Campbell's soup is a common consumer product in North America and Europe, however, there is no information about distribution of this game. Although purchased by the Museum from an antique dealer in 1981, it is not known if this tablegame was sold or given away without charge by the Campbell Soup Company, and for which period of time. The game was produced by Mixer Industries in New York City and has the serial number of 1210.
The "can" looks like a typical can of Campbell Soup, but is made of cardboard. It is 17.5cm high with a diameter of 13cm. The bottom and top of the can is made of tin. The top (13.5cm diameter x 2cm high) screws onto the can.
The paper covering on the can identifies the game. The other side of the label includes instructions for play of the game with production information. The printing and coloring is typical of a standard can of Campbell's soup, including cartoons of "The Campbell Soup Kids".
Inside of the can is a tapered yellow plastic bowl 11.5cm diameter x 5.5cm high, and 4 white deep bowl plastic spoons 14.5cm long x 4.5cm wide at the bowl of the spoon. A plastic bag in the can holds 89 English language letters of the alphabet. Each letter (fabricated from a red colored plastic) is 2.5cm high and varies from .5cm to 2cm wide. The letters are flat on one side and rounded on the other. Because the game had been used when acquired by the Museum, it is not known if a new game would include more than 89 letters, or what was the original letter distribution.
This word game is for 2 to 4 players. The letters are placed in the can; the can is covered; and then is shook to mix up the letters. The letters are then "poured" into the yellow bowl. During a "round" each player is give an opportunity to "dip" a spoon into the bowl and extract a spoonful of letters. The intent is for each person to make words out of the letters they have extracted from the bowl. Letters are laid out on the table to make words. A point is given for each letter used. Play is repeated for a series of rounds until all the letters have been extracted from the bowl. The player who uses most of the letters they have extracted and has accumulated the most points, wins the game.
A viewer of this Webpage reported that an earlier version of this game was manufactured by Warren Industries in 1979, indicating that the source for this additional information can be found at http://www.gtoal.com/wordgames/index.html, Number 80.
Last update March 25, 2010