Hand coloured card game, Illustrated Proverbs, published in England by John Jaques & Son between 1860 and 1890

Design: letterpress and lithographs, hand coloured on card; reverse sides are plain pink.

The aim is to collect all the cards related to a proverb as shown on the coloured cards. The size of each can be different.
In the advertisement on the rules leaflet the Illustrated Proverbs are said to be DRAWN BY PHIZ; issued in two series, each 1s in cost

see also Misc. 89-1991 which has a rules leaflet
see also E. 343-1947

Rewards: n/a
Forfeits: n/a
No. of Players: any
Equipment required: 64 cards of which 12 are pictorial, hand coloured and showing a single large word and a complete `proverb'.

Rules:
The Twelve Proverbs, or a portion of them, are shuffled and dealt out to the players in rotation. The player on the left hand of the dealer commences the play by asking any other player for a card of any Proverb of which he holds one or more in his hand; if he obtains it he may continue asking until he asks for a card which the player asked does not hold; the right of asking in then transferred to him and he in the same way continues to ask till in like manner disqualified. When any player has obtained all the cards of a set forming the complete proverb, he turns them up on the table. The player who first completes all the Proverbs of which he holds cards at the commencement of the game, of of which any cards remain to him as the game progresses, wins.
N B:- No player is allowed to ask for a card of any Proverb of which he does not hold one or more in his hand.


*Learning the ideals of good behavior came to be regarded as important as the three R's. The precepts were often found as proverbs on card, and again, the idea of the game is that a group has to be collected. They are often quite humorous, although it is difficult to tell if this was deliberate or merely a late 20th century interpretation of the sayings and drawings. Generally, the gambling element of the rewards and forfeits were removed from the rules of these moral games

This game originally cost 1s. It has 64 cards and is played using the rules of Happy Families. There are 12 proverbs to collect, with varying numbers of words. The lead card of each set has a coloured picture and each card is printed with the text of the complete proverb. Using a moral-based, rather than a fun, version of the Happy Families game was a good way to teach children some of the rules of good behaviour.

MISC.135-1976