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Not currently on display at the V&A

The Sun of Brunswick

Board Game
01/05/1820 (published)
Artist/Maker
Place of origin

This historical race game is a reworking of the game 'The Jubilee'. The playing spaces have been redesigned and the centre of the game has been ammended to include the deaths of Queen Charlotte, wife of George III, Charlotte Augusta, Princess of Wales, the daughter of George IV and heir apparent to the throne and of George III himself. More recent events are reflected in the addition of Napoleon and the Duke of Wellington. George IV now sits at the centre of the game.


Object details

Categories
Object type
Parts
This object consists of 2 parts.

  • Board Game
  • Case
TitleThe Sun of Brunswick (manufacturer's title)
Materials and techniques
Hand-coloured engraving, mounted on linen
Brief description
Hand coloured historical race game, The Sun of Brunswick, published in England by John Harris in 1820
Physical description
Design: engraving, coloured by hand; 12 sections of paper mounted on linen
No. of squares: 150, illustrated and numbered 1 to 150
Squares illustrated: all
Subject of starting square: Proclamation of George III, 1760
Subject of ending square: portrait of George IV
No. of Players: 6, see also rules
Rewards: receipt of counters and forward movement; also provision if one player lands on an occupied square, the first moves one forward and receives payment
Forfeits: payment of counters, and backward movement
Rules placement: no rules, booklet to be used, H Bryer, Printer, Bridge Street, Blackfriars, London (E.647-1949)
Dimensions
  • Length: 22in
  • Width: 20.875in
  • Folded length: 7.875in
  • Folded width: 5.5in
Marks and inscriptions
  • 1st May, 1820 (game; letterpress)
  • 1828 Willm. C Wynne (Inscribed in ink on the back of the playing sheet)
Object history
The booklet would contain a brief description of each of the 150 plates and also a more detailed description of the REMARKABLE OCCURRENCES DURING THE REIGN OF HIS PRESENT MAJESTY.
see also Historical Pastimes and E.467-1949
Historical context
RULES AND DIRECTIONS FOR PLAYING THE JUBILEE
In playing this Game, a teetotum of eight sides is made use of, together with six counters of different colours, as markers, to avoid confusion in telling the game. Each player should also be provided with about two dozen of counters, on which a nominal value should be set, that any player who happens to be out, may purchase of the winners.
If more than six persons sit down to play, a greater number of markers may be cut out of card, and distinguished by figures, as may be agreed on.
Each player proceeds in the game according to the numbers he spins, and pays the fine, or receives the reward appointed. Advances are made by adding the figure turned to that on which the marker stands.
Should any player spin a number on which there is already a marker, he must take its place and the other must move one forward.
Any player taking more than his due, must go back as many numbers as he took. If he take too few, and the next player have spun, he must remain where he was.
Whatever fines are marked in the list of numbers, must be put into the pool, and the first who makes exactly 150, or `The Jubilee' wins the game; but if he happens to spin above that number, he must go back as may from 150 as he spun beyond it, till he or some one else wins the pool and its contents.
Persons going backward in the game are exempted from the fines attached to the figures on which they be obliged to rest.
EXAMPLE
Suppose John, Thomas and James play the game; James chooses a white marker, Thomas a red and john a green one; James by agreement spins first; and finding the uppermost number of the teetotum to be 2, he places his Marker on the Funeral of George the Second. Thomas spins next, No. 8, and places his mark on the Birth of the Prince of Wales. John next turns No 1 and places his mark on the Proclamation of George the Third. James then plays again, and spins No. 8 which being added to 2, his former number, sends him forward to the Commitment of Wilkes to the Tower, when he is to pay 2 counters to the pool, and go back to No. 1. Thomas spins No. 7 which, added to 8, his former number, brings him to the first meeting of the American Congress. John then spins No. 5, which added to 1, his former number, carries him to the Declaration of War against Spain and pays two counters to the Pool. Again James spins No. 5, which authorises him to take the station occupied by Thomas's mark. Thomas therefore moves to No. 16; and John having spun No. 3 moves to No. 9.

The following is in the front of the booklet and while an advertisement is more a praise of the King
ADVERTISEMENT
This Game may be considered as a Continuation of one published a few years back, entitled HISTORICAL PASTIMES OF ENGLAND, which commenced at the Conquest and ended at the Accession of his present Majesty. where that left off, this begins; and it is hoped that the Events recorded (and surely an eventful Reign it has been) will create a lively interest in the breast of every Juvenile Briton; it is continued to the 25th of October 1809, the day our revered Sovereign entered the Fiftieth year of his Reign, and a Day of Jubilee in every part of his Dominions.
The writer of this has only to unite his wishes with those of his fellow subjects, that our good King may long continue to be the Ruler, as he has hitherto been the Father of a free and generous

THE GAME HAS BEEN ALTERED FROM COMPARTMENT NO. 129 AND IN THE CENTRE IS A CIRCULAR MEDALLION WITH A PORTAIT OF GEORGE IV.

Some of the changes are as follows:
129. Peace with Spain.
132. Jubilee, 50th year of His Majesty's Reign
136. The Prince Regent
139. The Duke of Wellington
141. The Allied Sovereigns on a London Balcony
145. Napoleon in exile
146. Death of Princess Charlotte of Wales
147. Arctic Expedition
148. Death of Queen Charlotte
149. Funeral of Geroge III
150. Portrait of George IV

*It is really a reworked version of the Jubilee but the treatment of the compartments is completely different. The centre of the game was reworked from square 129 to include the deaths of Queen Charlotte, wife of George III, Charlotte Augusta, Princess of Wales, the daughter of George IV and heir apparent to the throne and of George III himself.
Summary
This historical race game is a reworking of the game 'The Jubilee'. The playing spaces have been redesigned and the centre of the game has been ammended to include the deaths of Queen Charlotte, wife of George III, Charlotte Augusta, Princess of Wales, the daughter of George IV and heir apparent to the throne and of George III himself. More recent events are reflected in the addition of Napoleon and the Duke of Wellington. George IV now sits at the centre of the game.
Associated object
E.467-1949 (version)
Bibliographic reference
Collectors' Guide to Children's Games & Puzzles, C G Goodfellow, Apple Press 1991
Collection
Accession number
E.1771-1954

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Record createdMarch 4, 2000
Record URL
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