Ludo The Ever Popular Game thumbnail 1
Image of Gallery in South Kensington
On display at Young V&A
Play Gallery, the Arcade, Case 1

Ludo The Ever Popular Game

Board Game
1920s (published)
Artist/Maker
Place of origin

The game of Ludo is the English version of Pachisi, an Indian game. It is a game for up to four players, each playing with a set of four counters of different colours (usually red, yellow, blue and green). The aim of the game is to get all four playing pieces around the board and into the Home space. This game, made by the famous Chad Valley Company has a cross shape design set against a square board.

Object details

Categories
Object type
Parts
This object consists of 5 parts.

  • Board Game
  • Packaging
  • Dice Pot
  • Dice Pot
  • Instructions
TitleLudo The Ever Popular Game (manufacturer's title)
Materials and techniques
Printed card, turned and stained wood
Brief description
Game board and boxed playing pieces for Ludo made in England by the Chad Valley Company in the 1920s
Physical description
Board design: printed card playing surface, folded. Cross shape set against a square board, with a centre square and four arms leading from it. Each arm has 18 squares of which each has dots of different colours. There are also starting spaces for the markers of each colours.
No. of squares: 92
Squares illustrated: none
Square numbering: none
Squares titled: some
Subject of starting square: marked
Subject of ending square: marked

16 playing counters (four x red, four x yellow, four x black, four x green), one die, game box and lid with printed text, one cylindrical wooden dice shaker, one cone shaped wooden dice shaker striped in blue stain, varnished wood and red stain
Dimensions
  • Height: 45.7cm
  • Width: 45.7cm
Production typeMass produced
Marks and inscriptions
'LUDO / THE EVER POPULAR / GAME' (Title, printed on box lid.)
Credit line
Given by Mrs E. M. Allen
Historical context
Rewards: extra turns
Forfeits: missed turns
No. of Players: 4
Equipment required: markers, dice

Rules placement: instruction sheet in English and French
Summary
The game of Ludo is the English version of Pachisi, an Indian game. It is a game for up to four players, each playing with a set of four counters of different colours (usually red, yellow, blue and green). The aim of the game is to get all four playing pieces around the board and into the Home space. This game, made by the famous Chad Valley Company has a cross shape design set against a square board.
Collection
Accession number
MISC.6&:1 to 3, 5-1980

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Record createdMarch 4, 2000
Record URL
Download as: JSONIIIF Manifest