Wooden barrel tokens for 'Buccaneer' board game
Manufacturer
John Sands Pty Ltd
Manufacturer
John Waddington Limited
Date1940s
Object number00015511
NameBoard game accessory
MediumWood
DimensionsOverall: 13 x 11 mm
ClassificationsToys, games and souvenirs
Credit LineANMM Collection
DescriptionThese wooden barrel tokens come from a board game titled 'Buccaneer' which was manufactured by John Sands Pty Ltd during the 1940s, under copyright by permission of John Waddington Ltd in Leeds, United Kingdom. Players are required to attempt to recover treasure from an island or steal it by trading other players' ships.HistoryBoard games were widely distributed before World War II, before the advent and popularisation of television. Manufacturers across Australia often created individual designs for each board game which resulted in highly detailed pieces that became artworks in their own right. They were often used for educational purposes and provided an engaging storytelling exercise for children. The vibrant nature of these board games conveys a long history of fascination surrounding maritime adventure and exploration. They illustrate how maritime themes and history, especially about pirates, permeated cultural activities and entertainment and were cemented in children's imagination as folklore.SignificanceThese wooden barrel tokens from a board game display not only a cultural preoccupation with widely popular maritime subject matter, it also reveals a popular medium for children's entertainment which flourished before World War II.
