Nouveau Loto Caricature -

Turn-of-the-century French comic bingo game comprised of twelve chromolithographed lotto cards of comical scenes in two sets of 6, each with six circular cut-out disks of characters' faces which are removed to reveal the bingo numbers beneath; a set of 72 wooden bingo numbers housed in a drawstring bag; and a set of twelve purple-painted wooden tokens. Small folio. Game housed in original wood and cardboard box with decorative paper covering and chromolithographed illustration to lid depicting a number of caricatured figures. Printed rules in French affixed to underside of box lid. Box approximately 11-1/8 x 14-1/2 x 1-3/4 inches. Overall good condition, some soiling and toning to box, maker's mark to cover abraded, one of the bingo cards missing one disk, some slight scattered foxing, particularly to rules. Possibly one face disk missing. Paris (Simonin-Cuny) n.d. (circa 1900). A printed label affixed to the underside of the box lid gives instructions for how to play this comical bingo game, a popular style of game in the late 19th century. At the start of the game, the players are to remove the heads and faces of the characters on their cards, placing them into a pool. When a number is drawn that matches the number on a player's bingo card, they are given a random face from the pool to place in that space - and so a player may end up with a dog's head on a woman's body, a soldier's head on a cow, or something equally fanciful. The first player to complete their bingo card wins 2/3 of the jackpot, and the second player to complete their card wins the other third. A fun and fantastic edition of a popular turn-of-the-century game.