All the latest NEWS, announcements,
reports, events, calendar listings
and such
sent to us from players, collectors,
puzzle people, authors,
editors and associations.
For new game releases from game companies and distributors, and new puzzles from the mass-marketers, click here.
For new releases, news and information from individual and independent game inventors, click here.
For new hand-cut jigsaw puzzles from the puzzle cutters, click here.
For new mechanical puzzles from the puzzle designers, click here.
April 13 -14, 2013
Yo-Yo & Skill Toys Convention
18th Annual Gathering in Burlington, Wisconsin
Pre-convention April 7, 9-12:
Exhibit of 1000 Yo-Yos & Yo-Yo Memorabilia
Click on Spinning Top & YoYo Museum.
March 2013
New game book:
Game-Makers to the Empire
Roberts Brothers of Gloucester, 1890-1957
by Malcolm J. Watkins
The most complete photographic history every published of a British game company. Nearly 600 pages, with thousands of pictures. Available for £70 through Amazon UK; click here: Amazon.
Book on Roberts Brothers, Game-Makers to the Empire, by Malcolm Watkins; photo plates 62 & 63
Here is the author’s description of the book:
A record of the revealed story and many of the products made by the Gloucester (England) company that brought entertainment to millions across the world during more than six decades. Malcolm J Watkins, former Strategic Cultural Manager for Gloucester City Council, has spent more than a decade studying and researching the company of Roberts Brothers of Gloucester, England. The company was at one period considered to be the largest maker of pastimes and games in the United Kingdom, yet its memory has faded from most people’s awareness. The firm, founded by the brothers Harry Owen Roberts and John Owen Roberts, developed from a simple (some would say silly) party game devised by one or both brothers for a Sunday school class. The game received a patent in 1890, and a publisher was found to market it, soon causing a craze for the game of Piladex. In 1894 the brothers decided to concentrate on the growing business as they added more and more games to their repertoire. The game was played by members of the royal family, and this in turn led to further success, with expansion leading to the brothers building a state-of-the art factory in the city. They adopted the trade name of Glevum, based on the Roman name for Gloucester, and soon began to use a stylised head of a Roman soldier as the trade mark. The company continued to grow, despite the First World War and the Depression. Agencies and offices were found across the world, and at the height of its success more than 750 were employed. World War II was to provide a halt to their growth. The factory was commandeered for war work, and all but a handful of staff went into the forces or other areas supporting the war effort. After the war the company’s fortunes were slow to recover, and as a result of a number of factors the directors were forced to seek a friendly take-over by rivals Chad Valley, resulting in the effective end of the company in 1956 with the factory finally closing in 1957. This book examines the small amount of evidence for the company and its history that has survived, and provides the most complete assessment of the products yet published. Thousands of pictures in both black and white and colour illustrating the breadth of the imagination and products of the company are shown in a way that will prove of lasting value to many readers, whether historians or collectors.
Game Exhibit, San Francisco Airport
Through May 2013
Spider and the Bee, 1912, Chicago Game Co.; David Galt collection.jpg
San Francisco has turned it airport terminals into exhibit centers. (“The Big Game Hunter” was perhaps the first to exhibit games there, around 1978.) Most of the games in this exhibit come from New York games historian and inventor, David Galt. The exhibit is in D12 – Terminal 2 Departures at San Francisco International Airport’s SFO Museum and runs from October 2012 through May 2013.
Check out Airport Games Exhibit.
February 23, 2013
Musées de la Ville d’eaux- Spa
Presents
Spa’s Casinos : 250 years of gambling
Spa towns have always been associated with gambling in Europe. Gambling in Spa began officially in 1763, when the Prince Bishop ordered the construction of a ‘Public Assembly, for Balls and Games’. He wanted to control illegal private gambling, but also to profit from the colossal sums generated.
Before the French Revolution, three establishments had control of the rich upper classes who visited Spa during the Tourist season. The ‘Redoute’, the ‘Waux Hall’, and the ‘Salon Levoz’ were fierce rivals for customers seeking luxury and comfort. The competition between the three was very strong indeed. The stakeholders were so competitive, and the quarrels and infighting that arose were one of the causes of Liege’s Revolution.
Because of this, in 1872 and 1902, two laws were voted that outlawed gambling. Yet, each time, private clubs eventually took over. Today, roulette, blackjack, and poker are still allowed in nine Communes in Belgium. We also present games popular before those already mentioned : such as ‘Pharaon’, Craps, ‘Biribi’, ‘Thirty and Forty’, Baccara, ‘Railroad’….
If Mineral Water was Spa’s ‘engine’ of development, gambling provided the ‘fuel’, for at least two Centuries. A ‘must’ !
Where : Musées de la Ville d’eaux
Avenue Reine Astrid, 77b 4900 Spa
When : From the 31st March until the 10th of November 2013
Every day from 14H à 18H – FREE the first Sunday of the month
For : All ages
Contact : 087/774486 / info@spavillaroyale.be / www.spavillaroyale.be
February 6, 2013 -
Monopoly Irons Out Its Update
Shortly before its 80th birthday, the Monopoly iron is out. Hasbro announced that it will be replaced by a cat token. How this “updates” or modernizes the game, I don’t know. What I do know is that the decision on what had to go and what would replace it was based on votes from the internet-going public — a public, I would guess, that grew up (if they’re actually grown up yet) without ever having used an iron (or a thimble, for that matter). And as America is a cat-crazed country, the substitute comes as no surprise (I wonder what your European Monopoly fans would have favored?). In any case, I would venture to say that this has less to do with reinvigorating the game as with publicity — another move to get the media (and people like me) to talk about the classic over-long game that offers little possibilities of a player catching up once he falls behind.
By the way, Hasbro’s internet page, ”About Monopoly — Monopoly History & Fun Facts,” mentions nothing about the game’s history; the names Elizabeth Magie and The Landlords Game appear nowhere — nor does any mention of Charles Darrow. The site makes no mention of a cat or an iron, but, then again, it tells you about a documentary “scheduled to debut fall 2010.” So much about updating.
Exhibitions 2013 – Europe
Chemnitz, Germany: American Games – Deutsches Spielemuseum, April 12 – June 30, 2013 For information and a view of around 125 game photographs, click here.
Paris, France: Art du jeu, jeu dans l’art: de Babylone à l’Occident médiéval – Musée de Cluny, through 4 March 2013.
Exhibition at the Museo di Milano
(Thanks to Thierry Depaulis)
New Book from Del Museo Nazionale Della Montagna
Giochi Delle Montagne, Orizzonte d’Avventura
Raccolte di Documentazione del Museo Nazionale della Montagna
Games of the Mountains, Horizon of Adventure
a cura di / edited by Aldo Audisio, Antonella Lombardo, Ulrich Schädler
Autori / Authors: Aldo Audisio, Leonardo Bizzaro, Enrico Camanni, Marion Faber, Luigi Gaido, Antonella Lombardo, Roberto Mantovani, Ulrich Schädler, Pompeo Vagliani
Priuli & Verlucca editori, 2012
384 pp., 536 colour ill., 533 games described, texts in Italian and English, 22 × 29cm, hardcover, ISBN 978-88-8068-595-1
€ 45,00 (+ shipping)
The book is devoted to games and to the idea of playing with mountains, creating adventures to be experienced at home. The collection documents two centuries of images, widening to embrace skiing, exploration and the race to the Poles. This story can be discovered along a long journey, from the mid nineteenth century up until today, through the pages of this book.
The book serves as a companion piece to the 2006 Le Montagne per Gioco: Tra le Vette le Nevi dei Giochi da Tavolo, a 428-page book filled with gorgeous photos of mountain-themed games from around the world.
Museo Nazionale della Montagna “Duca degli Abruzzi” Piazzale Monte dei Cappuccini, 7 – 10131 Torino – Italia Tel ++390116.604.104 – Fax ++390116.604.622 posta@museomontagna.org. Click on Museo della Montagna.
Games Exhibit in Vienna
The Exhibition, Games of the City (or City Games): Luck, Winning and Pastimes, will be held from Oct. 25, 2012, to April 2, 2013, at the Vienna Museum, Austria. For information (in German), go to Wien Museum.
From the museum’s website:
GAMES AND THE CITY - LUCK, LUCRE AND LEISURE
An urban society without games is unthinkable.
City spaces are and always have been places for games – for children and adults alike. It is all about luck, money and leisure time. With Vienna as an example the exhibition shows the wide range of spaces for urban games, from streets and parks to cafés, pub backrooms or private salons.
What games were being played by whom and where?
What was the significance of illegal games?
How did games change according to the social milieu they were played in?
Besides chess, lotteries, billiards, street games, cards, forfeits and the like, the exhibit contains table games.
SPIELE DER STADT - GLÜCK, GEWINN UND ZEITVERTREIB
Wenn die Arbeit getan ist, dann spielt der Mensch: Er schiebt Spielfiguren über Bretter, taucht ein in Traumwelten, freut und ärgert sich oder richtet sich sogar zugrunde. Keine urbane Gesellschaft ist denkbar ohne Spiele. Die Räume der Stadt waren und sind stets Orte des Spiels – für Kinder wie für Erwachsene. Die Topgrafie der Spiel-Räume reicht von öffentlichen Plätzen wie Parks oder Straßen über halböffentliche Orte wie Kaffeehaus, Wirtshaus oder Lottokollektur bis zum privaten Raum.
Die Ausstellung “Spiele der Stadt” begibt sich auf die Suche nach den Spiel-Räumen Wiens, von den Salons des 18. Jahrhunderts bis zu den heutigen Automatenhallen. Welche Spiele werden wo und von wem gespielt? Wie verändern sich die Spiele und wie verändert sich der öffentliche Raum, der spielerisch erobert und genutzt wird? Deutlich werden soziale Differenzen: Im Café werden andere Spiele gespielt als im Wirtshaus, im bürgerlichen Wohnzimmer andere als in der Arbeiterwohnung.
