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Social History — 1901

The Game of Monte Carlo

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This penny 'Game of Monte Carlo' comprises a roulette style wood and card wheel marked with 12 numbered sections each having a small indentation at the top and a red bead ball. The numbers and holes are printed on a blue and white striped cardboard disc attached to a lower red wood disc. In the centre is a nail which holds the two discs together. As the card disc is spun the small red bead falls into one of the numbered holes.
The game is stored in a card box covered with red paper and a printed paper label with the maker's name and title 'The Game of Monte Carlo JW S&S Bavaria'. This toy was purchased for one penny (1d) from a London street trader on 20th December 1901.

The game was produced by . J W. Spear and Sohne Ltd, a company founded by Jacob Wolf Spear in Germany in 1879. The factory which was near Nuremburg was the first toy factory to use steam power. Toys were produced in 5 languages; German, English, French, Dutch and Spanish.

Category:
Social History
Object ID:
80.525/1205
Object name:
The Game of Monte Carlo
Object type:

toy roulette wheel

Artist/Maker:
J.W. Spear and Sons PLC
Related people:

Related events:

Related places:

Bavaria, Germany

Production date:
1901
Material:

card, wood

Measurements/duration:
DM 76 mm D 22 mm (overall)
Part of:
—
On display:
—
Record quality:
100%
Part of this object:
—
Owner Status & Credit:

Permanent collection

Copyright holder:

digital image © London Museum

Image credit:
—
Creative commons usage:
—
License this image:

To license this image for commercial use, please contact the London Museum Picture Library.

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