The Wizard of Oz Card Game
Record status
Individual type · partial
Period
1939-1940
"The Wizard of Oz Card Game" is a printed card game published between 1939 and 1940 by the Chad Valley Company Limited in the United Kingdom. The pack consists of 44 cards made of printed card and accompanied by a card slipcase printed in turquoise and white displaying the title.
The face of each card features colour illustrations derived from the 1939 film "The Wizard of Oz," chronologically recounting the narrative across four groups. The cards are arranged into four sets of eleven, numbered 1 through 11. The first sequence has red numbers on a white ground, depicting Dorothy and Toto setting off along the Yellow Brick Road; the second features green numbers on yellow, showing the Scarecrow and the Tin Man; the third displays blue numbers on white, illustrating the Cowardly Lion and the Wizard; and the fourth presents black numbers on red, illustrating the defeat of the Wicked Witch and the journey home.
The reverse side of each card is finished in turquoise blue and printed with a design featuring a ringmaster above a circle enclosing a lion's head, accompanied by the printed inscription "ARS GRATIA ARTIS" (meaning "Art for art").
Evidence at a glance
- Linked sources
- 1
- Photograph views
- 1
- Catalogue references
- 0
Counts describe this entry’s documentation, not authenticity, rarity or completeness. Photographs may show one specimen; check each caption and licence.
Historical context
The game was registered and entered at Stationers' Hall as a trick-taking game for any number of players. The 44 cards form four suits distinguished by the colour of their numbers: Red, Green, Blue, and Black. Each suit contains a designated penalty card numbered 9. Players must follow suit if possible, with the highest card taking the trick. At the conclusion of a hand, players score points against themselves based on the Red cards and Penalty cards captured, with the Red penalty card carrying double value. The overall winner is the participant with the lowest accumulated score when someone reaches 250 points.
Identification
- Source note
- Transcribed from the Victoria and Albert Museum collection record for this single object; how far it represents a wider collectible type has not been independently verified.
- Museum object name
- The Wizard of Oz Card Game
- Museum object number
- B.266:1 to 46-1996
Catalogue references
No catalogue numbers recorded. Numbers are only published once transcribed from a verified edition of a standard catalogue — they are never inferred.