Subbuteo "Table Soccer"
Table Game
1954 (made)
1954 (made)
| Artist/Maker | |
| Place of origin |
The first Subbuteo set was produced in March 1947 by Peter Adolph after an advertisement was taken out in the Boy's Own Paper the year before testing the idea of the game. Even though the concept had not yet been fully realised, the idea was based on an earlier football game, New Footy, developed in the 1920s.
The figures, known as "flats" were originally cut out from paper. This later developed into a press out format. From 1961 celluloid figures replaced the card versions. The idea of the game was to closely simulate the rules and moves of real football in a table top game with two full teams in coloured stripes, footballs, a pitch in the form of a mat and goal posts. The figures could be moved by flicking them into contact with the ball. The special and patented design of the bases (based on the shape of a rounded button) enabled the figures to remain upright throughout play.
The figures, known as "flats" were originally cut out from paper. This later developed into a press out format. From 1961 celluloid figures replaced the card versions. The idea of the game was to closely simulate the rules and moves of real football in a table top game with two full teams in coloured stripes, footballs, a pitch in the form of a mat and goal posts. The figures could be moved by flicking them into contact with the ball. The special and patented design of the bases (based on the shape of a rounded button) enabled the figures to remain upright throughout play.
Object details
| Categories | |
| Object type | |
| Parts | This object consists of 17 parts. (Some alternative part names are also shown below)
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| Titles |
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| Materials and techniques | Plastic, fabric and cardboard |
| Brief description | Table game, 'Subbuteo "table soccer"', made by Peter A. Adolph, England, 1954. |
| Physical description | Cardboard boxed game for play on a table. Box contains a green baize mat with the pitch lines painted in white paint. The set contains two football nets with brown knotted string net and a metal frame covered in white plastic. The set contains 22 figures split into two colours, red and blue with two goalkeepers, one green and one yellow. The figures are made from a plastic base with a flat bottom and a slit in the top of the buttonlike form in which a printed card image of a footballer in white shorts and corresponding blue or red shirt, dependent on the team. The goalkeepers are mounted on the same button-like bases but have an additional metal handle which is for manipulation of the figure through the goalposts and net. There are two brown plastic footballs and a range of rules and advertisements also included in the box. |
| Dimensions |
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| Production type | Mass produced |
| Marks and inscriptions |
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| Gallery label | Subbuteo
Table football game made in England by P A Adolph in 1954
Subbuteo was invented in England by Peter Adolph in 1947. It was based on an earlier table football game from the 1920s called New Footy. The Subbuteo trademark includes a bird of prey - the hobby. Peter Adolph wanted to call his game "The Hobby" but could not licence the name. The Latin name for the hobby is Falco Subbuteo. Over 500 million figures have been made since Subbuteo was launched. |
| Historical context | The first Subbuteo set was produced in March 1947 by Peter Adolph after an advertisement was taken out in the Boy's Own Paper the year before advertising the idea of the game, even though the concept has not yet been fully realised. The figures, known as "flats" originally were cut out from paper, developing into a press out format. From 1961 celluloid figures replace the card versions. |
| Summary | The first Subbuteo set was produced in March 1947 by Peter Adolph after an advertisement was taken out in the Boy's Own Paper the year before testing the idea of the game. Even though the concept had not yet been fully realised, the idea was based on an earlier football game, New Footy, developed in the 1920s. The figures, known as "flats" were originally cut out from paper. This later developed into a press out format. From 1961 celluloid figures replaced the card versions. The idea of the game was to closely simulate the rules and moves of real football in a table top game with two full teams in coloured stripes, footballs, a pitch in the form of a mat and goal posts. The figures could be moved by flicking them into contact with the ball. The special and patented design of the bases (based on the shape of a rounded button) enabled the figures to remain upright throughout play. |
| Other numbers |
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| Collection | |
| Accession number | B.88:1 to 17-2004 |
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| Record created | December 17, 2008 |
| Record URL |
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