[Vella Gonzaga]

Knucklebones​

Remember those lazy Sundays waiting for the lamb roast to finish cooking? For us kids, it meant we could finally get our hands on those precious knucklebones from the Sunday hogget and play some Jacks! We’d colour them with anything we could find, from ink to food dye, and ensure we had a complete set of five before we started. But then came the 1950s, and with it, the rise of mass-produced plastic knucklebones. Sure, they were durable and easy to come by, but they just couldn’t compete with the real deal. There was something magical about the feel of those bones in your hand and the sound they made when they clicked together that plastic could never replicate. Do you have any fond memories of playing Knucklebones or Jacks?

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Credits: Museum Victoria Collection

 

[Leonard Hall]

Such a shame that an animal had to die to make these things, anyway we bought ours in the 40's and they were called 'GOBS' and made from clay.

 

[VicRaws]

I remember playing jacks with my sister
and also we used to play jacks at lunchtime at school what great memories

 

[Joyem]

I have a set of plastic ones I used to play with and I think I still have them in the cupboard somewhere.

 

[leslie_may]

Knucklebones​

Remember those lazy Sundays waiting for the lamb roast to finish cooking? For us kids, it meant we could finally get our hands on those precious knucklebones from the Sunday hogget and play some Jacks! We’d colour them with anything we could find, from ink to food dye, and ensure we had a complete set of five before we started. But then came the 1950s, and with it, the rise of mass-produced plastic knucklebones. Sure, they were durable and easy to come by, but they just couldn’t compete with the real deal. There was something magical about the feel of those bones in your hand and the sound they made when they clicked together that plastic could never replicate. Do you have any fond memories of playing Knucklebones or Jacks?

​

View attachment 18523

Credits: Museum Victoria Collection

After we collected the bones, we needed to put them on an ants nest so they would clean off all the gristle. that made them easier to paint.

 

[starrysnan]

I remember playing with the metal jacks at school during lunch. Was a great game -lots of fun. (Batteries not required - always a bonus!)