Boxed card game, The Game of Trade, published in the United States by Ives between 1845 and 1860

47 cards and box. Design: hand coloured lithographs

Given by Mrs J. M. Measday

Happy Families and games derived from its format may be an American game adapted later in Britain. There are earlier US versions than English ones.
*The Game of Trades was re-issued by Parker Brothers in 1889.



CGG-Games & Puzzles, 1991

Rewards: n/a
Forfeits: n/a
No. of Players: any
Equipment required: cards only, backs are dark pink.

original box, dark blue/black card

Rules:
There are 7 sets each with a picture card and 5 marked with the symbol and numbered 1 to 5. For example, an illustration of a tailor working and the symbol open scissors. An eighth set is missing card numbered 5.

W & S B Ives, a company that is later recorded as S B Ives, was established in 1830 in Salem, a town just a few miles outside Boston, where to this day the prominent publishers and games makers, Parker Brothers, are still located. The Ives company produced by card and board games, illustrating many styles and over with very original titles. In 1844 it produced a Fox and Geese board, entitled The Game of Pope and Pagan or Siege of the Stronghold of Satan by the Christian Army, followed two years later by Mahomet and Saladin or The Battle for Palestine, another Fox and Geese board. The company produced card games, the first Dr. Busby appeared in 1843 and was followed by Managerie, Trades, Yankee Trader, Uncle Tom's Cabin, Heroes and Master Redbury and his Pupils.

The Game of Trades, with a set of 48 hand coloured lithographs was published by Ives and contains 8 illustrated cards and 40 cards showing only the trade symbol (one of these is missing in this museum set). The aim of the game is to collect the card of each trade and so to make a trick.

GENERAL HAPPY FAMILIES RULES

Three or more can play and special cards are normally used, each showing four members of a family, mother, father, son and daughter, However, variations have been developed to use groups of 3, 4, 5, 6, and 7 to a set. Also subject variations occur and some are educational, for example The Counties of England.

The object of the game is for each player to collect as many complete `families' as possible.
One of the players deals out all the cards. If more than one round is played, the players take it in turn to deal. It does not matter if some players have one card more than others.
Each player looks at his cards and sorts them into families.
It is important that players keep their cards hidden from each other. With young children it is a good idea if they can lay their cards out of view of the other players.
When all the players are ready, the person to the dealer's left asks any player, by name, for a particular card (eg Master Baker). He must already possess at least one of member of the same family, ie Mrs. Baker. If the person asked has the card, he must give it to the first player, who may again ask anybody for a card of any family as long as he already has one card belonging to that family.
He continues to do this until he fails to obtain a card. If the person asked does not have the card requested, it is his turn to ask for cards.
When a player collects all the cards of the same family, he puts them into a pile face down in front of him.
Play continues until all the families have been completed
The winner is the person who collects the most families.

Happy Families and other similar games may have originated in the United States and been adapted for British play. Versions of the game appear in the US earlier than English ones. This is one such version and is based on various tradesmen.

There are seven sets of cards each with a picture card and five further cards, numbered 1 to 5 and marked with an appropriate symbol. For example, an illustration of a tailor working with the symbol of an open scissors. The aim of the game is to collect sets of each trade.

MISC.170-1983