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Image of Gallery in South Kensington
On display at Young V&A
Play Gallery, Build It, Case 1

This object consists of 2 parts, some of which may be located elsewhere.

Brickplayer

Construction Set
ca.1945-1950 (manufactured)
Artist/Maker
Spear's Games (manufacturers)
Place of origin
Enfield (manufactured)

Construction set. A box containing two tubes of Brickplayer cement and a metal trowel, two cards of roofing tiles, and a card of windows and fixtures, printed paper blueprints for a train station, signal box and a cottage, an instruction manual, two grey roofing pieces and two baseboards. There are 173 full-size, 60 three-quarter sized, and 58 half-sized terracotta bricks.


Object details

Categories
Construction Toys
Play
Architecture
Object type
Construction set
Parts
This object consists of 2 parts.

  • Construction Toy
  • Display Arrangement
TitleBrickplayer (manufacturer's title)
Materials and techniques
Terracotta, card, printed paper, metal
Terracotta
Card
Paper
Metal
Printing
Moulding
Brief description
Brickplayer: the Bricks and Mortar Building Set, Spear's Games, England, probably 1940s
Physical description
Construction set. A box containing two tubes of Brickplayer cement and a metal trowel, two cards of roofing tiles, and a card of windows and fixtures, printed paper blueprints for a train station, signal box and a cottage, an instruction manual, two grey roofing pieces and two baseboards. There are 173 full-size, 60 three-quarter sized, and 58 half-sized terracotta bricks.
Dimensions
  • Box width: 350mm
  • Box depth: 230mm
  • Full size bricks height: 6mm
  • Full size bricks width: 25mm
  • Full size bricks depth: 12mm
  • Three quarter sized bricks height: 6mm
  • Three quarter sized bricks width: 18mm
  • Three quarter sized bricks depth: 12mm
  • Half sized bricks height: 6mm
  • Half sized bricks width: 12mm
  • Half sized bricks depth: 12mm
Production typeMass produced
Marks and inscriptions
'BRICKPLAYER / THE BRICKS AND MORTAR BUILDING KIT' (Printed on the box lid in large letters)
Credit line
Given by Mr Andrew Woolnough
Object history
Given by Mr. Andrew Woolnough (89/250). On entry to the museum it was noted that 'the box is damaged and the metal trowel is rusty. Some of the plans are tatty, but the bricks are in good condition'.
Production
Brickplayer sets were first manufactured in 1938. This set most likely dates from after the Second World War.
Subjects depicted
Buildings
Trowels
Builders
Collection
Young V&A Collection
Accession number
MISC.111-1990

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Record createdJuly 1, 2009
Record URL
https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O1128361/brickplayer-construction-set-spears-games/
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