Preliminary identification
Photo reference
1 uploaded photo
Overview
A mid-century 'Deluxe' Bingo set featuring innovative shutter-style cards and an 'automatic shaker box' for number selection. This set represents the transition from simple paper games to more durable, mechanical home entertainment during the post-war board game boom.
Story
Bingo was once a carnival game called 'Beano' until a player accidentally shouted the wrong name in 1929. By the 1940s, Chicago companies like Regal turned it into a high-tech home experience with these clever sliding shutters.
Maker / Origin
Regal Manufacturing Co. was part of Chicago's thriving mid-century toy and game industry, located on Irving Park Road. They specialized in 'Finger-Tip' technology, aiming to eliminate the mess of loose markers and corn kernels that typically cluttered game night.
Condition & Value
The box shows some edge wear and tape marks, but the colors remain vibrant. The shutter cards appear clean and functional, which is vital as these mechanisms often jam over time. The presence of the original box significantly helps the value. Value is driven by the completeness of the set and the condition of the graphic box.
Full Research
Sold comps, value drivers, and venue guidance pulled from recent auction results.
Build on this identification
Layer in sold comps, value drivers, and venue guidance.
Comparable demand stays strongest where maker, originality, and venue confidence line up. Broader examples still trade, but the range tightens quickly when provenance, condition, or selling lane fit is missing.
Best Venue
Specialty auction or a focused dealer with buyers already in this lane.
Signed example with light edge wear and original frame.
Comparable format with stronger provenance and cleaner surface.
Smaller related piece with visible craquelure and trimmed margins.
Period match with softer condition and weaker subject matter.
Close market lane comp with similar material and presentation.