{"meta":{"version":"2.1","_links":{"self":{"href":"https://api.vam.ac.uk/v2/object/O1387382"},"collection_page":{"href":"https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O1387382/"}},"images":{"_primary_thumbnail":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2017JY3250/full/!100,100/0/default.jpg","_iiif_image":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2017JY3250/","_alt_iiif_image":[],"imageResolution":"low","_images_meta":[{"assetRef":"2017JY3250","copyright":"©Victoria & Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false}]},"see_also":null},"record":{"systemNumber":"O1387382","accessionNumber":"B.14:1 to 8-2017","objectType":"Game","titles":[{"title":"Treasure Hunt","type":"manufacturer's title"}],"summaryDescription":"The first edition of 'Treasure Hunt' was produced in 1940, its popularity meant that by 1949, the year this example was made, there were sixty-seven editions. In this pirate-themed game, players must ‘dig’ in the pile of letters in the centre to make words, earning ‘pieces of eight’ in the form of paper currency. ","physicalDescription":"Boxed word game, consisting of a card box with lid, two internal card trays, 208 'Pieces of Eight' (100 gold, 108 silver), 78 'Treasure Hunt' cards and 403 letter tokens.\n\nThe printed card box lid shows on its face a front-facing illustration of a moustachioed pirate captain, wearing a bicorne hat with skull and crossbones detail, and two large earrings. In the background to the right of the captain are the figures of three sailors, walking to the right, equipped for digging: two carry spades, one has a pick. The inside of the lid is printed with the game instructions. Inside the base of the box are two card trays for storing the gaming pieces.\n\nThe gaming pieces consist of 403 white card squares, each printed back and front with a large, black capital letter. Some have the same letter on either side, some have successive letters (i.e. D and E). Clues are issued to players using the 78 'Treasure Hunt' cards, which are printed in black capitals on white card. Players' scores are calculated using 'Pieces of Eight': printed paper currency consisting of 100 yellow (i.e. gold) and 108 grey (i.e. silver) notes. It is not clear if the game is complete.\n","artistMakerPerson":[],"artistMakerOrganisations":[{"name":{"text":"Cadaco-Ellis","id":"AUTH344433"},"association":{"text":"manufacturers","id":"AAT25230"},"note":""}],"artistMakerPeople":[],"materials":[{"text":"paper","id":"AAT14109"}],"techniques":[{"text":"printing","id":"AAT53319"}],"materialsAndTechniques":"Printed card and paper","categories":[{"text":"Games","id":"THES48947"}],"styles":[],"collectionCode":{"text":"YVA","id":"THES48593"},"images":["2017JY3250"],"imageResolution":"low","galleryLocations":[{"current":{"text":"SR001","id":"THES340938"},"free":"","case":"","shelf":"","box":""},{"current":{"text":"SR001","id":"THES340938"},"free":"","case":"","shelf":"","box":""},{"current":{"text":"SR001","id":"THES340938"},"free":"","case":"","shelf":"","box":""},{"current":{"text":"SR001","id":"THES340938"},"free":"","case":"","shelf":"","box":""},{"current":{"text":"SR054","id":"THES342084"},"free":"","case":"","shelf":"","box":""},{"current":{"text":"SR054","id":"THES342084"},"free":"","case":"","shelf":"","box":""},{"current":{"text":"SR054","id":"THES342084"},"free":"","case":"","shelf":"","box":""},{"current":{"text":"SR054","id":"THES342084"},"free":"","case":"","shelf":"","box":""},{"current":{"text":"SR001","id":"THES340938"},"free":"","case":"","shelf":"","box":""},{"current":{"text":"SR001","id":"THES340938"},"free":"","case":"","shelf":"","box":""},{"current":{"text":"SR001","id":"THES340938"},"free":"","case":"","shelf":"","box":""}],"partTypes":[[{"text":"lid","id":"AAT45712"}],[{"text":"box","id":"AAT45643"}],[{"text":"tray","id":"AAT43071"}],[{"text":"tray","id":"AAT43071"}],[{"text":"paper