May
26
For this entry we return to the 21st century (contemporary) collection to feature a modern classic. Agricola was first published in 2007 by the German games company Lookout Games and co-published for the English-speaking market by Z-Man Games in the US. It has won numerous awards, including the elite Spiel des Jahres “Complex Game” prize …
May
19
Snakes and Ladders, according to various sources (search Wikipedia and Boardgamegeek, and even the Victoria and Albert Museum in the UK), was actually invented in India and brought to England in the late 19th century. It was originally concerned with virtues and vices – virtuous deeds being rewarded with a ladder up (closer to Nirvana), …
May
11
Continuing to dip into my antique Australiana collection, the next piece to show is from about 1900. When I first saw this I assumed it was actually referencing World War I (c1914), but other sources assert the turn of the (20th) century and show that it is actually about the Boer War. The strongest provenance …
May
02
My vintage collection moves to the UK with this card game. The complete series of The Counties of England actually comprises four sets of cards – Northern, Midlands, Eastern and Southern. Shown here is the first (Northern) set. According to boardgamegeek, this collection dates back to 1870 published by the still extant John Jaques company, …
Apr
25
I borrowed this one recently from a friend whose games collection is far richer than mine. The game dates back to 2004 and my own most recent playing is actually March 2006, so a long time between drinks! But I’ve remembered since then how I was struck by the artwork, in particular the location graphics …
Apr
18
A few weeks ago I posted about another antique in my collection called “Boy Scouts”. Since then I have poured hours – many more than I anticipated – into its restoration by digital editing. The job is now done and I am very satisfied with the results. Some additional work with GIMP (the free, open-source …
Apr
11
Although my own games collection is modest in comparison to many gamers I know, it makes sense to feature some of my own favourites (i.e., from an artwork point of view). So my next pick is Colosseum, released in 2007 by publisher Days of Wonder. Like all DoW titles, the production quality is as good …
Apr
04
In my first feature for the artwork of a contemporary game, it was hard to go past Dixit. Marie Cardouat is the professional artist responsible for all 84 of the card illustrations. For those already familiar with the game, you don’t need me to tell you that her work is unique and remarkable. Her style …
