This is a very fine example of a spelling game played using the rules of Happy Families. There are 11 sets of cards. The lead card has a picture of an animal: an ass, cat, cow, dog, fox, goat, hare, horse, lion, pig or rat. The others in the set spell out the name of the animal with the letters illustrated in pictures. Sometimes it is difficult to work out which letter belongs to which animal. The set of lion cards is double in point value, because he is the 'king of the beasts'.
Physical description
Design: process engravings, sepia on green card; reverse sides plain
card slipcase has an impression of the illustration on the rules card printed on the front
50 cards, including the rules card, showing country scenes with animals incorporating representation of letters of the alphabet within the design
card slipcase with an impression of the illustration on the rules card printed on the front
No. of Players: any
Place of Origin
England, Great Britain (published)
Date
1878 (published)
Artist/maker
Hulbert, J. Lacey (designer)
Materials and Techniques
Printed card
Marks and inscriptions
illustrations drawn and signed by J Lacy Hulbert delt 1878
Dimensions
Height: 3.75 in, Width: 2.375 in, Height: 4 in case, Width: 2.5 in case, Depth: 0.375 in case
Object history note
spelling game played in a similar manner to Happy Families; the illustrations are quite obscure especially if a child had difficult recognising the alphabetical letter
animals:- ass, cat, cow, dog, fox goat, hare, horse, lion, pig, rat
Historical context note
Rules:
THE NEW GAME OF ANIMALS
This game consists of 11 sets of cards, each containig the separate letters which spell the name of an animal with one card representing the animal spelt. There is also one card containing all the animals.
RULES OF THE GAME
1. The cards must be well shuffled and dealt, not less that 6 being placed in the middle as a pool.
2. Each player, in turn, may ask any of the players for any card belonging to a set, one or more of the cards of which he has in his hand, and, if successful, amy continue to ask for cards from the same or any other player till he fails to obtain what he asks for, when the right to ask passes to the player on his left hand.
3. The player who finds in his hand the card representing all the snaimsl together begins the game and has the privilege (for the first turn only) of asking for any card in the game, even if he holds none of the cards belonging to the same set in his hand.
4. The design of each letter shows to which animal it belongs; but some of the letters are made intentionally rather obscure; and if any player misunderstands a card, or asks for one belonging to a set of which he has none, or for a card he already has, he loses that turn.
5. When a player finds no one has the card he seeks, he may draw from the pool till he obtains it , keeping all he draws.
6. When a player has exhausted all his cards, he may draw one from this pool, if any remain, and continue his play.
7. The LION, being `king of the beasts' his set of cards counts as TWO sets.
8. The player who has obtained the largest number of sets at the end of the game wins.
9. If possible, one who knows the game should act as umpire.
Descriptive line
Card game, The New Game of Animals, published in England in 1878
Bibliographic References (Citation, Note/Abstract, NAL no)
The Collector's Guide to Children's Games and Puzzle, CG Goodfellow, Apple Press, 1991
Production Note
Reason For Production: retail
Materials
Card
Techniques
Printed
Categories
Games; Playing cards & Tarot cards
Production Type
mass produced
Collection code
MoC
