Hidden within the volumes of paper documentation at the IMRRC you occasionally stumble upon “finds” of another nature. This can turn serious research into fun and games. One such discovery is the Auto Race Spe-Dem board game, produced under the “All-Fair Toys and Games” brand by Alderman, Fairchild Co. of Rochester, NY. The All-Fair brand was established in 1922, and Auto Race Spe-Dem was one of, if not the first of, their creations. Patent 1,413,481 was granted to Louis La Borie of Rochester, NY on April 18, 1922.
The board has a six lane track colored Blue (Buick), Yellow (Ford), Green (Paige), Red (Maxwell), White (Dodge), and Black (Saxon) with 16 spaces from start to finish and graphics printed on the “infield” of the track. The seventh space has a blowout hazard that causes any car landing on it to lose the next throw and not advance no matter what is rolled. The twelfth space has an accident hazard that sends the car back to the start line. There are six cubes and each of the six faces has the first letter of a car manufacturer. All six cubes are rolled each turn and the cars advance one space for each of the cubes showing its letter, first car to the finish line wins. The board has Auto printed in the upper left corner, Race in the upper right corner, and has the manufacturer’s name and patent information printed on it. The board is approximately 17” x 17.5” when open. There are six cast race cars, one of each color with the respective manufacturers name cast on the top of the rear curved portion of the body. Cars are approximately 1.75” long by 0.5” wide by 0.625” tall.
Over the years the board was modified slightly. One of those modifications replaced the Saxon with a Stutz. Initially one might think this was done to ensure current model vehicles were represented, as Saxon ceased manufacturing in 1924. But, this theory does not explain why Maxwell remained on the board well after it ceased production in 1925.
Spe-Dem was very popular, the 1928 All Fair catalog states that Spe-Dem Auto Race No. 355, “…is still our best seller.” The 1930, 1931, and 1932 catalogs also state that Spe-Dem “…is still one of our best sellers.”
Based on this popularity, a Junior Auto Race version was created for those as young as 3 years of age. The track was reduced to four lanes and a spinner was placed in the “infield” replacing the cubes in original game. It is unclear when the Junior version was introduced but it did appear in the 1928, 1930, 1931, and 1932 All-Fair catalogs.
Time to set aside the laptop, gather up five fellow racers and roll’em.