Von klassischen Gesellschaftsspielen wie Tarock oder Schach erzählt die Ausstellung ebenso wie von der Rummy-Mode der 20er-Jahre (“Die Emmy spielt Rummy”) oder vergessenen Spielen wie “Glocke und Hammer” oder das Hasardspiel “Farao”. Ein Kapitel gilt Gassenspielen wie “Anmäuerln” oder Reifentreiben und den öffentlichen Spielplätzen. Groß ist das Spektrum von Brett- und Kartenspielen in der Museumssammlung: Straßenbahn-Spiel, Wienerwald-Spiel, Veduten- Tarock, Zauberspiele, aber auch Erziehungsspiele für Knaben und Mädchen wie “Lohn und Strafe” und politische Propagandaspiele. Auch Raritäten sind zu sehen: die Tarock-Schatulle von Johann Strauß, ein Stadtspiel von Kol Moser oder Selbsterfundenes von Arnold Schönberg. Im Kapitel zum falschen und illegalen Spiel, bei dem Glückssuchende “gerupft” werden findet man gezinkte Karten, manipulierte Würfel und Erinnerungen eines Polizisten an das legendäre Stoß-Spiel der Gürtelstrizzi.
Wien Museum
1040 Wien, Karlsplatz 8
Telefon: +43-1-505 87 47-0, Telefax: +43-1-505 87 47-7201
E-mail: office(at)wienmuseum.at
OLD NEWS
Fine Games Annual Clearance Sale
Fine Games is pleased to begin its biggest sale of each year, our Annual Clearance Sale. Now thru our last shipping day of the year (Friday, 21 December), we offer our best deals of the year on a variety of games, magazines & add-on parts. All totaled, there are well over 1,000 items on the block this year in four lists.
Click on Fine Games sale.
Fine Games, 2078 Madrona St., North Bend, OR 97459-2143
Fünf Tage spielen an der Winti Mäss
Bereits zum drittenmal werden die Messebesucher in der Halle 1 von der Sonderschau ‚Spiel & Spass‘ überrascht. Ausgestellt und gespielt werden dieses Jahr unterschiedlichste Holzspiele. Eigens aus Florenz angereist kommt einer der schillerndsten, aktiven Spieleautoren mit einer repräsentativen Auswahl seiner Spieleerfindungen.
An der diesjährigen Sonderschau ‚Spiel & Spass‘ lädt eine Vielzahl attraktiver Holzspiele zum Staunen und Spielen ein. Ab Donnerstag werden unter anderem diverse Spiele des bekannten Spieleautors Niek Neuwahl von ihm gleich selber vorgestellt. Mit dabei hat er als Vorpremiere auch sein neustes Spiel, das offiziell erst an der nächsten Spielwarenmesse in Nürnberg vorgestellt wird. Wie wär es mit einer Partie gegen den Spieleerfinder?
For complete information, go to Niek Neuwahl.
Cartorama Catalog
Scroll down for German.
Europa zu Gast im Deutschen SPIELEmuseum Chemnitz
Vom 8. bis 13. Oktober 2012 findet über der Ägide des Deutschen SPIELEmuseum der internationale Workshop
„Lern-SPIEL-Welten“
statt. Zu Gast sind 20 Teilnehmer aus Polen, Rumänien, Lettland, Spanien, den Niederlanden und der Schweiz.
Der Austausch findet im Rahmen des europäischen Förderprogramms für lebenslanges Lernen – Grundtvig Workshop statt.
Der Workshop Lern-SPIEL-Welten steht ganz im Zeichen des gemeinsamen interkulturellen Lernens und Kommunizierens mit dem Kulturgut Spiel. Die Teilnehmer/innen lernen Spiel als Instrument kennen, das auf vielfältige Weise unterschiedliche Kompetenzen und Fähigkeiten wie Konzentration, Kommunikation, Kreativität oder Motorik fördert. Durch eigenes Ausprobieren erfahren sie die integrative Bedeutung von Spielen. Spiele ermöglichen nicht nur generations- und länderübergreifende Lernerfahrungen, sondern sind auch für Gruppen verschiedenster Hintergründe und Zusammensetzung geeignet. Spielen verbindet! Auf neuen Lernwegen werden die Teilnehmer/innen erleben, dass für Lernerfolge Motivation und Unterhaltung bedeutsam sind. Wer spielt hat Spaß und lernt!
Als materielles Ergebnis des Workshops steht ein in multinationaler Gruppe entwickeltes Spiel, das als besonderes europäisches Produkt Teil der Wanderausstellung „Spielend lernen“ – die zur Zeit exklusiv im Deutschen SPIELEmuseum Chemnitz zu sehen ist – wird. Bei der Spielentwicklung greifen wir auf professionelle Hilfe zurück – die Spieleautorin Anja Wrede (Edition Siebenschläfer) wird an zwei Workshoptagen gemeinsam mit den Teilnehmern an der Spielerfindung arbeiten.
Ihre Gastgeberstadt Chemnitz werden die Teilnehmer durch eine Fahrt in einer historischen Straßenbahn des Straßenbahnmuseums Chemnitz sowie einer Führung durch das Rathaus kennenlernen. Der Workshop wird mit einer Exkursion in das Schloß- und Spielkartenmuseum Altenburg komplettiert.
Im Rahmen des Workshops bieten sich Medienvertretern zahlreiche Gelegenheiten für Pressegespräche und Fototermine (Auszug aus dem Programmplan siehe nachstehend). Machen Sie sich selbst ein Bild der gelebten europäischen Gemeinschaft und besuchen Sie uns bei einer der unten genannten Aktionen!
Kontakt und Informationen:
Deutsches SPIELEmuseum e.V.; Cynthia Schönfeld (Leiterin)
Neefestraße 78a, 09119 Chemnitz
Tel. 0371 – 30 65 65, Fax 0371 – 354 00 31; Email: deutsches-spielemuseum@t-online.de
Programmplan (Auszug)
9.10.2012 ganztägiges Programm im Deutschen SPIELEmuseum zur Einführung und zum Kennenlernen
10.10.2012 Spieleerfinderworkshop mit der Spieleautorin Anja Wrede
ab 10.00 Uhr im Deutschen SPIELEmuseum
ab 18.00 Uhr Rathaus- und Türmerführung
11.10.2012 Spieleerfinderworkshop mit der Spieleautorin Anja Wrede
ab 10.00 Uhr im Deutschen SPIELEmuseum
ab 17.30 Uhr Fahrt mit der historischen Straßenbahn
12.10.2012 Exkursion nach Altenburg
ab 9.15 Uhr
Press Release from Huch!
Talat: Awarded three times!
In Talat, everything revolves around the number 3. So it seems natural that this tactical game by author Bruce Whitehill has been able to win three prizes this year: In spring 2012, Talat received the “Toy Award” in the category “Teenager & Family,” awarded at the Nuremberg Toy Fair. “Golden ornaments on a classy black background, a mysterious name and the unpretentious, well thought-out playing pieces enthuse strategic players of all ages,” the jury wrote. In summer, the German Association of Toy Retailers included the game in its “Top 10 Toys” list, which picks up on the hottest trends in the toy sector every year, right before upcoming Christmas sales. And finally, now Talat has received a major honor at the international level as well: American toy expert Stevanne Auerbach, better known as Dr. Toy, has included the game in the category “10 Best Games” on her list of “100 Best Toys 2012.”
Three awards for “The Power of Three” – this cannot be an accident. Talat wins us over with its simple rules, appealing design and distinctive playing principle – three times prize-worthy!
Read more about Bruce Whitehill’s game: go to Talat.
Games with no rules
Every game has to have rules — though there are games where the game itself depends on finding out what those rules are, or where rules change, such as in Fluxx. But the above headline refers to games that do not come with the rules inside the box; they have to be downloaded online. (If you can’t or don’t want to do that, you can request a copy of the rules from the publisher for 1 euro, about $1.28.) The company is Nestor Games, located in Spain. Before you jump to comment, read the rationale on the Nestor Games website:
“Important notice / In order to keep the prices untouched in spite of the annoying VAT [Value-Added-Tax] increase in Spanish and European sales and, at the same time, save some trees, the games will not include the rule sheets. You can download them by simply clicking on the ‘Rules’ button on the game pages. If you want me to print them for you, please email me (price for each rulesheet is 1 Eur). / Thank you and sorry for the inconvenience.”
Though I like “discovering” the game rules in a newly-opened box, I applaud Nestor Games for keeping prices down and for saving whatever trees they can — though, of course, he’s saving Spanish trees whereas we use the paper from whatever country we print the rules in at home.
Nestor Games, or should I say nestorgames, since they deal only online, is named after its founder, Néstor Romeral Andrés. He describes the company as an independent board game publishing company located in Zaragoza (Northeast of SPAIN). All games are manufactured in the EU. It’s a small company with a well-rounded variety of around 100 tactical games that it publishes when ordered. That’s right, it’s a “Games on Demand” policy. Bravo! Their pricing includes 9€ (under $12) for shipping, whether it’s for one game or many. And they offer a discount for paying with Bitcoin (a digital/virtual currency I know little about, though a Google search provides lots of information) as well as discounts for gold or silver!
One goal is to “publish almost any game,” which, he says, includes games rejected by other companies because, as is often the case, they don’t fit into the company’s line. Another of Néstor’s goals is to “make the games portable”; his motto: “Fun to take away.” The games ”occupy very little space and they are very light (around 150 grams per game, or 0.33 lb). The case is made of organic cotton. The board is made of rubber and the pieces are made of plastic or laser cut acrylic.”
The game inventors include Eric Solomon, Stephen Tavener, Cameron Browne and Néstor himself, among many others. All of the games are listed as suitable for 2 players, and some will accommodate up to six or eight. The games include classics, such as backgammon, go and Hex, and a large collection of games you need to look through to see what they’re all about. To do this, and for more information about nestorgames, go their website, nestorgames.com.
The French National Center for Games
officially opens in September
les samedi 22 et dimanche 23 septembre 2012,
> Une exposition sur les jeux d’ambiance, des salons littéraires au party games, en passant par les parlor
games
> La présentation des jeux finalistes du concours Europa Ludi et l’annonce des primés (dimanche 17h)
> Et bien sûr, des jeux à foison, pour jouer sans modération !
