Humpty Dumpty Game, 1885-1895
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Artifact Overview
Children in the late 1800s could watch specially designed nursery rhyme figures tumble down this colorfully lithographed ladder. The figures rocked back and forth down a series of nails placed along the edges. Parents could teach children about the cow that jumped over the moon, Mother Goose and the fate of Humpty Dumpty, the toy's namesake.
Artifact Details
Artifact
Gameboard (Board game element)
Date Made
1885-1895
Place of Creation
Location
Not on exhibit to the public.
Object ID
90.272.1
Credit
From the Collections of The Henry Ford.
Material
Wood (Plant material)
Paper (Fiber product)
Metal
Technique
Lithography
Dimensions
Height: 0.25 in
Width: 3.5 in
Length: 5.5 in
Inscriptions
printed on one board: THE COW JUMPED OVER THE MOON / MOTHER GOOSE / PUNCH & JUDY / BROWNIES / OLD KING COAL
printed on other board: HUMPTY DUMPTY
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Related Content
SetThinking Inside the Box: Board Games in America
- 18 Artifacts
Board games have engaged Americans in friendly competition for two hundred years. Reaching their height of popularity from the late 1800s to the mid-1900s, board games remain a widespread leisure activity. Colorful graphics and a playful purpose belie their cultural significance, but a closer look reveals important shifts in American society.