Potter & Potter Auctions
Live Auction

Gambling Memorabilia

Sat, Apr 14, 2018 12:30AM EDT
Lot 542

String Game.

Estimate: $4,000 - $6,000

Bid Increments

Price Bid Increment
$0 $5
$30 $10
$100 $25
$500 $50
$1,000 $100
$2,000 $200
$5,000 $500
$10,000 $1,000
$20,000 $2,000
$50,000 $5,000
$100,000 $10,000
String Game. American, ca. 1890. ?String Game? hand painted on top board. 52 playing cards attached to wooden blocks. A string is attached to each wood block. Wood block and playing card is spring-loaded and rises as the appropriate string is pulled, then settles down to its original position. Wood blocks housed in a 47 x 22? frame, 52 strings hang from a metal 20? bar jutting out from its top. A few strings broken or missing, a few cards with minor damage otherwise excellent. A unique device previously unknown to all in the hobby. How the prizes were awarded is not known but best guess is that a shelf at the back of the operator?s booth held the prizes each card represented. A gaff would have been easy to apply by simply not connecting string to cards that represented the high value prizes. The game may also be seen as a secondary use for playing cards.