Family Games

Complete guide to buying family games

 
Family Bagatelle
At the Jaques family Company we have makers and craftsman currently manufacturing Four variations of This Fantastic game.
Jaques' Hit-a-Pin Bagatelle is handcrafted from hardwood, mahogany and brass to the same design as  supplied to Queen Victoria.


Backgammon
At Jaques We Make 4 Indoor versions of the Classic Backgammon game.
At the top end of the range is the 19" Oak backgammon, the ultimate Games Board.
There is the 15" Luxury Mahogany set which features a solid mahogany frame with walnut and sycamore inlaid points.
A Great Set for Home Play is the 15" Oak Backgammon set.
Perfect for playing games on the move, we also have the 11" Travel version of the game.
All the above sets also includes regulation playing pieces, two leatherette dicecups, dice set and Backgammon rules book.

Traditional Games

While JJ One (as the family refer to him) will always be recognized for his major contribution to traditional chess, the subject of a subsequent chapter, the son was undoubtedly his father's equal in imagination, craftsmanship and games enterprise.

Family Skittles

Jaques Skittles have also become very popluar with some of Jaques early design now being played in leagues all around the country. Jaques Garden Skittles are also very popular Family Games. The Fireman, Sailor, Royal Guards and Policeman skittles are now very much a household item in many English homes and indeed homes all around the world. Jaques English garden Skittles are now very succesful.

Family Quoits

The Jaques Traditonal handmade Garden game of quoits is also now very popular. Jaques Quoits now sell in their tens of thousands each year. Despite this each set is still handmade and quality checked in the UK. More recent introductions to the Giant garden games Range have included Clock Golf, a great garden game to be played by all the family. Comeback Tennis and Rebound Tennis, Boule are also all great family Games that are just as much fun when played indoors as out.



Compendiums

For most of the 1800's Jaques were developing and introducing new indoor family games, many of which, such as Hit-a-Pin Bagatelle, Happy Families and Shove Halfpenny, are still very popular today.
There are many others such as Squails, Ascot and Minoru which are no longer made but are in the process of being Re-introduced for families to play

Snakes and Ladders

The game of snakes and ladders was played in ancient India.This game can date right back to the 16th century.

John Jaques and family  transformed the game and created the Board Game of Snakes and Ladders. This was launched in the 1890's to great success.
It has Recently been Relaunched.

 

Family Card games

Tenniel's memorable drawings of Mr Bun the Baker, Mr Grits the Grocer and so on, are at the heart of children's enjoyment of Happy Families. It was John II's foresight to commission him at an early stage in his career. Tenniel would later become Sir John Tenniel as a result of a truly illustrious career as chief cartoonist of Punch. Tenniel, of course, also brought Lewis Carroll's Alice's Adventures in Wonderland so vividly to life.

In fact, Lewis Carroll's grandniece, Irene Dodgson, married the widowed John Jaques III, not only consolidating this literary connection, but furthering it with her own artistic contribution. Irene created four new characters for Happy Families.


Tiddledy Winks

At Jaques we rightfully lay claim to the success of tiddledy winks.

We exclusivey Transformed the game from an unknown to a globally recognised past time.
Tiddledy Winks was one of the most popular crazes during the 1890s and Jaques records claim that we produced in excess of 100,000 pieces during this time. The Game was played by adults and children.

For Many years many different varieties of the game were produced all trying to cash in on Jaques Success. Family Legend speaks of a huge legal case against a Game which was an exact copy, this copy was called Spoof.  The public perception of the game changed in 1955 when it was taken up as competitive sport at Cambridge university.

 

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