Bourse

1904 · 325354 — Topeka Kansas: W. W. Gavitt Printing and Publishing Co 1904. Complete set of 49 playing cards each measuring 3 1/4 by 2 3/8 inches printed on both sides with pictorial rectos printed in red depicting a smoke-spewing locomotive stating within the smoke: "Gavitt's Stock Exchange." with 1903 copyright on each card plus three folded inserts of instructions and ads. Original box. Some splits and creases to box the cards in very fine condition. Complete set of 49 playing cards each measuring 3 1/4 by 2 3/8 inches printed on both sides with pictorial rectos printed in red depicting a smoke-spewing locomotive stating within the smoke: "Gavitt's Stock Exchange." with 1903 copyright on each card plus three folded inserts of instructions and ads. The complete set of 49 cards consisting of one "Telegram" card and 48 broker cards-- broker cards consist of six sets of eight cards each each designated with the name of a different railroad company and it's dollar value e.g. Santa Fe R.R. $250 N.Y. Cent'l R.R. $200 C. B. & Q. R.R. $125 etc. Players exchange the cards i.e. trade stocks in an attempt to corner the market on a particular railroad. Also present with the complete set of 49 cards is the original instruction sheet and three individual sheets printing promotional material about the game and its maker Harry E. Gavitt. All the sheets are folded and housed with the cards in the original grayish-lavender printed box as issued.<br /> <br /> "This game amuses pleases and entertains. An imitation of and a reproduction on a small scale of the excitement and confusion generally witnessed in the great stock and grain pits of the World" from the box. When it was first published 'Gavitt's Stock Exchange' game rose to become one of the best-selling games in America. It is considered by some to be the first "simultaneous action" set game where all the players play in unison. It was also the basis of a similar game 'Pit' first published by Parker Brothers in 1904 which become equally as popular. Uncommon with OCLC locates only three holdings of Gavitt's Stock Exchange: Topeka & Shawnee County Public Library University of Kansas Archives and the Winterthur Museum. W. W. Gavitt Printing and Publishing Co unknown