L’adresse :
Centre National du Jeu
Le Trapèze
17, allée Robert Doisneau
(angle 72, rue Marcel Bontemps)
92100 Boulogne-BillancourtAccès libre et gratuit.N’hésitez pas à en parler autour de vous !
Après la cérémonie officielle, qui commence à 11h, le CNJ sera ouvert à tous à partir de 13h !
Horaires :
Samedi, 11h > 22h
Dimanche, 13h > 18h
–
Chargé de communication
Centre National du Jeu
Le Trapèze
17, allée Robert Doisneau
92100 Boulogne-Billancourt
Tél. : +33 (0) 1 84 19 05 31
Mob. : +33 (0) 6 76 82 55 20
World’s Largest Jigsaw Puzzle
© 2012 euronews
A giant jigsaw has been put together in the city of Novosibirsk, in Siberia, recreating a self portrait of German painter Albrecht Durer.
Hundreds of people joined up the pieces, as part of an event marking the ‘Year of Germany’.
“We pulled together this idea a long time ago, with our colleagues in Moscow,” said Julia Hanske, Head of the Goethe Institute in Novosibirsk.
“This event was initiated by the city of Nuremberg, where Albrecht Durer comes from. They came up with the proposal and offered it to us as part of the ‘Year of Germany’ in Russia,” she continued.
The completed puzzle covers an area of some 300 square metres outside the State Academic Ballet and Opera Theatre.
It is travelling across Russia, with the aim of strengthening the country’s relations with Germany.
New book on Anchor Puzzles
Posted May, 2012
A new book by mechanical puzzle historian and author Jerry Slocum along with Dieter Gebhardt has been published. Titled The Anchor Puzzle Book, it tells the complete story of the stone puzzles first sold by F. Ad. Richter company in 1890 and still being made today. The 152-page hardcover book shows all of Richter’s puzzles and variations, plus over 650 puzzles to solve, and includes a DVD with catalogs, advertising, drawings and all 4000 (!) problems from 53 Anchor Stone puzzles.
For details and images, click on Slocum Anchor Puzzle Book.
Conférence à Orléans : “Les Jeux de société dans l’Antiquité”
Vendredi 25 mai 2012, à 20h30
par Catherine Breyer
La conférence sur les « Jeux de société dans l’Antiquité » explique la démarche qui a rendu possible la compréhension et la connaissance de jeux de société appréciés à l’époque égyptienne, grecque et romaine. L’analyse détaillée des différentes sources relatives aux jeux anciens : sources écrites (inscriptions, textes anciens), archéologiques (boîtiers de jeux, pions, …), iconographiques (bas-reliefs, peintures, …) a ainsi permis de reconstituer les boîtiers de jeux et surtout de proposer des règles pour ces jeux vieux de quelques milliers d’années !
Mais comment peut-on connaître un jeu sinon en y jouant ? C’est ce que nous vous proposerons après la conférence. A l’aide de ces règles des jeux reconstituées, il vous sera possible de jouer au senet, aux « 58 trous », aux « latroncules », ou encore aux duodecim scripta (12 caractères)… L’occasion de découvrir des jeux qui ont disparus de nos civilisations et des pratiques de jeux qui vous procureront un sacré moment de plaisir !
- Organisé par :
La Fédération archéologique du Loiret
- Lieu de la conférence :
Museum des Sciences naturelles
6, rue Marcel Proust
45000 Orléans
Tél : 02 38 54 61 05
www.musees.regioncentre.fr
- Conférencière :
Catherine Breyer est la principale conseiller scientifique de Jocari. Elle est archéologue et travaille pour l’association de loisirs actifs Archeolo-J, reconnue par les Ministères de la Région Wallonne et de la Communauté française, qui a pour objectif la sensibilisation des jeunes à l’existence et à la sauvegarde du patrimoine archéologique, architectural, etc.
Voir les autres annonces publiées sur Jocari :
http://www.jocari.be/agenda/products.php?cat=495
Puzzle designer creates complex desk
For a glimpse at an amazing array of beautifully designed mechanical puzzles, go to Kagen Schaefer puzzles.
Book: Religions in Play
CULTuREL, Vol. 2
2012, 352 pages, English, illustrated, paperback
ISBN 978-3-290-22010-5
EUR 46.20
Pano Verlag
Theologischer Verlag Zürich
From the editor:
Often dismissed as “not serious,” the notion of play has nevertheless been at the center of classical theories of religion and ritual (Huizinga, Caillois, Turner, Staal, etc.). What can be retained of these theories for the contemporary study of religions? Can a study of “play” or “game” bring new perspectives for the study of religions?
The book deals with the history of games and their relation to religions, the links between divination and games, the relations between sport and ritual, the pedagogical functions of games in religious education, and the interaction between games, media and religions. Richly illustrated, the book contributes to the study of religions, to ritual, game and media studies, and addresses an academic as well as a general public.
Editors: Philippe Bornet, Dr. Phil., born in 1977, is Lecturer in the Study of Religion at the Faculty of Lettres of the University of Lausanne, with focus on the history of interrelations between India and Europe. Maya Burger is Professor of Indian Studies and History of Religions at the Faculty of Arts of the University of Lausanne, Department of South Asian Languages and Civilizations.
Game Exhibition in Dresden, Germany
March 2012
Bruce Whitehill’s “Talat” wins
Nuremberg (Nürnberg) Toy Fair 2012 ToyAward!
Winners of the ToyAward 2012
An independent jury has selected the ToyAwards for the International Toy Fair in Nürnberg for the ninth time. 227 companies had entered a total of 371 new products.
Category Teenager & Family (over 11 years)
Talat, Huch! & Friends Hutter Trade GmbH
Golden ornaments against a noble black background, a mysterious name – Talat stands for the magic figure of three – and the minimalist, well designed tokens will thrill young and old strategists. The players move three different sizes of towers with three, four and six corners on a three-part board. Both the number of corners and the size of the towers determine whether an opponent’s tower can be beat and therefore Talat does not only promote strategic, but also geometric thinking. The board’s multi-dimensional set-up – each player moves on two fields – means that he must always watch two opponents at a time.
French games magazine,
Jeux Sur un Plateau,
goes out of print
Here is the story, as reported on Tric Trac, the French website on games (Tout sur les jeux, tout de suite):
| La nouvelle est tombée comme un couperet avec la parution du soixante dix septième numéro : le magazine Jeux Sur un Plateau cessera désormais de paraître.Un magazine qui faisait depuis des années (huit plus précisément) désormais parti du paysage ludique, seule revue consacrée aux jeux de société avec Plato.Lancer un magazine de jeux a été un rêve pour beaucoup, rêve qui la plupart du temps ne dépassa pas le stade du projet. L’ambition de JsP fut de devenir très vite un magazine professionnel et pas un fanzine malgré le fait que le public cible soit extrêmement restreint même si l’on peut constater un engouement palpable et un élargissement de la pratique des jeux en deçà du premier cercle des passionnés.Olivier Arneodo, le directeur de publication et grand capitaine du navire depuis ses débuts, s’en explique dans ce dernier numéro dans un long éditorial où il présente en quatre points les raisons de cette décision.Le magazine s’est heurté comme toutes les petites structures avec de grands projets à des soucis de fabrication. Les derniers numéros prenaient de plus en plus de retard, attirant les reproches de certains lecteurs. JsP est publié par la sarl Wilobee depuis un certain temps mais la maquette continuait d’être traitée par la seconde société d’Olivier Arneodo nommée Olpan, ce qui provoquait des retards de traitements. Le magazine ne dégageait pas assez de bénéfices pour se permettre d’être conçu entièrement en interne.Le deuxième point est conjoncturel, Olivier Arneodo rappelle la situation difficile de la presse en ce moment. L’info papier souffre du changement des modèles économiques engendrés par la popularité rapide de l’Internet. Les financements autrefois en grande partie assurés par les publicités pour certains supports ont été diminué par une fuite des annonceurs qui se reportaient sur le Net ; soit pour y reporter une partie de leurs budgets publicitaires soit en investissant pour réaliser leurs propres sites de communications. JsP s’est également trouvé confronté à une hégémonie des systèmes de diffusion de la presse qui ne privilégient évidemment pas les petits tirages dans un univers où certains magazines ne sont conçus que pour durer quelques numéros, misant sur la nouveauté et envahissant l’espace de présentation des maisons de presse qui ne s’y retrouvent plus dans une profusion où apparaissent et disparaissent de nouveaux titres chaque mois.Est évoquée aussi l’usure personnelle bien compréhensible. Faute d’un modèle économique fiable, le travail ne pouvait se faire qu’en bricolant et en donnant beaucoup de sa personne. Ce que la passion permet de surmonter ne dure qu’un moment et émousse même les plus impliqués quand le travail se fait dans l’inconfort.Le dernier point (il est cité en deuxième place dans l’éditorial mais O. Arneodo précise qu’il n’y a pas de hiérarchie d’importance) sera sans doute celui qui fera le plus parler puisque c’est aux façons de faire de certains acteurs du milieu et de ce qui paraît comme une « mentalité » qui a mis des bâtons dans les roues de la politique éditoriale de JsP. D’après Olivier Arneodo, certains éditeurs qu’il cite à mots couverts attendaient des articles de la publi rédaction, à savoir de la communication plutôt que de l’information. Olivier Arneodo met en comparaison l’attitude des éditeurs étrangers et français, reprochant à ces derniers un manque de culture journalistique. Il s’en suit un certain nombre de remerciements mais aussi de non-remerciements dans lesquels pointent la fierté d’avoir pu mener un tel projet aussi loin et aussi longtemps mélangée à une tristesse et un peu d’amertume d’être tenu à cette conclusion difficile qu’est l’arrêt de la publication du magazine. On peut comprendre l’émotion de tous ceux qui ont participé de près ou de loin à cette aventure éditoriale qui rejoint ainsi le panthéon des plus célèbres publications comme le furent en leur temps d’autres magazines, leur père historique en tête de liste ; le fameux Jeux & Stratégie.Les destins du site Internet, de la boutique et du site de jeux en ligne ne sont pas évoqués dans ce dernier magazine. Normalement leurs avenirs ne sont pas remis en cause pour le moment.La disparition d’un média est toujours un événement regrettable et nous renvoie d’autant plus sur Tric Trac à la fragilité que l’on ne doit jamais sous-estimer. Espérons que nous retrouverons les plumes habiles de nos collègues sous d’autres cieux. |
|
Docteur Mops
le 16/01/2012 |
Chess Conference in Poland
Poland - Sandomierz, May 25-26, 2012
District Museum in Sandomierz
Poznan Archaeological Museum
Polish Chess Federation
Interdisciplinary Conference on
The cultural role of the game of chess over centuries
The honorary patronage of the conference:
prof. Andrzej Buko, Director, Institute of Archaeology and Ethnology Polish Academy of Sciences
Jerzy Borowski, The Mayor of Sandomierz
The jubilee of the 50th anniversary of the discovery of the Sandomierz chess
In 2012 half a century will have passed since the discovery in Sandomierz, Poland, of a mediaeval chess set. It has been housed in District Museum in Sandomierz since 1980 and is one of its most valuable archaeological exhibits. Various chess pieces and even complete sets dating several centuries back are known from museum exhibitions and private collections all over the world. However, most often they lack the context or even reliable information about the place of their finding and so belong to the group of beautiful, spectacular artefacts that more often than not offer no full cognitive possibilities as a source of scientific study. The Sandomierz find is thus one of the few stunning discoveries, not just because it comprises two almost complete sets (with only four pieces missing) but also because it was made during regular excavation work and is fully documented.
