Not currently on display at the V&A

Historical Lotto

Card Game
ca. 1870 (published)
Artist/Maker
Place of origin

Lotto is played like bingo and has always been a game of chance. Publishers of children's games decided to use the format as an educational tool. This is a historical version and is subtitled ‘Events in the Lives of Monarchs from William I to William IV’. Unusually, it has an inventor, a Mrs Anderson. There are 35 large cards, each with the name of a monarch, and 14 dates or numbers associated with their reign. The players must fill up the large cards with the correct smaller cards, which are drawn from a bag.


Object details

Categories
Object type
Parts
This object consists of 37 parts.

  • Historical Lotto
  • Historical Lotto: Card
  • Historical Lotto: Card
  • Historical Lotto: Card
  • Historical Lotto: Card
  • Historical Lotto: Card
  • Historical Lotto: Card
  • Historical Lotto: Card
  • Historical Lotto: Card
  • Historical Lotto: Card
  • Historical Lotto: Rule Book
  • Historical Lotto: Card
  • Historical Lotto: Card
  • Historical Lotto: Card
  • Historical Lotto: Card
  • Historical Lotto: Card
  • Historical Lotto: Card
  • Historical Lotto: Card
  • Historical Lotto: Card
  • Historical Lotto: Card
  • Historical Lotto: Card
  • Historical Lotto: Card
  • Historical Lotto: Card
  • Historical Lotto: Card
  • Historical Lotto: Card
  • Historical Lotto: Card
  • Historical Lotto: Card
  • Historical Lotto: Card
  • Historical Lotto: Card
  • Historical Lotto: Card
  • Historical Lotto: Card
  • Historical Lotto: Card
  • Historical Lotto: Card
  • Historical Lotto: Card
  • Historical Lotto: Card
  • Historical Lotto: Card
  • Historical Lotto: Card
TitleHistorical Lotto (manufacturer's title)
Materials and techniques
Printed card
Brief description
Boxed card game, Historical Lotto, made in England by John Jaques & Son in about 1870
Physical description
Design: folding mahogany box; 35 large printed cards and 526 small cards
No. of cards: 35 + 526
Object history
Lotto has always been primarily a game of chance. Publishers of children's games decided to use the format as an educational tool and Jaques soon turned its attention to this form of play. They were not alone and many publishers produced games of varying difficulty.



Games & Puzzles, CGG, 1991
Historical context
No. of Players: any
Equipment required: folding board,
large and small cards
bone counters
double sheet of rules
original box

Rules:
The players must fill up their large cards with the correct smaller cards which are drawn from a fabric bag.

Equipment:

folding mahogany board with a hinged leg at one end by which the board may be tilted to form a chute down the grooves of which a marble ball may descend to ring a bell suspended from a metal stand at the bottom. This is a timing device for the players.
samll tray of mahogany to hold 127 bone counters, red and white
35 large cards, lettered wsith dates, events etc in the lives of British monarchs from william I to William IV
526 small cards in a blue fabric bag, 485 of which bear numbers
double sheet of rules with advertisements for other games on the back
wooden box divided into 3 compartments with a sliding lid bearing a label with a printed title.

Label on base of box:- CHILDS & SON, 51 KINGS ROAD, BRIGHTON, DESK & DRESSING CASE MAKERS
Summary
Lotto is played like bingo and has always been a game of chance. Publishers of children's games decided to use the format as an educational tool. This is a historical version and is subtitled ‘Events in the Lives of Monarchs from William I to William IV’. Unusually, it has an inventor, a Mrs Anderson. There are 35 large cards, each with the name of a monarch, and 14 dates or numbers associated with their reign. The players must fill up the large cards with the correct smaller cards, which are drawn from a bag.
Collection
Accession number
E.1801&:1 to 35, A-1954

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