{"meta":{"version":"2.1","_links":{"self":{"href":"https://api.vam.ac.uk/v2/object/O27534"},"collection_page":{"href":"https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O27534/"}},"images":null,"see_also":null},"record":{"systemNumber":"O27534","accessionNumber":"E.1798-1954","objectType":"Table game","titles":[{"title":"The bell and hammer","type":"manufacturer's title"},{"title":"schimmell, titled in french and german as well as english","type":"manufacturer's title"}],"summaryDescription":"","physicalDescription":"Design: 5 cards representing a white horse, an inn, a bell, a hammer and a bell & hammer; hand coloured lithographs; wooden hammer, 8 dice (possibly marble or stone),  5 trays, wooden dice shaker\nNo. illustrated: 5 cards","artistMakerPerson":[],"artistMakerOrganisations":[],"artistMakerPeople":[],"materials":[{"text":"Card","id":"x30344"},{"text":"Wood","id":"AAT11914"},{"text":"Stone","id":"AAT11176"}],"techniques":[{"text":"hand-colouring","id":"AAT133555"},{"text":"lithography","id":"AAT53271"}],"materialsAndTechniques":"","categories":[{"text":"Toys & Games","id":"THES262248"},{"text":"Games (puzzles & board games)","id":"THES274377"},{"text":"Games","id":"THES48947"}],"styles":[],"collectionCode":{"text":"YVA","id":"THES48593"},"images":[],"imageResolution":"high","galleryLocations":[{"current":{"text":"SR001","id":"THES340938"},"free":"","case":"","shelf":"","box":""}],"partTypes":[[{"text":"Gambling game","id":""}]],"contentWarnings":[{"apprise":"","note":""}],"placesOfOrigin":[{"place":{"text":"Germany","id":"x28873"},"association":{"text":"published","id":"x30682"},"note":""}],"productionDates":[{"date":{"text":"ca. 1850","earliest":"1845-01-01","latest":"1854-12-31"},"association":{"text":"published","id":"x30682"},"note":""}],"associatedObjects":[],"creditLine":"","dimensions":[],"dimensionsNote":"Size: box - 7in x 6 1/8in x 3 1/8in","marksAndInscriptions":[],"objectHistory":"This is an entertaining game originating in Germany and first played in England at the beginning of the 19th century, taking its name from the bell and hammer design.  It is played with 8 dice and a shaker, a mallet and 36 counters for each player.  The best sets in England used ivory parts, however, bone and wooden sets were also produced.\nThe trays were used for the counters.","historicalContext":"No. of Players: any\nEquipment required: 5 cards\ndice and shaker\nhammer\ntrays\nrules sheets, in English, french and german\noriginal box with sliding lid, and a pictorial label showing a family playing the game\n\nRules: Rules:-\n\nAny number of players may join in the game, which is divided into three phases.  Each player has 36 counters and each player to enter Phase One throws all 8 dice.  The player with the highest throw becomes the Auctioneer and calls for 4 counters from each player for the pool./kitty.  He then auctions off the five cards, one at a time, in exchange for counters that are added to the pool.  A player without a card cannot participate in the round and if he is unlucky enough to be out for two successive rounds, he remaining counters are added to the pool.\nThe Auctioneer bangs his hammer on the table and begins the second phase.  Each playe throws the dice in turn.  If the dice are blanks, the players pay one counter to the owner of the white horse.  If the bell, or hammer, or both bell and hammer appear with the other dice remaining blanks , the owners of these cards pay one counter to the owner of the white horse.  If the bell, or  hammer, or both appear with one or more numbers on the dice, the Auctioneer pays the sum of the numbers in counters from the pool to the owner of the corresponding card or cards.  If only blanks and numbers are thrown, the Auctioneer pas the sum of numbers thrown to that player.  If a player throws a sum of numbers equal to the counters in the pool the game ends; but if a larger number is thrown, the player pays the difference to the holder of the inn, known as Mine Host.  Mine Host opens the inn and phase three begins.\nIf a player throws all blank dice, the owner of the white horse pays one counter to Mine Host.  If the bell or hammer or both are thrown, the other dice being blank, the owners of these cards pay one counter to Mine Host.  If a number is thrown with the bell, or hammer or both, the owners of these cartds pay Mine Host, the difference between the number thrown and the counters remaining in the pool.  The corresponding number of counters are won from the pool if a player throws a number less than the counters in the pool.  He wins the round by throwing the same number as there are counters in the pool, adding them to his store.  The winner of one round is the auctioneer of the next. \nThe game ends when one player holds all the counters.\n\n*There are 8 dice, each with 5 plain or unmarked sides.  Six of the dice are numbered between 1 and 6 and of the remaining two, one shows a bell and the other a hammer.","briefDescription":"Gambling game of Bell and Hammer produced in Germany about 1850","bibliographicReferences":[],"production":"","productionType":{"text":"","id":""},"contentDescription":"","contentPlaces":[],"associatedPlaces":[],"contentPerson":[],"associatedPerson":[],"contentOrganisations":[],"associatedOrganisations":[],"contentPeople":[],"associatedPeople":[],"contentEvents":[],"associatedEvents":[],"contentOthers":[],"contentConcepts":[],"contentLiteraryRefs":[],"galleryLabels":[],"partNumbers":["E.1798-1954"],"accessionNumberNum":"1798","accessionNumberPrefix":"E","accessionYear":1954,"otherNumbers":[],"copyNumber":"","aspects":["WHOLE"],"assets":[],"recordModificationDate":"2026-03-28","recordCreationDate":"2000-03-05","availableToBook":false}}