Tuesday, December 6, 2016

First Edition Woodgrain OD&D boxed set

If folks want to take a look at a First printing OD&D Woodgrain Box there is a ebay sale going on with detailed pictures.

Has a interesting back story to go along with it.

This set is in Very Fine condition with one small stain on the front label and very minor scuffing on the corners of the box. Note that the Reference Sheets are not stapled, but loose sheets folded together. This was the original condition.
It was acquired by the present owner in an interesting way.
In 1974 I worked in a project offering supplemental educational materials to four school districts in Northwestern Wisconsin. I met Bill, an elementary school librarian, who was very excited about working with his students using role playing games. He had a friend in Minneapolis whom he had met through their shared interest in war gaming. This friend, “Lance,” was involved with creating a new project, a fantasy-style wargame in a box that could be played by anyone.
My librarian friend was working with a sixth-grade class to create a book based on playing the game. Included in this set is a copy of the booklet that his students created using the game.
Bill also used a 20-sided die that he had hand-colored to differentiate scoring. Adding to the charm of this set, the die is included, as is a hand-written note from Bill, the librarian, explaining the use of the die. He added that there was currently a shortage of these dice, but they were available in England. He was going to England for a vacation, and would be bringing some back with him.
I hope the new owner of this game enjoys owning this piece of gaming history.
Please do not hesitate to contact me with questions. I will try to reply to all inquiries within 24 hours.

The seller appears legit and is answering questions on the Acaeum Forum[/URL].

3 comments:

  1. 'Bill' is Bill Hoyt; 'Lance' is Dave Arneson, as in his middle name. Bill is still active in gaming, too.

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  2. Hey Chirine, how did the bidders know that? I knew Lance was Arneson's middle name, but still did not link it...

    Rick

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  3. Chirine, thanks for the info identifying Bill Hoyt. This led me to discover that the students' booklet included in the auction was amentioned in the Strategic Review (precursor to Dragon magazine). Issue #3, Fall 1975, in the column Mapping the Dungeons, which is uncredited but probably by Gary Gygax, who was the editor:

    "John Bobek and Bill Hoyt have used D&D as a teaching aid in grade school classes. Bill has a great little book of accounts of adventures and illustrations of monsters prepared by his 6th graders. Wish I’d have had such luck as a child..."

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