The former Games reunited
Vintage Games Reunited: The elegance of board games from the Belle Époque
The "Jeux Réunis" or "Jeux nouveaux réunis" game sets, which appeared from the late 19th century until the late 1930s, represent a true distillation of the art of French games. A far cry from the standardized game sets of the goose, horses, or lotto type that emerged in later decades, these older sets offered a refined selection of skill games , patience games , mechanical puzzles , and strategy games .
The principle was simple: to bring together in a single box several small boxed board games , each carefully illustrated and published separately, to provide hours of family or intellectual entertainment. These sets were very popular as gifts, especially during the holiday season, and offered a real diversity of graphics and gameplay.
Key publishers: JJF, MD Paris
Among the iconic publishers of the Belle Époque, two names regularly appear on old game boxes: MD Paris and JJF Paris . Behind the initials MD , we find Lucien Mauclair , a former employee of Watilliaux, who founded his own company in 1887 before partnering with Maurice Dacier . Together, they created the Mauclair-Dacier company, established in 1891 at 3 rue des Haudriettes in Paris.
In 1904, Mauclair-Dacier was acquired by the JJF ( Jeux et Jouets Français ) company , which continued manufacturing games within the JJF group. The company—sometimes identified as Jules Jacques Frédéric, although this identification remains uncertain—became one of the most active publishers from the 1900s to the 1930s, until its demise towards the end of that period. It is not uncommon to find games where both brands coexist , one on the box, the other on the rules, a sign of close collaboration between manufacturer and publisher within the same network.
The signatures SC or NK are also sometimes found, likely belonging to other publishers or distributors from the same period. While less well-documented, these acronyms appear on games of comparable quality and could designate commercial entities associated with the distribution of games subcontracted to other printers.
The productions from these houses are distinguished by the richness of the printing, the finesse of the lithographed illustrations and a form of visual poetry typical of the Belle Époque.
Ancient games combining skill, strategy and ingenuity
These old boxes, known as "Games Together", brought together a wide range of games designed to stimulate both the mind and the skill .
They were designed to offer a complete and varied gaming experience, capable of entertaining the whole family. These included:
— patience games , in the form of puzzles or marble runs,
— games of skill , requiring fine motor skills or hand-eye coordination,
— strategy or observation games , sometimes designed for two or more players,
— educational or instructional games , incorporating questions and answers, riddles, or fun general knowledge tests,
— and sometimes even narrative or symbolic games , which invited the imagination through miniature universes, scenes inspired by the circus, the city or the animal world.
This wealth of content, carefully illustrated and made of lithographed cardboard, made Jeux Réunis a prized gift for New Year's or children's parties. It features a multitude of themes such as:
- The Circus and the Clowns
- Animals
Vintage games to collect and pass down
In addition to their heritage and graphic value, these period games are true witnesses to the evolution of play-based learning. The care taken with the materials (paper, embossed cardboard, polychrome printing), the artisanal-industrial nature of their production, and the richness of the themes addressed make them sought-after collector's items for enthusiasts of antique games , 19th-century toys , or French playful curiosities .
You will find a selection of these games published around 1900 on our online flea market in the Antique Games section, with detailed descriptions and several photos.
If you are looking for a Jeux Réunis set from before 1920 , or an old illustrated game box signed JJF, MD or SC Paris, feel free to browse our selection or contact us for more information.