money","id":"AAT191324"}],[{"text":"paper money","id":"AAT191324"}],[{"text":"cards","id":"AAT26756"}],[{"text":"tokens","id":"AAT37334"}],[{"text":"paper money","id":"AAT191324"}],[{"text":"paper money","id":"AAT191324"}],[{"text":"tokens","id":"AAT37334"}]],"contentWarnings":[{"apprise":"","note":"Spelling games have long been used by teachers and tutors to encourage correct spelling and to develop vocabulary. Since the 19th century, mass-produced, competitive spelling games have become common, the most popular example probably being Scrabble, which was first published in 1938.\r\n\r\nMost pirate stories since Robert Louis Stevenson’s influential adventure novel <i>Treasure Island</i> (1882) have involved a search for treasure, buried or otherwise. Finding treasure has become one of the most common and obvious elements for pirates in children’s culture.\r\n\r\nCadaco-Ellis, originally known only as Cadaco, was formed in San Leandro, California, in 1935 by Donald Mazer and Charles Berolzheimer. The name ‘Cadaco’ is a slightly wonky acronym for ‘Charles and Don and Company’. In 1937, Donald Mazer married Eleanor Ellis and bought out his partner, the company then gained the ‘Ellis’ part of its name. Cadaco famously turned down both <i>Monopoly</i> and <i>Scrabble</i>, favouring instead their own games developed in-house (although they would later obtain the licence for Scrabble in 1953). Mazer died in 1951, and the company’s name reverted back to Cadaco in 1965 when it was purchased by Rapid Mounting and Finishing Co., who had previously worked as a supplier to Cadaco. In the 1960s, they expanded their range beyond board games to puzzles and toys. In 2010, the Cadaco trademark was bought by the Poof-Slinky company. \r\n"}],"placesOfOrigin":[{"place":{"text":"Chicago","id":"x30479"},"association":{"text":"manufactured","id":"x29350"},"note":""}],"productionDates":[{"date":{"text":"1949","earliest":"1949-01-01","latest":"1949-12-31"},"association":{"text":"manufactured","id":"x29350"},"note":""}],"associatedObjects":[],"creditLine":"","dimensions":[{"dimension":"Height","value":"10.1","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"","note":""},{"dimension":"Width","value":"16.4","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"","note":""}],"dimensionsNote":"","marksAndInscriptions":[],"objectHistory":"Purchased in 2017 [2017/255].\r\n","historicalContext":"","briefDescription":"Word game, 'Treasure Hunt', 67th edition, Cadaco-Ellis; United States, 1949.","bibliographicReferences":[],"production":"This is example is of the sixty-seventh edition of <i>Treasure Hunt</i>. The first edition appeared in 1940.","productionType":{"text":"Mass produced","id":"THES48863"},"contentDescription":"","contentPlaces":[],"associatedPlaces":[],"contentPerson":[],"associatedPerson":[],"contentOrganisations":[],"associatedOrganisations":[],"contentPeople":[],"associatedPeople":[],"contentEvents":[],"associatedEvents":[],"contentOthers":[{"text":"pirates","id":"x35906"},{"text":"treasure","id":"AAT55593"},{"text":"currency","id":"AAT191324"}],"contentConcepts":[],"contentLiteraryRefs":[],"galleryLabels":[],"partNumbers":["B.14:1-2017","B.14:2-2017","B.14:3-2017","B.14:4-2017","B.14:5-2017","B.14:6-2017","B.14:7-2017","B.14:8-2017","B.14:5/1-2017","B.14:6/1-2017","B.14:8/1-2017"],"accessionNumberNum":"14","accessionNumberPrefix":"B","accessionYear":2017,"otherNumbers":[],"copyNumber":"","aspects":["WHOLE"],"assets":[],"recordModificationDate":"2026-03-25","recordCreationDate":"2017-03-16","availableToBook":false}}