/ The Vibe /
Let the Games Begin
A successful board-gaming session at home requires great food and drinks for you and your guests.
Written and photographed by Robert Maurer
VINTAGE LIBRARY-STYLE GAMES SUCH AS THESE FROM 3M OFFER A CONDENSED, SPACE-SAVING APPROACH TO COL-LECTING … WITHOUT SACRIFICING ANY OF THE FUN.
AS THE HOLIDAYS PASS AND WINTER MONTHS COAST BY, the time is right for relaxing indoors. Some of my favorite pastimes during this time of year are casual gatherings for board game nights, snacking and cocktail-making.
Of course, a setup of this nature is deserving of cozy vintage style. In this issue, we celebrate mid-century design in its many inspiring forms—from games to glassware and everything in between.
So, kick off the new year with a few friends, fantastic finds and these inviting vintage vibes.
Inside and Out
Collecting board games has been a hobby of mine since I was 12 years old. What started as an obsession with various Monopoly sets evolved into acquiring library-style games, chess sets and beyond. While the contents of a game and how it plays are of great importance, it’s often the packaging design and graphics that have drawn me in.
Some of my favorite games were produced by the 3M Corporation between 1970 and 1971. One of them, a set of nine “gamettes,” features modernist artwork comprising simple shapes, sharp-serifed fonts and vibrant vintage colors. Inside the box of each game is a smart construction of pieces and parts ranging from metal pawns, illustrative cards, dice and even integrated hourglass stands. When I first discovered these games, I was surprised they were produced by 3M but, after examining all the details, it’s no wonder brilliant engineering and designing minds were behind them.