John Melvin Farmer

The New Airway Map [WITH] Farmer's Electric Maps: A Game of Tokens

Washington, DC: J.M. Farmer, 1935. Very Good. Item #26264

Washington, DC: J.M. Farmer, 1935 & 1941. Set of two map games patented by John Melvin Farmer (1900-1993), the earlier "New Airway Map" possibly a prototype of the more finished product, "Farmer Electric Maps." Contents as follows:

1. "New Airway Map." Copyright 1935. Large lithographed map of the United States with inset world map mounted to metal and wooden board (68x45x3cm.), three wired circuits linked to National Parks, capital cities, and major (non-capital) cities. Map rather dust-soiled and a bit scuffed at extremities. Electronics defunct, though possibly could be revived by a canny engineer.

2. "Farmer Electric Maps: A Game of Tokens" complete board game set. Copyright 1941. Contents are comprised of lidded box (46x28x5cm.) with mounted color pictorial element to lid, circuit board, and twenty-three loose color pictorial plates and maps (26x41.5cm apiece) with accompanying chemise on which are printed the rules of the game. Also includes a smaller lidded box (8x8x1.5cm.) which serves as a spinner and holds a couple dozen colored tokens. Light wear to box, else Very Good and sound.

The "Farmer Electronic Map" proved to be a popular educational game not dissimilar to "Operation," the player tasked with locating cities, constellations, fish, or birds on an electric circuit board within a certain number of tries. A small accompanying archive of material regarding Farmer's patent assignments notes that he first copyrighted his "Airway" map in 1935, though we find no other examples, whereas the Farmer Electronic Map appears to have experienced some commercial success and copies are easily obtainable today. Gathering from the oversized and heavy nature of the materials used for the "Airway" map, it is safe to assume this was a prototype.

Price: $750.00