THE IMPROVED GAME OF FISH POND.

game cover

rules

On cover: "PATENTED JANUARY 28[th 1890]".

McLoughlin Bro's

(no catalog number shown on game)

[none]

«THE
IMPROVED
GAME
OF

FISH
POND.»

McLOUGHLIN BRO'S, NEW-YORK.

PATENTED JANUARY 28[th 1890]

boy (blue shirt, brown pants), girl (orange collar), boy (blue and red cap); girl (mouth closed, red/yellow fringe at bottom of dress) in hats fishing at center with trees in background; "POND" in title is tilted to the righ.

The cover of The Improved Game of Fish Pond (G-35121) by McLoughlin Bros. is similar but not identical, plus the box of (G-35121) is wider and taller.

fish, fishing, fishing rod, pond

printed under box lid

NEW AND IMPROVED FISH POND GAME.

TWO PERSONS CAN PLAY.

[..]

536½

PATENTED JANUARY 28, 1890.

cardboard box

17 ⅛ inches wide — 4 ⅛ inches high — 1 ⅜ inches deep

54.3 cm wide — 13 cm high — 4.1 cm deep

Label with yellow outer border, then red line.

At left, in black: "THE" (with zigzag arising out of the "H"), above "IMPROVED" (with zigzags arising out of the "V" and "D"), above "GAME" (with zigzags descending out of the "A" and E"), above "OF".

At lower left, in black: "McLOUGHLIN BRO'S, NEW YO[RK.]".

At right: "FISH" (gold, with black line then teal outline then black shadow, all in slightly curvy font), above "POND." (gold with red shadow, formed from sticks, appearing tilted to the right).

At lower right, in black: "PATENTED JANUARY 28[th 1890]".

Illustration has pond at left, back center, and right, with a waterfall at left under "ED" in "IMPROVED". Land at center has green grass throughout. Boy (blue shirt, brown knickers pants, red socks, tan hat) is facing away to left and holding a fishing pole up with his right hand. To right, girl (pink dress with blue stripes and white, red/white hat, brown hair, and orange collar) is facing right though holding fishing reel to left. A tan pail is to her right. To her right, a boy (medium brown shirt and pants, blue belt, blue cap with red stripe, blue shoulders) is kneeling on the ground, looking right and holding a blue pail. To his right, a girl (red blouse, blue skirt, yellow and red lower fringe to the skirt, yellow and red hat) is facing right and holding a fishing reel with both hands. Two spindly shrubs appear left of center. Prominent tree trunks appear in background behind water.

red, empty

Red with no design.

offwhite, empty

2 natural wooden fishing rods (one 16 3/8"long and the other 15 7/8" long) each have a long red string with a metal hook attached to the end.

Built-up target is in bottom of box, with 7 slots (1" wide) across top, 8 slots across middle, and 7 slots across bottom. Player is to use fishing rod to navigate each fish into a slot. Target depicts flowers and water lilies at left center and a yellow area at upper left. At top left-of-center is "PATENTED JANUARY 28TH 1890."

Thick cardboard fish (approximately 2 1/2" long and 3/4" wideat maximum) each have a hole for a hook, the breed of fish on one side and a number on the other side (the same for each of a breed):

Carp (marked 9) - quantity 1
Bass (marked 12) - quantity 2
Mackerel (marked 15) - quantity 3
Codfish (marked 24) - quantity 1
Haddock (marked 27) - quantity 2
Blackfish (marked 30) - quantity 1
Herring (marked 33) - quantity 3
Salmon (marked 36) - quantity 1
Weakfish (marked 39) - quantity 2
Tarpon (marked 42) - quantity 3
Pickerel (marked 45) - quantity 2

Some of the fish are missing their tails.

Rick Tucker