Drueke Games
Organization Name
Drueke GamesOrganization Type
Backgammon BrandOrganization Description
William F. Drueke founded his company in 1914, stepping into the breach to supply hand-turned chess pieces to Marshall Fields in Chicago when the supply of game pieces from Europe ceased owing to the outbreak of World War I. The company prided itself on the use of fine walnut, maple and aspen in their products -- and that legacy would carry on in the notably solid backgammon sets that would come later. Drueke began using Catalin to make chess pieces and dominoes as early as 1935, and there are mentions online of a 1939 catalogue listing items made of "Tenite plastic." Chess and cribbage were Drueke's cash cows. The earliest concrete evidence of a Drueke backgammon offering is their 1948 catalogue -- it would certainly be interesting to see their full 1939 listings.General Location
Grand Rapids, Michigan
The Drueke factory in Grand Rapids, Michigan. Date unknown.