Description:
Chinese export wood jackstraws or spellicans (as they were known in England) used by Duckworth family of Montague and Springfield, Mass. These were the basis for a child's game similar to pick-up sticks. To play, each person took turns removing the jackstraws with a specially designed tool from a pile spilled onto a table. Care had to be taken not to upset the pile or the game ended. To make removal more difficult, some jackstraws were shaped like pikes, shovels, saws, halberds, and long-handled axes. Merchants and travelers to China brought back a variety of board games and toys (backgammon, checkers, chess, finger puzzles, ivory alphabet letters, and whistles) for the amusement of families and children. There are 26 light tan-colored and 10 dark brown jackstraws with either a tapered or blunt end.
Tags:
games Link to share this object record:
https://museums.fivecolleges.edu/detail.php?t=objects&type=ext&id_number=HD+85.044 |
