Item #6371 Little Orphan Annie’s Treasure Hunt [cover title]. “Here’s Health.” The Ovaltine Way to the Treasure Isle of Health and Happiness.
Little Orphan Annie’s Treasure Hunt [cover title]. “Here’s Health.” The Ovaltine Way to the Treasure Isle of Health and Happiness.
Little Orphan Annie’s Treasure Hunt [cover title]. “Here’s Health.” The Ovaltine Way to the Treasure Isle of Health and Happiness.

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Little Orphan Annie’s Treasure Hunt [cover title]. “Here’s Health.” The Ovaltine Way to the Treasure Isle of Health and Happiness.

Villa Park, Illinois: The Wander Company, 1933. Folding color process board game, 11” x 16”. Ownership inscription of former owner in cartouche, reading “Harriet[?] Stoddard.”.

A delightful Depression-era board game in the form of a treasure hunt map promoting the Little Orphan Annie radio show and the flavored milk supplement Ovaltine.

This fantasy map depicts nine islands, various lands and rocks, vessels, hazards, and a multi-colored course snaking across the map. The players (between one and four) start at the bottom-left on a shore and spin the arrow on the spinner located there to make their way to the Treasure Isle, where Little Orphan Annie awaits those with a treasure chest full of beaming “Health and Happiness.” Along the way to Annie’s Treasure Isle, various other locales, where players can become waylaid, bear names such as Sissies of Cry Baby Land, Land of Lost Appetites, Rocks of Bad Temper, Sent Away From Table Isle, and so on—all of these place-names playfully riffing on childhood health, nutrition, and bad behavior. A number of directives appear in the border, reading “Listen to Orphan Annie’s Adventures Every Night *** Don’t Use Slang * Don’t Talk Back * Wash Your Hands and Face * Drink Ovaltine and help Keep Orphan Annie on the Radio *** Ovaltine Tastes as Good as a Chocolate Soda *** Be Like Orphan Annie Drink Your Ovaltine Every Day.” The cartouche, in the form of an open scroll, consists of an illustration of Annie above Annie’s account of the way to health and happiness. Directions appear on the verso and conclude: “So now start in—remember this is Orphan Annie’s very own Treasure Hunt, and, like Orphan Annie, you can always win the treasure by drinking Ovaltine!” The game evidently came with pieces in the form of boats, which are mentioned in the directions but not present here

Originating in Switzerland, Ovaltine was exported to England in 1909 and from there to the U.S. By 1915, Ovaltine was being manufactured in Illinois for the American market. The U.S. children's radio series Little Orphan Annie ran from 1931 to 1942, and for a period was sponsored by Ovaltine. Childhood fascination with Orphan Annie and Ovaltine was immortalized in the beloved movie A Christmas Story (1983).

OCLC records just two copies.

CONDITION: Light damp-staining to covers; map good, light creasing, rippling and wear at margins.

Item #6371

Price: $375.00

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