Happy Birthday to The Landlord's Game

Today's launch of www.theplaymakers.com coincides with the 100th Anniversary of The Landlord’s Game. Never heard of that game, you say? Read on, and it will undoubtedly ring a bell.

On January 5, 1904, Elizabeth J. Magie, a writer, public stenographer, and gifted actress received a patent on a board game that was destined to become something special. The object, as stated in the patent, was “to obtain as much wealth or money as possible.” The game featured a square board with 40 spaces and 22 properties, four railroads and Jail and Go to Jail spaces. In the game, a player could get out of jail by rolling doubles or by paying $50. It had a luxury tax and two utilities (one water, one electric). It had the markings of the most successful commercial game in history. It had the markings of Monopoly.

“It’s fitting that we launch this website on the anniversary of Lizzie’s patent, because this book is all about unknown and under-appreciated toy inventors,” author Tim Walsh says. “Without Lizzie, there would be no Monopoly. Imagine the implications of that to the toy business. Imagine our American culture without that game. It’s hard to do.”

For 30 years Lizzie’s game was passed on from player to player, until it ended up in the hands of Charles Darrow, the man often credited as having “invented” the game in 1934. In actuality, Darrow (along with several other key players in the tale), improved the game until it reached its current form. Monopoly was launched by Parker Brothers in 1935 and went on to sell over 150 million copies.

The Monopoly story is covered within the pages of The Playmakers, along with 75 other classic playthings. The level of detail in the book is impressive. For instance, the Monopoly chapter offers:

• A never-before-seen picture of The Landlord’s Game from 1910. Ultra-rare !
• Detailed biographical information on Lizzie Magie and Charles Darrow.
• A picture of Darrow’s first round Monopoly board which sold for over $64,000 in 1992.
• The actual rejection letters Darrow initially received from Parker Brothers and Milton Bradley.
• The missing link between bracelet charms and the famous Monopoly tokens

The Playmakers: Amazing Origins of Timeless Toys debuts at Toy Fair in February and today at www.theplaymakers.com. The book will be released to the general public in March.