1908 Prototype London Underground Map Board Game
Prototype board for a London Underground board game (1908)
Designed by John Waddington Limited, London. Printed by Johnson Riddle & Co. Featuring the 1908 London Underground Railways map as issued in mid-1908. Size: 20cm x 27cm. "Prov. Prot. 23563” at the bottom border. Lithograph print on paper and mounted on cardboard. Lightly coated. Blank Verso. Condition: Excellent. Some damage to top edge and coating has darkened with age.
This highly unusual cardboard edition of the first 'unified' map of the London Underground system dates to mid-1908. Though not dated, this map features the 1908 Franco-British Exhibition at Shepherds Bush which took place in April. Warren Street station is shown - which was renamed from ‘Euston Road’ in June of that year.
Whilst at first glance this map appears identical to the common map issued at stations (also printed by Johnson Riddle & Co) one notable difference is the colouring of the parks and River Thames (coloured green and blue respectively) whereas the common map had no background colouring. In addition, “JWL London” and “Prov.Prot 23563” are shown in the bottom border.
These differences, along with the mounting on board and light protective coating, give us strong clues as to the purpose of this map. JWL London stands for John Waddington Limited (who later became Waddingtons, the world-reknowned board game company). JWL produced a London Underground board game in 1908 called “How to Get There” an example of which is held in the British Library. Therefore it is reasonable to assume that this map is an early prototype of this game. Further investigation into the patent shown on the bottom of the map (“Prov.Prot 23563”) should confirm this.
As it is likely to be the only example in the world, the London Transport Museum have no record of it in their archives. One must wonder if the colouring of the parks and Thames was an experiment by Johnson Riddle & Co, intended for the official map but not adopted for the sake of clarity.
A wonderful piece of London and board game history!
FREE UK DELIVERY. Non-UK Delivery available, please request a quotation
Prototype board for a London Underground board game (1908)
Designed by John Waddington Limited, London. Printed by Johnson Riddle & Co. Featuring the 1908 London Underground Railways map as issued in mid-1908. Size: 20cm x 27cm. "Prov. Prot. 23563” at the bottom border. Lithograph print on paper and mounted on cardboard. Lightly coated. Blank Verso. Condition: Excellent. Some damage to top edge and coating has darkened with age.
This highly unusual cardboard edition of the first 'unified' map of the London Underground system dates to mid-1908. Though not dated, this map features the 1908 Franco-British Exhibition at Shepherds Bush which took place in April. Warren Street station is shown - which was renamed from ‘Euston Road’ in June of that year.
Whilst at first glance this map appears identical to the common map issued at stations (also printed by Johnson Riddle & Co) one notable difference is the colouring of the parks and River Thames (coloured green and blue respectively) whereas the common map had no background colouring. In addition, “JWL London” and “Prov.Prot 23563” are shown in the bottom border.
These differences, along with the mounting on board and light protective coating, give us strong clues as to the purpose of this map. JWL London stands for John Waddington Limited (who later became Waddingtons, the world-reknowned board game company). JWL produced a London Underground board game in 1908 called “How to Get There” an example of which is held in the British Library. Therefore it is reasonable to assume that this map is an early prototype of this game. Further investigation into the patent shown on the bottom of the map (“Prov.Prot 23563”) should confirm this.
As it is likely to be the only example in the world, the London Transport Museum have no record of it in their archives. One must wonder if the colouring of the parks and Thames was an experiment by Johnson Riddle & Co, intended for the official map but not adopted for the sake of clarity.
A wonderful piece of London and board game history!
FREE UK DELIVERY. Non-UK Delivery available, please request a quotation
Prototype board for a London Underground board game (1908)
Designed by John Waddington Limited, London. Printed by Johnson Riddle & Co. Featuring the 1908 London Underground Railways map as issued in mid-1908. Size: 20cm x 27cm. "Prov. Prot. 23563” at the bottom border. Lithograph print on paper and mounted on cardboard. Lightly coated. Blank Verso. Condition: Excellent. Some damage to top edge and coating has darkened with age.
This highly unusual cardboard edition of the first 'unified' map of the London Underground system dates to mid-1908. Though not dated, this map features the 1908 Franco-British Exhibition at Shepherds Bush which took place in April. Warren Street station is shown - which was renamed from ‘Euston Road’ in June of that year.
Whilst at first glance this map appears identical to the common map issued at stations (also printed by Johnson Riddle & Co) one notable difference is the colouring of the parks and River Thames (coloured green and blue respectively) whereas the common map had no background colouring. In addition, “JWL London” and “Prov.Prot 23563” are shown in the bottom border.
These differences, along with the mounting on board and light protective coating, give us strong clues as to the purpose of this map. JWL London stands for John Waddington Limited (who later became Waddingtons, the world-reknowned board game company). JWL produced a London Underground board game in 1908 called “How to Get There” an example of which is held in the British Library. Therefore it is reasonable to assume that this map is an early prototype of this game. Further investigation into the patent shown on the bottom of the map (“Prov.Prot 23563”) should confirm this.
As it is likely to be the only example in the world, the London Transport Museum have no record of it in their archives. One must wonder if the colouring of the parks and Thames was an experiment by Johnson Riddle & Co, intended for the official map but not adopted for the sake of clarity.
A wonderful piece of London and board game history!
FREE UK DELIVERY. Non-UK Delivery available, please request a quotation
