AP Games (Arthur Popper)
Organization Name
AP Games (Arthur Popper)Organization Type
Backgammon BrandOrganization Description
By 1930 Arthur Popper was a New York wholesale supplier of gaming equipment such as dice, playing cards, poker chips and punch boards. At some point in the early 1930's, he turned his attention to backgammon, and in 1934 filed a successful patent application for a folding travel set with built-in compartments for the playing pieces. Popper sets produced after the patent was granted in August 1935 typically bear an inked patent stamp on one of the side bumpers. by the 1940's it appears many makers were incorporating Popper's design, so unless they were infringing on the patent, it is to be supposed that Popper enjoyed a lucrative licensing business for his innovation. The patent expired in 1952. At some point in the 1930's, Popper began branding his equipment with his 'AP Games' logo. Oddly, the mark never appears on his backgammon sets themselves, but did appear on instructional materials included with his boards: reprints of the 1930 J.S. Ogilvie 'How to Play Modern Backgammon' booklet, and later softback editions of Walter L. Richard's 1931 book 'Complete Backgammon.' Inclusion of these AP -branded materials in sets that appear to have survived with original implements can be encourage identification of original Popper sets. Sets lacking built-in checker trays but with game pieces, hardware or booklets suggesting an AP Games identity may be earlier, pre-patent Popper sets, but no single element definitively identifies a Popper set, as other makers appear to have sourced the same hardware, and may have been aping Popper's style. But it is also possible Popper copied styles of some earlier board makers himself. Pattberg, Rottgames, and John Samuels are other early board vendors, with major names like Lowe, and Drueke seeming to have gotten into the game in the 1940's.General Location
New York CityDates of Operation
In Operation From/To
circa 1929 - circa 1950Web Links
Arthur Popper patent
The AP Games logo appears on many of their products and instruction books -- but not, unfortunately, on their backgammon sets.