The jubilee makes one reflect on the impact of the find on the scholars’ awareness of the subject, the state of research of games and chess in particular, and the use of the possibilities of scientific analysis in the study of the subject. District Museum in Sandomierz in cooperation with Poznan Archaeological Museum and Polish Chess Federation, wishing to highlight the importance of the find invites you to participate in Interdisciplinary Conference. We will be happy to welcome representatives of all disciplines of science who would like to present their own studies into the role played by chess in the history of European culture from the Middle Ages until present.
The sessions will be open and will take place over two days: the 25th-26th of May, 2012. Please note that the conference materials will be published separately. The conference fee is 20 €.
Together with the conference a chess tournament is planned by Polish Chess Federation and displays of “living chess”. Poznan Archaeological Museum has prepared an exhibition entitled Chess in the Middle Ages – the Middle Ages in chess which will be presented in District Museum in Sandomierz from May to June 2012. Along with the exhibition there will be a chance to admire the original Sandomierz chess pieces which are otherwise closely guarded in the Muzeum’s treasury.
Call for Papers
Declarations of papers with a short abstract (up to 1000 characters) must be sent in by the 30th of January 2012, by post or e-mail to the address:
Agnieszka Stempin
Poznan Archaeological Museum
Ul. Wodna 27
61-781 Poznań
Tel. 61 8528251 ext. 238
Mail: agnieszka.stempin@muzarp.poznan.pl
What could be the world’s premiere collection of vintage baseball games is up for auction!
I’ve personally seen the collection and it’s magnificent. Any baseball fan — collector or not — should take a look at this.
For Immediate Release: Dec. 21, 2011
For more information:
Noah Fleisher, Public Relations Director
214-409-1143; NoahF@HA.com
For the love of the game:
The Dr. Mark W. Cooper Collection of baseball board games is for sale at Heritage Auctions
Famed grouping of rare and early baseball board games available via Private Treaty
Dallas, TX – The finest collection of vintage baseball-themed board and arcade games ever assembled, The Dr. Mark W. Cooper Collection, is currently being offered in its entirety via Private Treaty sale from Heritage Auctions.
“The best-known documentation of baseball’s rich history comes in the form of the rare early cardboard that bears the faces of great players,” said Chris Ivy, Director of Vintage Sports Memorabilia at Heritage. “The purest expression of diamond worship, however, may well be the board and arcade games that have echoed all the eras and great players, and nowhere is this made more evident than in Dr. Cooper’s amazing collection.”
Besides being the finest collection of its kind, the Cooper Collection has the added distinction of having been one of just 21 collections featured in Stephen Wong’s celebrated hardcover Smithsonian Baseball: Inside the World’s Finest Private Collections.
“The Dr. Mark W. Cooper Collection represents one of the most significant offerings of sports collectibles ever made available for private sale,” said Ivy. “For one of the thousands of collectors who have dreamed of owning memorabilia on display at Cooperstown, that dream can now be a reality.”
Born of a childhood love of the National Pastime, and the rainy days of his youth, Cooper’s collection swelled with sterling examples over several decades. It includes the finest – and in some cases the only – known examples of effectively every home version of the sport of baseball, beginning with the New Parlor Game of Base Ball, issued by N.B. Sumner in 1869 and recognized as the oldest baseball board game known to exist.
The stunning graphics of the game boxes and playing boards track the evolution of the game, with several 19th century examples picturing gloveless fielders and underhanded pitchers. Various card games feature examples far more scarce than their tobacco and candy counterparts, picturing legends from Cap Anson and Buck Ewing to Ty Cobb and Babe Ruth.
As the game developed, so did technology, and through the decades the complexity of the collection expands to include various mechanical coin operated versions from the penny arcades of yesteryear.
“While the vast majority of our sales utilize the auction process, we certainly understand and respect Dr. Cooper’s wish that the collection remain intact,” said Ivy. “To that end we are offering it as a group and looking for that collector who understands the importance of keeping it together.”
Highlights can be viewed at Heritage Auction of Cooper baseball collection.
Heritage Auctions, headed by Steve Ivy, Jim Halperin and Greg Rohan, is the world’s third largest auction house, with annual sales more than $800 million, and 600,000+ online bidder members. For more information about Heritage Auctions, please visit Heritage Auctions
Noah Fleisher, Public Relations Director
Tel. 214-409-1143; NoahF@HA.com
Dec. 2011
Exhibit of historic games in Meissen, Germany
“verspielt …”
100 historische Spiele und ein lustiger schwarzer Geselle im Stadtmuseum
Aktiv dabei sein: Großspiele und Modelleisenbahn zum Selbstspielen, Basteln von Pflaumentoffeln als Glücksbringer
Führungsangebot: Führungen durch die Weihnachtsausstellung, auch speziell für Seniorengruppen mit “Mensch ärgere Dich nicht” oder für Kinder mit Nutzung der Großspiele bzw. Pflaumentoffelbasteln.
Wer spielt mit?
Das Stadtmuseum hat für die Weihnachtsausstellung eine Vielfalt historischer und moderner Gesellschaftsspiele zusammengestellt. Gezeigt werden mehr als 100 Spiele aus fast 250 Jahren – Unikate aus Künstlerhand, selbstgefertigte, nachgeahmte oder improvisierte Spiele und einstige Massenware. Gezeigt wird auch, was “in” ist – die Gäste können sich selbst probieren an neusten Spielkonsolen. Leihgaben aus dem Stadtmuseum Dresden, der Porzellan-Manufaktur Meissen, dem DDR-Museum Zeitreise Radebeul, dem Deutschen SPIELEmuseum e. V. Chemnitz, dem Museum Schloss Hinterglauchau und privaten Leihgebern ergänzen die Exponate. Mit im Spiel ist in diesem Jahr auch der Museum unterwegs Meißen e. V. mit eigenen Spielentwürfen.
Pflaumentoffel zu Gast
Genau genommen sogar mehrere und noch genauer: sogar unendlich viele! Im Pflaumentoffel-Teil der Weihnachtsausstellung können Sie einen oder mehrere dieser schwarzen Gesellen herstellen und so ein ganz besonderes Glücksgeschenk für sich selbst oder Ihre Lieben anfertigen.
Wussten Sie, dass es sich bei den Pflaumentoffeln, auch Feuerrüpel oder Pflaumenkerle genannt, um einen alten sächsischen Volksbrauch handelt, der bis in das Jahr 1801 zurückzuverfolgen ist? Pflaumentoffel durften auf keinem Weihnachtstisch fehlen, versüßten sie doch die Winterzeit und sollten Glück bringen. Was es mit dem Brauch um die Pflaumentoffel auf sich hat und warum die süßen, schwarzen Kerle Glück bringen sollen – erfahren die Besucher im Stadtmuseum.
Öffnungszeiten:
21.11.2011 – 29.01.2012
Di-So 10-18 Uhr
25./26.12. u. 01.01.2012 14-18 Uhr
24./31.12. geschlossen
Spielen SIE mit!
Essen 2011 Round-up
Dagmar und Ferdinand de Cassan’s games magazine from Austria, WIN, has an impressive, extensive roundup of the games at Essen. There is a free download: 107 pages, 95 of which list about 1137 games by 689 designers published by 372 companies; there are 725 pictures! (The other 12 pages list the games by the name of the inventors.) German and English editions.
Click on WIN.
Nun steht endlich unsere Sondernummer zur Spielemesse SPIEL 11 in Essen zum Download bereit: als PDF oder eBook (auch Kindle), sowohl in Deutsch und Englisch, der eBook-File mit so vielen Bildern ist noch in Produktion, wahrscheinlich wird er ohne Bilder erstellt werden müssen, spätestens am 15.12.2011 verfügbar!
WIN Das Spiele Journal berichtet diesmal auf 108 Seiten, mit 1137 Spielen von 689 Autoren aus 372 Verlagen mit 725 Spielebildern. So eine Ausgabe hatten wir noch nicht! Und soviel Arbeit mit einer Ausgabe hatten wir auch noch nie!
Daher: so ein Essen hat es auch noch nie gegeben! Es gab eine Verdopplung des Angebotes zum letzten Jahr. Das Publikum, wir die Spieler, wir als Käufer, werden vom florierenden Markt verwöhnt!
Wir haben uns alles angeschaut, und sind die einzige Quelle, wo diese Informationen geordnet zusammengefügt zu finden sind. Darin sehen wir unsere Aufgabe.
