categories, television based games and pre-television games.
Television-based games were modeled after many children’s shows, including Roy Rogers, Hopalong Cassidy, The Partridge Family and G.I.Joe. Shows that leaned more to an adult audience also had accompanying games like Ben Casey, Charlie’s Angels, and Laverne and Shirley. To be of value these must have the original box, board, instructions, and all of the pieces in mint condition to be of value.
Pre-television games were often based on sports, travel and books. Milton Bradley’s early 1900s “Baseball and Checkers,” and the 1926 Parker Brothers double board game “Football, Baseball and Checkers” are both good finds. Thayer’s “The Game of Authors and Their Books” and Milton Bradley’s “Junior Combination Board” from 1910 with twelve games in one box are also sought by collectors. Parker Brothers and All-Fair Games continued to produce high quality lithography through 1940 and are sought for their quality graphics.
Listed in the Guinness Book of Records as having been played by over 500 million people, Monopoly reigns as the most popular game board. Originally based on the 1903 designs of Liz Magie, a series of real estate board games were developed from 1906-1930. By 1934 the game had evolved into what we recognize today as Parker Brother’s “Monopoly.”
During WW II Monolopy was delivered to prisoners of war by the Red Cross. These “special” games included a metal file, compass, silk maps of safe houses, and 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 contained a “get out of jail free” card. Until next time………Linda
Irvington resident Linda Kennett is a professional liquidator specializing in down-sizing for seniors and the liquidation of estates and may be reached at 317-429-7887 or lkennett@indy.rr.com for question or comment.