This board game was based on the popular televisions series, Tales of Wells Fargo, which was produced in the USA between 1957 and 1962. The story was set in the mid 19th century and regarded a company troubleshooter in the American West. The game involves moving your playing pieces (tiddlywinks, to represent cowboys) around the board, according to numbers on a spinner, to try and recover stolen valuables which have been robbed from passengers on a Wells Fargo stage coach voyage. It is simple in design, and cheaply made, almost entirely from cardboard. The game represents an early adaptation of a television drama into board game format.
Physical description
[board games] Cardboard protector for token money.
[board games] Light green paper rectangle printed in blue with Token Money, $500.
[board games] Light blue paper rectangle printed in blue with Token Money, $100.
[board games] Lilac paper rectangle printed in blue with Token Money, $50.
[board games] 8 plastic tiddlywinks, 2 blue, 2 red, 2 yellow and 2 green.
[board games] 3 circular cardboard tokens printed on one side with red background, and black illustration of a banking chest and $1200.
[board games] 8 plastic tiddlywinks, 2 blue, 2 red, 2 yellow and 2 green.
[board games] 3 circular cardboard tokens printed on one side with yellow background, and black illustration of a bag of silver and $600.
[board games] 3 circular cardboard tokens printed on one side with green background, and black illustration of some furs and $300.
[board games] Cardboard spinner, with plastic arrow attached with metal rivet and washer. Printed with a circle with numbers, and images of 19th century coaches.
[board games] Paper sheet printed in black with instructions for playing the game, folded in half.
[board games] Cardboard rectangle with eight circles punched out of it. Printed in colour with blue, green, yellow and red sections.
[board games] Cardboard game base, designed to stay inside the box base. Printed with illustrations. Yellow background, with a white route with red, blue, green and black dots representing the spaces, with Wild West related illustrations surrounding.
[board games] Cardboard box base with red paper reinforcing the edges.
[board games] Printed paper covered cardboard box lid. Features black and white photographic image of a cowboy with horse, against an illustrated background of the Wild West.
Place of Origin
England, Great Britain (manufactured)
Date
1959 (manufactured)
Artist/maker
Bell Ltd (Toys and Games) (manufacturer)
Materials and Techniques
[board games] Cardboard
[board games] Printed paper
Dimensions
[board games] Height: 5.8 cm, Width: 9.1 cm
[board games] Height: 5.8 cm, Width: 9.1 cm
[board games] Height: 5.8 cm, Width: 9.1 cm
[board games] Height: 5.8 cm, Width: 9.1 cm
[board games] Diameter: 1.6 cm
[board games] Diameter: 2.8 cm
[board games] Diameter: 1.6 cm
[board games] Diameter: 2.8 cm
[board games] Diameter: 2.8 cm
[board games] Height: 16.3 cm, Width: 16.3 cm
[board games] Height: 45.7 cm, Width: 10.4 cm
[board games] Height: 28.6 cm, Width: 8.8 cm
[board games] Height: 2 cm, Width: 34.8 cm, Depth: 34.8 cm
[board games] Height: 4 cm, Width: 35.5 cm, Depth: 35.5 cm
[board games] Height: 4 cm, Width: 36 cm, Depth: 36 cm
Descriptive line
Board game, 'Tales of Wells Fargo', produced by Bell Ltd (Toys and Games), England, 1959.
Materials
Paper; Ink; Plastic; Metal; Lithographic ink; Cardboard
Techniques
Moulded; Printed; Moulding; Folded; Scored
Categories
Entertainment & Leisure; Children & Childhood
Production Type
Mass produced
Collection code
MoC