Diese Sondernummer ist wieder eine kostenlose Download-Ausgabe, bitte empfehlen Sie daher unser Spielejournal weiter.
So erfahren alle Interessierten, was es wirklich in Essen an neuen Spielen präsentiert wurde und auf uns wartet! Und nur wenn diese vielen Spiele aus den vielen Verlagen auch einen Käufer finden, wird es nächstes Jahr wieder ein so tollen Angebot an Neuheiten auf uns warten.
Wir freuen uns, bald unser nächstes Spielejournal präsentieren zu können, bis zum neuen Jahr werden noch zwei weitere Ausgaben (430 + 431) erscheinen.
Aber jetzt seien Sie neugierig und holen Sie sich das neue WIN! Kommen Sie auf http://www.spielejournal.at
Gambling on traditional games
Ulrich Schädler, games historian and director of the Swiss Museum of Games (Musée Suisse du Jeu), has published an article (in German) on betting on board games such as chess, backgammon and Nine Men’s Morris in medieval times. It appears in Spiel Kunst Glück, a volume edited by Johann Konrad Eberlein. The article contains a list of medieval 9-men’s morris problems and transcriptions of their descriptions in French manuscripts.
“Die Wette als Leitlinie der Entscheidung“, LIT Verlag Wien 2011, ISBN 978-3-643-50339-8.
Games exhibit in Oceanside, CA
A new exhibit of 105 games at the library at MiraCosta College in Oceanside, California. For information, watch this space….
Ancient cultures
Cards and Mah Jong
Dice, dreidels, and dominoes
Early American games and Canadian checkers
Shogi (traditional Japanese)
Modern American and European games
Mancala
Civil War games
Vintage American and European games
Play in the Eighteenth Century
Call for Papers
The Eighteenth Century in Play
The Center for Eighteenth-Century Studies at Indiana University
is pleased to announce the eleventh Bloomington Eighteenth-Century
Workshop, to be held on May 9-11, 2012. The workshop is part of a series
of annual interdisciplinary events that has been running since 2002,
with a dozen or so scholars presenting and discussing papers on a broad
topic in a congenial setting.
Our subject for 2012 is “Play.” From the aesthetics of Schiller
to the card tables of socialites; from Pascal’s wager to Emile’s
childhood (“which is or ought to be only games and frolicsome play”)-the
long eighteenth century was a century of play. Dismayed at all this
non-utilitarian behavior, Jeremy Bentham coined the phrase “deep play”
to describe entirely irrational gambling, the making of bets that could
reduce players “to indigence” in an instant. Writing in the twentieth
century, Johan Huizinga still saw a “play-quality” penetrating all
aspects of the era: “statecraft had never been so avowedly a game as in
that age of secret cabals and intrigues.” Play, in other words, can look
like pretty serious stuff in an eighteenth-century context.
What can eighteenth-century developments tell us about the
objects, forms, and occasions of play? Clifford Geertz applied Bentham’s
words to the cock fights of Bali; Robert Darnton transposed that
analysis to cat killing in eighteenth-century Paris: in both cases, the
authors argued that grappling with such “opaque” activities allowed one
to “grasp a foreign system of meaning in order to unravel it” (Darnton).
But must all analyses of play culminate with the discovery of cultural
work? What happens when we juxtapose different forms of play and
different sets of players? Would we want to say that narrative or poetic
fictions constitute kinds of play, or forms of absorption homologous to
playing? Do the revolutionary dramas in the American colonies, France,
or Haiti represent the fulfillment or the destruction of the notion that
politics is a performance?
We invite papers that range across aesthetic, anthropological,
historical, and philosophical registers, and that offer new ways to see
the relation between these fields and disciplines. Possible topics
include: games, toys, puppets, contests, riddles, and puzzles; play and
the theory of fictions; making and breaking rules; theatricalization and
mimesis as aesthetic, behavioral, and political tactic; the
psychologization of play; the policing of the border between action and
enactment, the “real” and the “make-believe,” play and non-play;
transcultural impacts on conceptions of culture as a kind of play, game,
or performance.
The workshop format will consist of focused discussion of four
to six papers a day, amid socializing and refreshment. It draws both on
the wide community of eighteenth-century scholars and on those working
in this field at Indiana University-Bloomington. The workshop will cover
most expenses for those scholars chosen to present their work:
accommodations, travel (up to a certain limit), and most meals.
We are asking for applications to be sent to us by Friday, January 13,
2012. The application should consist of a description of the proposed
paper (1-2 pages) as well as a current brief CV (no more than 3 pages).
Papers will be selected by an interdisciplinary committee. Please e-mail
or send your application to Dr. Barbara Truesdell, Weatherly Hall North,
room 122, Bloomington, IN 47405; 812-855-2856, voltaire@indiana.edu. All
submissions will be acknowledged by e-mail within a fortnight: if you
have not received an acknowledgment by Jan. 27, 2012, please contact
Barbara Truesdell or Rebecca L. Spang (rlspang@indiana.edu).
For further information please refer to our website,
http://www.indiana.edu/~voltaire/index.html and our facebook page, or
contact the Acting Director of the Center, Rebecca L. Spang, Dept. of
History, Indiana University, Bloomington, IN 47405, email
rlspang@indiana.edu.
Rebecca L. Spang
Acting Director, Center for Eighteenth-Century Studies
Associate Professor, History Department
Indiana University
1020 E. Kirkwood Avenue
Bloomington, IN 47405-7103
Ballantine Hall 711
tel.: 812-855-2437
www.indiana.edu/~histweb/faculty/spang.shtml
http://mypage.iu.edu/~rlspang
Competition and Games in the Ancient World
Call for Papers
4th Annual Center for Ancient Studies Graduate Conference
University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA
Friday, March 2 to Saturday, March 3, 2012
Submission Deadline: January 7, 2012
Crowned Victor: Competition and Games in the Ancient World
The graduate students of the University of Pennsylvania seek abstracts for the fourth annual Center for Ancient Studies graduate student conference. This conference aims to explore the theme of competition in the ancient world. Competition was a key component of many aspects of life in the ancient world and was found in areas people in the 21st century might not expect. We plan to focus on the role of competition and its associations with society at large, be it in the form of games or sports, interactions between members of a community, rivalries between communities, or the way culture and literature channeled competition. Our goal in presenting this conference will be to compare how competition manifested itself in the disparate societies of the ancient world and highlight similarities across cultures.
The conference invites papers on topics involving competition such as (but, of course, not limited to):
Conspicuous consumption and status competition
Games as education
Competition as a structural force in society
Political competition
Ancient theories of competition
Competition and literature
Ideologies of competition
Sports and diplomacy
Place of athletes in the community
Submissions are welcome from graduate students working on ancient topics in such fields as: African Studies, Ancient History, Anthropology, Archaeology, Art History, East Asian Studies, Classics, Egyptology, Linguistics, Middle Eastern Studies, Near Eastern Studies, Pre-Columbian Studies, Religious Studies, and South Asian Studies.
If you are interested in presenting a paper, please submit a 250-word abstract for a 15 minute talk by January 7, 2012 including your contact information (including name, institution, and e-mail) to Arthur T. Jones at ancient@sas.upenn.edu. Speakers will be notified of the status of their submissions by January 15, 2012.
GO Symposium
THE 2012 INTERNATIONAL GO SYMPOSIUM
Call for papers and participants
An International Go Symposium will take place August 3rd and 4th, 2012 at the beginning of the U.S. Go Congress in Black Mountain, North Carolina. Presentations can include educational, cultural, historical, literary, artistic and scientific aspects of the game. Depending on the number and nature of the talks, suggested timing is a half-hour presentation with a 15 minute question and answer period. Additional opportunities for questions and answers afterwards will be available. Translators can be provided.
We are exploring the idea of expanding the usual opportunities to present papers at go conferences to include talks via Skype with a large screen and audience participation along with oral or texting possibilities for extended questions and answers via the Internet. And to alleviate problems with the differences in times, we are also thinking about including talks on DVDs or with other pre-recorded means. Much of this will depend on the number and quality of papers and the amount of sponsorship, so please indicate whether you could attend with or without partial travel expenses or if you would be interested in giving a talk via Skype or pre-recordings.
For those who wish to publish, papers can be included in an e-publication connected with the American Go Association web site and e-Journal. Another change from the usual proceedings of a conference is that (again for those who wish to) papers will be put up before the Symposium which will enable better audience participation and the ability to write more than is possible to include in the talk.
Please contact: Peter Shotwell at pshotwell-at-gmail-dot-com
For reference, go to the beta website for the Symposium. Click on the records of a similar ICOB Conference in 2003 or the 2008 Symposium in Sweden.
Austellung / Exhibition
Ab 30. Oktober 2011 zeigt das Schwäbische Bauernhofmuseum Illerbeuren die Ausstellung Mit Glück und Strategie Spiele aus zwei Jahrhunderten. (Über 300 Spiele aus der Sammlung von Rudolf Rühle werden dort gezeigt). Die Eröffnung ist am 30. Oktober um 11.00 Uhr, alle sind herzlich eingeladen.
Hier die Internet-Adresse: bauernhofmuseum
Starting on the 30. Oktober 2011, the Schwäbisches Bauernhofmueum shows an exhibition with more then 300 of the games of Rudolf Rühle, “Mit Glück und Strategie Spiele aus zwei Jahrhunderten.”
For the address, click on Bauernhofmuseum.
Toy and Game Inventor Summit
THE 1ST ANNUAL TOY AND GAME PROFESSIONAL INVENTOR SUMMIT
at CHICAGO’S NAVY PIER IN CONJUNCTION WITH THE TAGIE AWARDS & CHICAGO TOY AND GAME FAIR
NOVEMBER 18 – 20, 2011
The Summit is only for professional inventors. The cost is only $500, $250 of which covers your ticket to the Toy and Game Inventor of the Year Awards, the TAGIEs, on the 18th.
