INTRODUCTION<br > Once regarded as mere adjuncts to the toy field， games now are finding a col-<br >lector s niche for themselves. Much has been written on do s， toys， tra ns， banks，<br >andother related categories， but little information exists solely on American board<br >and card games.<br > The brilliant lithography on the box covers and boards of games lures more col-<br >lectors each year. The colorful graphics of antique games always have accurately<br >portrayed the ongoing saga of this country s mores and history. Through the im-<br >-aginativedrawingsofcommerc a yetlargelyunknown artists admirersofoldbox-<br > ， / I<br >ed games can view the transportation of yesterday by trolley or transoceanic stea m-<br >ship， recall the discoveries of Pike s Peak or the North Pole， note the helmetless<br >:uniforms of an 1895 football team or the leg puttees of a vintage motorcyclist， trace<br >the mapped strategies of long past battles and nava engagements， and relive the<br >impact of radio， comic strips， and movies on this nation. (Fig. I， 2， 3)<br > Games appeal to a great overlapping segment of the collecting field. Aviation，<br >train， and automobile buffs， as well as those infatuated with baseball or art and ad ver-<br >rising， all look for appropriate games to f out their respective collections. While<br >the older games may not be as plentifu as they once were， there are many examples<br >still to be found from the turn of the century th rough the 1930 s and ~lO s to challenge<br >the searcher. (Fig. 4)<br > The prices of the games in this book are derived from personal buying experience，<br >auctions， and observing the going rates at shops and antiques shows. To use the well<br >worn phrase--the listed prices are only a gu de Condition， size rarity， completeness，<br >and even the geography of where you are buying， all serve as important factors in<br >governing prices Everything cons dered however the end result is always how much<br > ~ i i<br >an avid game collector is willing to pay to add a desirable game to his or her collection.<br > The game brings to its buyer beauty， enjoyment， and a distinct sense of history.<br >MIthout doubt， it s "all in the game"<br >