1940's Spark-O-Matic ~
Action Horse Race
Printed envelope of 4 perfect ones and one stuck to the envelope ~ 5 Total
Exciting Action game commonly found
in Taverns, Pool Halls, Cigar Stores, etc. Early 1940's
(note the Buy U.S. War Bonds seal). Red & Blue printing on special white paper with 6 invisible treated "Horse Track" traces that will smolder and sputter, following the trace. One of the famous "Spark-O" games.
It's a 3 ½ inch by 8 ½ inch, thin paper that is specially treated like flash paper.
You touch a lighted cigarette to the starting star, and off they go!! 6
individual traces burn, smolder and sputter their way zig zaging up the race
course, leaving a distinct black trail behind them. It's Exciting!
Sometimes they almost go out and
rekindle to sputter a little farther. It takes 10 to 25 seconds for the first
one to reach the finish line! If you look closely at the paper you will see the individual trails the horses will run. Fairly straight for the
first 2 lengths, but the last 2 lengths it's anyone's race as they meander back
and forth in their lane following the treated trace on the paper. The patrons would
take bets, with the looser buying the next round, or in the case of a single
player the proprietor would give a free beer or cigar or game of pool if the
customer predicted the correct winning horse! Each Race has a different
Outcome!
We had a loose stack of 2 dozen single sheets of these horse races. (No Envelopes) about 10 years ago and they sold out at $10.00 each.
They come 5 sheets in an envelope. Someone tucked the envelope flap in and the back horse race paper stuck to the gum on the envelope sometime since the 1940's, but the front 4 of them are in perfect condition, and if you are clever & real careful, you can remove the one stuck to the envelope gum. The envelope is printed on the front with the horse race. Each Race has a different outcome! You're are getting 4 good ones in perfect condition. You also get the original envelope. Someone tucked in the gummed flap on the envelope and it stuck to the back race, so you also get a 5th race that is stuck to the envelope. Figure a clever way to remove it and you have 5 total. We hermetically seal it, wrap it carefully on cardboard and send it First Class Mail USPS.
You get the original envelope, 4 perfect races and one stuck to the flap of the envelope. $7.85
RARE SURVIVORS
860