To date, we have inventors are coming from all over the US, but also the U.K., Belgium and Israel – be a part of the global inventing community’s gathering to hear wish lists, participate in professional development workshops, celebrate your own at the Toy and Game Inventor of the Year Awards, the TAGIEs, and enjoy private meetings with domestic and overseas companies all in one convenient place.
Some inventors have inquired as to how it will work with the private meetings on Saturday and Sunday following Friday’s day long presentations. The first week of November we will send out a list of inventors and their contact information to the inventor relations people in the companies listed below and then we will send you a list of the inventor relations people and their contact information. Then it is up to both parties to set up meetings on Saturday and Sunday in the offices we have set aside for this purpose. Only inventors signed up for the Inventor Summit can take meetings in these rooms.
The elegant and whimsical TAGIEs are sponsored by Hasbro, Mattel, Spin Master, Disney, Leapfrog, Zobmondo, Hassenfeld Family Initiatives, Joyce John Designs, Patch Products, The Marketing Store, The Playmakers, Kunoichi, Oxford Games and Winning Moves UK.We will have the Saturday lineup of professional development workshops completed soon and will post. Topics we are working to have expert speakers include Contract Issues, Auditing Companies, Royalty and Tax Accounting, 3D Modeling, Electronic Prototyping, Tracking Prototypes and more. If you have suggested speakers on these topics, let us know. When you aren’t presenting a concept, stop in the workshops. Come and go as you please.Some have said it sounds too good to be true – it isn’t. We worked hard to pull this together for you. For more details, visit http://www.tandgcon.com/_tagieconf/summit.htmHope to see you there!Mary Couzin, Mike Hirtle and Tanya Thompson, Event Co-ChairsPeggy Brown, Robert Fuhrer, Richard Gill, Richard Gottlieb, Mike Gray, Kim Vandenbroucke and Tim Walsh. Committee Members
“Board Games Summer” in Elblag, Poland
Dates: 26 June, 03 July and 10 July.
Location: Old Town elblag, street between City Hall and Cathedral – in case of bad weather, meetings will be moved to the City Hall. Time: 16:00-20:00.
Play a lot of historical games (Latrunculi, ALquerque, 9 Men morris from Arhus, Hnefatafl, Tablut, Alea Evangelii, Mancala/Wari, Senet, Royal Game of Ur and more) and modern games.
Companies which have already sent games to play include: GRANNA, TREFL and EGMONT
For more information, contact:
Piotr Adamczyk
The Museum of Archaeology and History in Elblag, Poland
Department of Education and Promotion
www.muzeum.elblag.pl/edukacja
tel. + 48 055 232 72 73
Email him at piotr.adamczyk at muzeum.elblag dot pl (@ and .)
Antique City, Atlantic City, NJ, April 9-10
Philadelphia’s LARGEST Antiques & Collectibles Show returns
this weekend to the Philadelphia Expo Center!
Shop and browse at more than 500 booths PACKED with antiques and collectibles at Antique City – a City’s Worth of Antiques in One Place!
Look what hundreds dealers have in store for YOU:
Fine Toys, Trains, Dolls & Bears · Folk Art · Americana · Country & Formal Furnishings · Holidays · Jewelry & Watches · Petroliana · Coin-Op · Sports · Advertising · Fine Art · Ladies Items · Porcelain · Slot Machines · Clocks · Circus & Carnival · Banks · Pottery · Glass · Country Store · Doorstops · Postcards · Decoys ·Ephemera Textiles · Railroadiana · Barbershop · Disneyana · Coke & Pepsi · Posters · Erotica · Arcade · Political · Bronzes · Radio & Television · Paperweights · Lighting · Comics & Original Comic Art · Figural Napkin Rings Militaria · Kitchenware · Mechanical Music · Black Memorabilia · Celebrity & Sport Autographs · Hollywood Jukeboxes · Rock ‘n Roll · Pop Culture · Uniquities · Decoratives · Fantastiques · Wonders Galore [AND GAMES!]
DATE: Saturday & Sunday, April 9-10
TIME: 10 am-6 pm Sat., April 9
10am-5pm Sun., April 10
GET IN EARLY: Print your Advance Tickets today and enter at 9:00 am Saturday, April 9 – One hour before the box office opens!
LOCATION: Greater Philadelphia Expo Center, 100 Station Ave., Phoenixville, PA 19460
GPS:1601 Egypt Road, Phoenixville, 19460
Come to the ‘Antique City’ Fun Fair
April 9-10 at the Philadelphia Expo Center
and “let yourself be dazzled!”
Get your Special Early Entry Tickets today!
Hundreds of dealers offering
FUN antiques and fine collectibles!
Mechanical Puzzle Auction — One Week Only!
April 1-8 — from John Devost
I want to invite all of you to a very special ‘timed event’ in ‘Paradise’, featuring many special puzzles for sale! It will begin today at noon (atlantic time zone) ending April 8th at noon.
I’m sure many of you, will be pleased with the puzzles offered, including some rare ‘Stickman’ & ‘Pelikan’ puzzles, as well there will be new puzzleboxes from ‘Snake’…please follow this link:
Puzzle Paradise
If you have any questions or comments, send me an email at: puzzleparadise@gmail.com
Yours truly, John Devost
http://www.puzzleparadise.ca
Swiss Designers’ Meeting, May 7-8, 2011
La Tour-de-Peilz, Switzerland
Bonjour à tous, ce mail en guise d’annonce pour la 7e rencontre suisse des créateurs de jeux. Comme chaque année, elle se tiendra en mai, mais, pour une fois, lors du 2e week-end donc les 7 et 8 mai 2001, toujours au Musée Suisse du Jeu (www.museedujeu.com).
WIN Games magazine from Austria
March 22, 2011
WIN Das Spiele Journal vorzustellen!
Diesmal ist das WIN ganze 52 Seiten dick, bringen wir doch den Bericht über das “Festival des Jeux” aus Cannes. Wir präsentieren Ihnen diesmal die aktuellen Spiele aus 97 Verlagen, die in Cannes den 150.000 Besuchern vorgestellt wurden. Nach “Dixit” werden Spiele aus Frankreich international immer erfolgreicher, bilden Sie sich Ihre Meinung!
WIN Das Spiele Journal informiert zusätzlich mit Rezensionen zu 55 aktuellen Spielen.
Die deutsche Ausgabe finden Sie auf http://www.spielejournal.at, das Passwort für WIN 421: “Modena”, (WIN 420: “Cannes”). Falls Sie das erste Mal von uns eine Email bekommen, lernen Sie uns kennen und lesen Sie unser Journal! Auch weitere Ausgaben stehen zum Download bereit.
WIN erscheint seit August 2010 auch in einer englischen Ausgabe. Die englische PDF-Ausgabe ist auch im März 2011 ein kostenloser Download. Ab April 2011 ist auch die aktuelle englische Ausgabe nur mehr mit Passwort verfügbar.
Neu ab März 2011: WIN XXL – jede Ausgabe kann auch mit einem Goodie bestellt werden, im März 2011 mit dem Ö-Deck für Agricola.
Mit besten Grüßen
Dagmar und Ferdinand de Cassan
Tavern Puzzles
Save $10 on a purchase of $50.
Enter coupon code MARCH2011 at checkout.
Place your order online, and enter the coupon code above at check out to receive your discount. Offer is good on everything on our website except gift certificates, shipping charges, and prior purchases.
Offer ends March 31, 2011
www.TavernPuzzle.com
Tucker-Jones House, Inc.
1 Enterprise Dr, East Setauket, NY 11733
Tel. 631-642-9092
Erik Arneson about.com Games Announces
The Readers’ Choice Awards 2011
Best Strategy Game of 2010: 7 Wonders (Antoine Bauza; published by Asmodée Editions and Repos Productions); also Erik’s pick as the #2 card game of 2010. Other finalists: Hansa Teutonica, Fresco, Dominant Species and Stomple.
Best Party Game of 2010: Morphology (Kate Ryan Reiling; published by Morphology Games). Other finalists: Wits & Wagers Family, Word on the Street, Dixit 2, and Telestrations.
Best Family Game of 2010: Railways of the World: The Card Game; based on the board game of the same name. Other finalists: Forbidden Island, Sounds Like a Plan, Fresco, and Square Shooters.
Best Children’s Game of 2010: Dweebies
For lots more information and photos, go to about.com.
Catan Tournament of Masters at GenCon Indy 2011!
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To celebrate fifteen years of Catan, and as a special thank you to the players who have made Catan Tournaments so enjoyable and exciting, Mayfair Games will be hosting the Catan Tournament of Masters Invitational at Gen Con Indy on Thursday, August 4 and Friday, August 5, 2011. This tournament is limited to thirty-two (32) players. Participants will receive a 4-day Gen Con Indy badge just for playing and the winner of the tournament will get a seat in the NACC Tournament being held on the Saturday and Sunday of Gen Con 2011. If you have been a semi-finalist in the United States, Mexico or Canada for any North American qualifier (top 4) or World qualifier (top 16) tournaments from 2006 on, you may participate. Send your name, contact info and the year(s) for which you qualify, to events(-at-)mayfairgames.com (put “MASTERS” in the subject line, please). All participants must be 18 years or age or older and non-U.S. citizens must have a valid passport. Mayfair Games will check the records, and if you qualify, we will assign you a spot in the tournament and a 4-day badge to Gen Con Indy 2011. This offer is open to the first thirty-two (32) players who qualify. Later submissions will be placed on a waiting list. All submissions must be sent to Mayfair Games by June 30, 2011. For any additional questions about the tournament, please email events(-at-)mayfairgames.com (put “MASTERS” in the subject line please). |
Monopoly Story (The True One!) Online
A short segment of part two of a three-part BBC program (or, I should say, programme) is online at a film site called exposureroom.com (click for the clip). The four-and-a-half-minute segment of the “Games Britannia” series (each show was one hour) covers the link between Monopoly, a British game called Bref Fox ‘n Brer Rabbit that preceded Monopoly by 25 years, and the American game, The Landlord’s Game, invented by Elizabeth Magie in 1904 to help teach the Georgian principles of the single tax system–this was the true origin of Monopoly.
