WWI patriotic dexterity game - 'The Silver Bullet or the Road to Berlin'

« Prev Item Next Item »

R Farmer & Sons

1914

Overview

WWI era framed and glazed patriotic pitfall dexterity puzzle entitled 'The Silver Bullet or the Road to Berlin'.
It requires the player to manipulate a steel ball bearing around a recessed playing course, avoiding the strategically placed holes. To win, the ball must reach Berlin without dropping into any holes en route.
There are two playing surfaces. The lower level is made from buff-coloured card, the only printing on which is 'To Berlin' with an arrow at the start.
The upper playing board is made from thin plywood, onto which is pasted green printed paper featuring various obstacles and cities placed to coincide with each hole. There are also numbers in circles adjacent to each hole.

The reverse of the game is plain timber, but it is possible to see where the rules of the game were previously adhered.

Historical information

This First World War pitfall dexterity game required the player to carefully move a small ball through the various physical obstacles (entrenchments, bridge destroyed, road mined) and cities (Cologne, Leipzig, Dresden, Magdeburg, Hanover, Spandau and Potsdam).

Although the rules have been lost from this particular game, the numbers next to each hole indicate the number of troops lost, from an initial number of 500, should the ball fall into that hole.

The maker, R Farmer & Sons went on to release a similar propaganda game called 'Trench Football'.

Details

Registration number

cwa-org-119-RoW00064

Item type

Themes

Leisure > Games
War and Conflict
War and Conflict > World War 1

Material