1976 Ideal "The Sinking of The Titanic Game" with Original Box
Here's good ole' commercialism at its best; "The Sinking of The Titanic Game" by Ideal. Nine years before the remains of the actual ship were discovered the folks at Ideal thought that it might be kind of neat to base a board game on the loss of more than 1500 people. 35 years after it was introduced this toy is such an oddity that it's become sought after by both game and Titanic collectors. The contents of this example are still factory sealed while the nightmarish box is in excellent+ condition. And how do you base a game on a sinking luxury liner.... that's easy. Just show a 2-dimensional representation of the actual ship as it slowly sinks beneath the icy North Atlantic. Players (survivors) try to stay alive by acquiring food crates, water barrels, and their own private Steward, while the cardboard ship slips beneath the cardboard waves. Luckily the passengers are rescued by a cardboard Rescue Ship from "violent storms, cannibals, the cruel sea, and each other". Those are Ideal's words, not mine. Overall a fairly macabre setting for a kids game. The contents, and there's a lot of them, are still factory sealed in their box insert. Plastic components still attached to original sprue's, and card packs remain stacked and unopened. Of course the box cover illustration is a real eye-grabber. To begin with it's huge measuring 20" across and looks like an actual painting was used. In the foreground; a Titanic lifeboat loaded with passengers struggling as they plow through an angry sea (and picking up another unfortunate victim). In the background; the sinking liner with raised keel is already partially submerged while the remaining lifeboats are lowered. And the extreme background; Just in time..The Rescue Ship. Just like real history. Size: 20" x 12" x 1¾". Sold: Aug. 2011
Price Sold: $ 26