Featured in the short clip are host and narrator Benjamin Woolley; Victor Watson, the CEO of the former Waddingtons game company and the one who brought Monopoly from the U.S. to England; Bruce Whitehill, American games historian; and Irving Finkel, historian and curator at the British Museum, who unfortunately is cut off in the middle of his talk about the game.
For more on the history of Monopoly, click on the game title.
Book Author Seeks Backers
March 11, 2011
Tim Moodie has over twenty-five years of toy and game concept development and design experience as an independent developer, designer, and inventor. He has worked with all of the major toy manufacturers in the U.S. and several in Europe. He has designed, developed, or licensed hundreds of concepts. His latest game, Dueling Dice, was introduced at the 2011 New York Toy Fair by Endless Games. In addition he is a freelance writer, you can view one of his articles on toys at cnn.com and boardgamegeek.com where you can see his games Zack Zack and The Magnetic Poetry Game below.
He’s working on a new book, seeking funding through kickstarter.com. A portion of the proceeds from the sale of this book will go to the charity, Feed My Starving Children. Here are the book details:
Book Summary
Playing Around is a book that celebrates the joy we have when playing with toys. This book will share the stories of famous actors/actresses, artists, musicians, politicians, authors, inventors, captains of industry and ordinary people.
It will illustrate the stories of what they played with as kids and why. It will examine how what we played with as children shaped who we have become as adults.
Aren’t you a little bit curious about what Donald Trump played with when he was young, or Oprah, or Bruce Springsteen, or Bill Gates, or Tom Clancy, or even President Barack Obama.
The book will also examine the psychology of play and the importance of imaginative play as well as why what boys and girls play with is different. Mostly the book will be just plain fun, because everyone enjoys sharing stories about what they played with as children.
Playing Around will contain stories of the classic toys we grew up with like Slinky, the Yo-Yo, the Easy Bake Oven, Barbie, G.I. Joe, Etch-A-Sketch, Silly Putty and later on Transformers, Power Rangers, Pong, Cabbage Patch Kids, My Little Pony, Care Bears, and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles.
Funds: The money raised from kickstarter will be used to reach out to famous actors/actresses, artists, musicians, politicians, authors, inventors, captains of industry and ordinary people. It will fund travel and related expenses to get the interviews that will be contained in the book. It will also provide the finances necessary to acquire photos and/or illustrations for the book and find a publisher. In addition, it will give the author the capability to focus solely on this project and get it done and published in a timely manner.
EBook: At certain levels backers will also have access to Playing Around in a variety of ebook formats. When published, the book will be available for purchase in printed and ebook formats.
Blog: http://playingaroundbook.blogspot.com/
To learn how to support this project, go to Tim Moodie’s project at kickstarter.
Tim can be reached at trmoodie@aol.com
Mayfair Ends Relationship with Calliope
March 7, 2011
Mayfair Games is committed to building a brand within Mayfair for those games which will help broaden the market.
We will continue to develop games for Funfair which will accomplish the mission.
Our arrangement with Calliope Games was not feasible, as our philosophies of business, operations and our goals were simply too divergent. That being said, Ray Wehrs has left Mayfair Games and is back in his own employ.
Mayfair Games will not be publishing Tsuro, Got’Em, Double Double Dominos, Ugh!,or any of the titles from the Calliope group.
Mayfair Games expects to publish White Water, Rocket Jockey, and Badger Badger this year.
Bob Carty
VP Sales& Marketing
Mayfair Games
PO Box 3815
Plant City, FL 33566
DR. TOY’S BEST CLASSIC TOYS FOR 2011
Selected by Stevanne Auerbach, Ph.D. (Dr. Toy)
Showing just the games in the list
For the complete list, go to www.drtoy.com
March 7, 2011
| # | Company | Product*, Type | Age | Intro | www. |
| 13. | Endless Games | Picture Password, Board Game | 4-8 | 1961 | endlessgames.com |
| 14. | Faire Tyme Toys | Top Tafel, Board Game | 8-12 | 2000 | fairetymetoys.com |
| 15. | Finan Enterprises | KLOO, Card Game | 8-10 | 2010 | kloogame.com |
| 18. | Knowledge Adventure | JumpStart.com, Game | 3-12 | 1991 | jumpstart.com |
| 19. | Knowledge Adventure | MathBlaster.com, Game | 6-12 | 1983 | mathblaster.com |
| 24. | Maple Landmark | Chinese Checkers, Board Game | 8-12 | 2000 | maplelandmark.com |
| 31. | US Games | Wizard Card Games, Card Game | 10-12 | 1986 | wizardcards.com |
FULL DISCLOSURE
In 2000, I asked, “What will it take to get American game manufacturers to adopt the European style of clearly listing on the game box the age range, number of players, complexity, average duration of play, and inventor’s name?” Where does it stand today?
Bradley-Parker Update
March 4, 2011
In June 2000, I reported (under WHAT’S IN A NAME?):
“In its 119-year history, the family-owned company Selchow & Righter produced phenomenal successes from Parcheesi to Scrabble to Trivial Pursuit. In 1986, Coleco purchased the company and was then bought out by Hasbro. Sel-what? Within a short time, the century-old Selchow & Righter name disappeared.
“According to one of the higher-ups at Hasbro Interactive, “the Parker and Milton Bradley names will eventually be dropped in favor of ‘Hasbro Games.’” Well, it’s nice to know someone’s reading my column. The announcement spurred a lot of activity. Though what I disclosed came from a reliable authority at a meeting during which many others heard the same words, Hasbro has informed me that the Parker and Bradley names will NOT be retired. Good! The Milton Bradley name has been around for 140 years, and the Parker Brothers name for 112 years (plus five years of “Geo. S. Parker”). So many classics, from Bradley’s Battleship to Parker’s Monopoly, are associated with the Bradley and Parker names that one wonders, would a game by any other name smell as sweet? Maybe not.”
It is now 2011. Do you see the “Parker Brothers” name anywhere? A search on the Hasbro website turns up only Guesstures, Clue–Discover the Secret and Jenga (plus a Crew Parker Talking Keychain). What about “Milton Bradley”? There, a search shows Battleship, Boggle, Operation and Elefun, and I don’t see the Bradley name. The “MB” initials, the logo for Milton Bradley in Europe, where many consumers don’t even know what the MB stands for, appears to have replaced the Milton Bradley name on the US games as well.
Puzzle Auction for Australian Flood Relief
Feb. 24, 2011
From John Devost, Puzzle Paradise
Dear Puzzle Friends,
I want to take this opporunity to inform everyone of a special puzzle auction set to take place from the 5th until the 12th of March for the purpose of providing disaster relief in Australia.
Anyone who watches the news knows that Australia’s Great Barrier Reef was recently hit by brutal flooding that wiped out many low laying communities. Those who survived were again hit with extensive damage from Cyclone Yasi the following week. The entire region is in a very desperate state, with very little in the form of relief from the government or even insurance because the majority of damage is due to flooding.
Those who know our own Dave Cooper, also know that he was caught in the thick of it and has received substantial damage to his home and community. His job as a police officer puts him in the perfect position to help out those who are in the most desperate of needs, and any spare time off duty has also been spent out with a chainsaw helping to clean up debris.
Unfortunately, Dave has been hindered in the amount of aid he can provide due to his own home and family being affected by this crisis. All proceeds from this auction will be going primarily to Dave Cooper to provide him with the bare essentials necessary for him to focus on a community that desperately needs his service without him having to continually address the concerns of his own family’s needs. Excess funds would also be delegated to his community in whatever way that Dave feels would best provide the most relief.
If you have any puzzles to spare in this effort, their contribution would be greatly appreciated.Pictures and descriptions of such puzzles can be e-mailed to John Devost at: johnandbarb@eastlink.caTo make things easier to process, those willing and generous enough to part with any of their puzzles for this cause should also consider absorbing the shipping costs to the highest bidder, or at least make arrangements in their description to receive a separate payment for shipping costs. Credit will be aknowledged for each item donated, unless directed otherwise.
Those unable to participate in providing donations can do their part by bidding on all puzzles contributed, while considering that all funding will go to the relief cause. Although this auction will not officially start until March 5th, please feel free to begin bidding on any items that have already been added…
Auction can be accessed at: www.puzzleparadise.ca
Thanks in advance for your support.
Please note: Only items donated in support of this relief effort will be posted, all others will be put in ‘suspended status’ until the close of this auction event!
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Directed by New York Times Crossword Puzzle Editor Will Shortz, this is the nation’s oldest and largest crossword competition. Solvers tackle eight original crosswords created and edited specially for this event. Scoring is based on accuracy and speed. Prizes are awarded in more than 20 categories, including a $5,000 grand prize. Evening games, guest speakers, and a wine and cheese reception allow solvers to meet each other in a relaxed and entertaining atmosphere.
Special guests this year are magician David Kwong, performing some astonishing crossword “sleight of mind” on Friday night, and cartoonist/crossword devotee Roz Chast, who will present the prizes on Sunday.
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Win Games Magazine, from Austria – Link in German and English
Feb. 19, 2011
Click “English” for the link in English.
Nur 10 Tage nach der Spielwarenmesse in Nürnberg steht der PDF mit dem umfassendste Bericht zu den neuen Spielen zum kostenlosen Download bereit.
Unsere Sonderausgabe enthält auf 48 Seiten 653 neue Spiele von 241 Autoren aus 145 Verlagen, ebenso stellen wir unsere 39 Blitzlichter vor, unsere Highlight von der Messe, die Ihr Interesse verdienen.
Bitte kommen Sie auf Spielejournal und holden Sie sich das neueste WIN.
Wir freuen uns, wenn Ihnen unsere Detektivarbeit gefällt
–Dagmar und Ferdinand de Cassan
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Marble Game Breaks Guinness World Record
(Middlefield, OHIO) – Guinness World Records(tm) has officially awarded
Duncan Toys and the Boy Scouts Of America(r) California Inland Empire
Council the World Record for, “Most People Playing in a Marble
Tournament”. The official record breaking count was 876 players,
breaking the old record by 148 players.
