The Shopping Game

Los Angeles: National Advertising Games Co., (n. d.), circa 1930. Board: 13-3/4 x 17 inches when open fully. Game includes the board with metal spinner to center, four paper cars (the player counters), three of four metal holders for the counters, 24 "purchase" cards, original envelope to hold the pieces, and original mailing envelope. Lacking one metal holder for the player counters, otherwise appears complete, with the purchase cards matching the list of advertisers on the verso of the board, plus one extra to make an even 24. Board lightly edgeworn and nearly split along right fold, and left side doesn't lay flat; small loss to bottom of red car; light toning to verso of cards; original mailing envelope split along most edges and quite tattered; some loss and chips to envelope for holding cards and pieces. Good.

A rare advertising board game about Los Angeles, featuring 24 local businesses on the "purchase" cards, local businesses as some of the squares on the board, and bungalow-style houses on the corners of the board. According to the instructions on the verso of the board, the game is played with four players. At the beginning of their turn, each player spins the wheel at the center of the board to determine how many squares they "drive" along with their car player counter. The color they stop on determines what purchase card they play, with the goal being to purchase an item; when a player has played all of their purchase cards and reached home, they have won the game.

Each purchase card features a product made by a Los Angeles business, for example Burr milk from Burr Creamery, Maxwell House coffee from the Cheek-Neal Coffee Co., a Love Nest candy bar from the Euclid Candy Co., gasoline from Gilmore Oil Co., Ford products from Wm. L. Hughson Co., ice cream from Hughes Ice Cream Co., Glo-Co hair dressing from the Glo-Co Co., and Golden West peanut butter from Golden West Products, Inc.

All in all, a fascinating game promoting Los Angeles, its businesses, consumerism, and even Los Angeles as a quintessential driving city.

Not located in OCLC, nor do we find holdings in online repositories.