Deck, Card

Production date
Circa 1950s
Description
A deck of Four Square Happy Families cards in the original cardboard box. The deck contains 48 cards each with an individual name of Mrs, Mr, Master and Miss and then a family name. The are twelve different families in the pack. They are Nugget, Creamoata, Luncha, Gregg, Betta, Biscottes, Jojo, Bliss, Crest, Four Square, Rawakelle and Ipana. Instructions how to play the game are on the back of the pack.
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Object detail

Production date
Circa 1950s
Production place
Credit line
Not content with being New Zealand’s largest grocery chain during the 1950s Four Square also established one of the country’s most enduring brands.This Happy Families card game was part of a raft of marketing initiatives designed to cement “Mr Four Square” in the minds of shoppers. The image of the jaunty grocer with the pencil behind his ear quickly spread nationwide and he is centre stage in this card game.Some popular brands of the time accompany him on the cards which show domestic bliss dominated by grocery consumption. Wives are pictured happily cleaning or cooking while the husbands ply their trades, drink coffee and chop firewood. Most of the children can still find time to play but it looks like many will follow in their parent’s footsteps.
Accession number
TM1998.52
Collection type
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Public comments

My partner has his Nana's set of these cards which he and his siblings also played with.

- Charissa posted one year ago.

Is this deck for sale?

- Natalia Ashdowne posted 3 years ago.

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