Duncan Toy’s marble game WarStone was used for the record breaking
event.
The event was held at the Boy Scout Council’s 100th anniversary
celebration where over 6,000 scouts, Scoutmasters(r) and parents
attended the three day celebration. “Breaking the Guinness World
Record(tm) is a win for all of the 3.5 million scouts across the United
States,” said Michael Brown, WarStone Project Leader for Duncan Toys who
organized the event. “It was an incredible effort by all of the scouts
to work together as a team to achieve success,” he continued. Jordan
Greenstein was the tournament champion.
For participating in the event, Duncan Toys will be presenting the
Californian Inland Empire Counsel a check for $500 to be applied to
their scholarship fund. The California Inland Empire Council serving
both Riverside and San Bernardino Counties which are home to over 30,000
scout members is the first council to take part in the scholarship
program.
Duncan used its new card and marble game, WarStone, for the record
attempt. Players shoot marbles or “stones” as assault weapons in
combination with cards to knock opposing stones off the battlefield
through high-velocity, high-impact attacks. WarStone is one of the few
toy products that the Boy Scouts have embraced because of the marble
element. Marbles are a toy that transcend the ages as the ancient
Egyptians first played the game 5,000 years ago. Duncan has updated
marbles for a new generation of players by adding trading cards to
create an exciting new concept in games.
WarStone was co-invented by Richard C. Levy, who has many games to his
credit. He also co-developed Furby(tm). In June of 2010, the second
edition of his book, The Complete Idiot’s Guide to Cashing-In on Your
Inventions, was published.
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Jigsaw Java Helps Make National Puzzle Day a National Event
posted Feb. 13, 201
See the video:
http://redwoodcity.patch.com/articles/video-puzzle-competition-draws-teams-from-around-country#video-4674224
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Mechanical Puzzle party in NYC Feb. 12th
posted Feb. 11, 2011
New York Puzzle Party Symposium: Date: The NYPPS will be Saturday Feb 12, 2011. This is the day before the Toy Fair (at the Javits Center). (If you are planning on attending the Toy Fair, please check this website to see about the admittance policy; in theory, the Toy Fair is for Industry people only: http://www.toyassociation.org.)
Time: 10:00 am to 5:00 pm.
Location: Contact Tom for information: Cutrofello@hotmail.com. Admission is $7
The Schedule (still tentative, almost in stone)
10:00 Arrive
10:30 The Chinese Puzzle Exhibition by Wei Zhang and Peter Rasmussen
10:45 – 11:45 Lecture: The Making of a Virtual Puzzle by Robert Stegmannhttp://home.comcast.net/~stegmann/halloween/index.htm Please explore the link beforehand.
12:00 – 12:20 Lecture: Puzzles at the Museum of Mathematics George Hart
12:30 – 2:00 Lunch. … recommended list of local Chinese restaurants
2:00 – 3:00 Puzzle buying/selling/trading We all have unwanted puzzles that another puzzle collector would treasure. Bring them!
3:00 – 3:20 Lecture: Newest iphone Puzzle Apps by Tom Cutrofello
3:30 – 4:00 Developing the Shapeways 17x17x17 by Oskar van Deventer
We are having the NYPPS at this location because of the terrific exhibit of Chinese Puzzles from the collection of Peter Rasmussen and Wei Zhang. In addition, there is a very good 20 minute video of Peter & Wei talking about hunting for Chinese puzzles. Who knew that they were historical detectives? It will screen continuously upstairs. The schedule above has a few holes, so you will have time to watch it.
The lecture room is a bit small. I am a bit worried that we may not fit with our tables of puzzles. Three puzzlers’ spouses have plans to go shopping & sightseeing. If your spouse would like to join, let me know.
http://www.tenement.org/ The tenement museum is nearby. Highly recommended.
Dinner: http://www.katzdeli.com/ Katz’s Deli is 15 minutes away on foot. World famous pastrami and super large portions. The film When Harry Met Sally was filmed there. Yes, that scene.
If you want to give a presentation/talk about a puzzle topic, shoot me a note. It’s a good opportunity to practice your public speaking skills in front of a very friendly, receptive audience.
Check out my blog: http://gottasolveit.blogspot.com/
Attendees: About 55 people have RSVPed yes. 6 or 7 maybe.
Other Activities You May Want To Consider:
http://centralbookingnyc.com/events/ The Art of Mathematics and the Mathematics of Art. Opens 2/10, 6-8pm. The exhibit will run through 4/3
The Flying Karamazov Brothers http://www.fkb.com/tickets/ are in town. One of the best juggling shows in the country! You can get the student price of $26. Tell the box office person that Danielle Barchetto said it was okay. Rod Kimball who has attended past puzzle parties is in the FKB.
The Lock Museum, (aka the John M. Mossman Collection) is a collection open to the public, but not very well attended. It is located in the General Society of Mechanics and Tradesmen building, at 20 West 44th Street, NY 10036. The phone is 212-840-1840. I believe this is only open Monday – Friday. They have an exceptional collection of all types of locks. If you want to contact someone there before you go, I would recommend talking to Dan Stimpson, Executive Director. There’s a book that accompanies the collection. It is entitled The Lure of the Lock and costs $20. However, seeing the exhibit itself is FREE.
Museum of the Moving Image: located in Astoria Queens. Friday hours 12-8pm. Sunday hours 11-6:30pm http://www.ammi.org/site/about/index.html Admission is free on Fridays between 4-8pm
Puzzle Stores:
Kidding Around – on 15th St between 5th & 6th Aves. They carry all the Think Fun puzzles.
Museum of Modern Art 53rd street between 5th & 6th Avenues. MoMA sells puzzles by Charles O’Perry.
Feel free to offer suggestions!
Tom Cutrofello
Quartett Exhibit on Swiss Lake
Feb. 8, 2011
Guten Tag, in Oberrieden, eine kleine Gemeinde am Zürich See, wird vom 19. Februar bis 30. April, jeden Samstag Nachmittag eine Ausstellung von Quartetten unseres Mitglieds Mariann König gezeigt. Es werden 8 Themen vorgestellt, jeweils ältere Spiele bis hin in die Neuzeit, d.h. man sieht einen Lauf durch ein Jahrhundert. Sicher sehenswert!
In Oberrieden, a little village at the Zurich lake, every Saturday afternoon from the 19. February until the 30. April you can see an exhibition of quartett card games from ESG member Mariann König. Arranged in eight themes from old to new, you see a trip through a century. I´m sure it´s worth a visit.
http://www.oberrieden.ch/index.php?1=1&id=235687
–Rudolf Ruehle, ESG (European Game Collectors Association)
Jigsaw Puzzle on Exhibit in Brooklyn
Feb. 6, 2011
Susan Kaprov is pleased to announce that her painted jigsaw puzzle, Mandala for the 21st Century, will be featured in the exhibition, “Measure for Measure”, at Central Booking Gallery in Brooklyn, NY. This theme-based show explores the visual relationship between art and mathematics. Go to www.kaprov.com.
Measure_for_Measure by Susan Kaprov
2011 AGPC Annual Convention
Lancaster PA ♦ 29 April to 1 May
Jan. 27, 2011
The AGPC Mid-Atlantic Chapter is hosting the 27th Annual Convention of the Association of Game and Puzzle Collectors (AGPC) in Lancaster, Pennsylvania from 29 April to 1 May.
The theme for the 2011 AGPC Annual Convention will be American History, and this area has a lot of it.
Lancaster is in the heart of Amish country with a great deal of historical attractions and many opportunies for pre- and post-convention activities.
The Adamstown area, a short drive from Lancaster, is the antiquing center of Eastern Pennsylvania and the famous Extravaganza will be held in Kutztown and Adamstown that weekend.
Scroll down for more information.
AGPC Convention 2008 Charleston, S.C.
The Association of Game & Puzzle Collectors (AGPC), founded in 1985 by Bruce Whitehill, is the world’s foremost organization dedicated to the collection and preservation of games and puzzles. As an international, nonprofit association, the AGPC is chartered to conduct research and explore the history of games and puzzles from ancient times up to the present, and to disseminate information about games and puzzles to the broadest audience possible, including the general public, the media, libraries, museums, scholars, and others. Games and puzzles offer a remarkable view of our cultural past and future!
AGPC members’ interests encompass all types of games, jigsaw puzzles, and mechanical puzzles, from all eras and from all around the world. Some of our members specialize in other pastimes and collect related playthings, from toys to tops, and from marbles to architectural blocks. Our membership includes a broad spectrum of individuals and expertise, from interested enthusiasts to novice collectors to some of the world’s most renowned historians, authors, and designers of game & puzzles. Many companies and institutions hold membership in the organization.
Originally known as the American Game Collectors Association (AGCA), the organization’s name was changed to the Association of Game & Puzzle Collectors in 1999 to reflect the broadened scope of its mission and its international nature.
Hotel Reservations
A block of rooms has been set aside at the Marriott Hotel in the heart of downtown Lancaster at the special rate of $139.00 which will be honored from 27 April through 1 May. Reservations must be made by April 6 to get this special rate. A discounted rate of $8.00 per day is also offered in the adjacent parking lot
To make reservations online, go to www.lancastermarriott.com, click on Special Rates & Awards and type “agpagpa” under Group code.
To make reservations by phone, please call+1- 888-236-2427 or +1- 717-239-1600 and ask for the AGPC block of rooms.
Conference Registration and Fees
Register now and save! The registration fee is $185 per person until February 15th. After that date the fee will be $200. The fee includes attendance at all functions, dinners on Friday and Saturday evenings, Saturday breakfast, a Sunday brunch, prizes and table favors. There is no charge for table selling or the silent auction and a nominal charge for items on the live auction.
There is a $30.00 fee for the Thursday tour of the Cornwall Iron Furnace, Wheatland, and lunch at the Victorian restaurant, Inn422. The fee for the Friday tour of the Sturgis Pretzel Factory and the candy factory in Lititz is $5.00; lunch will be on your own.
Go to www.agpc.org to register.
For more information, call Sy or Marge at 301-593-2157 or email sygames@aol.com.
