Spectacular Vintage Showground Target Gameboard

With Double Target and Original Script
Painted Wood and Wire

England c. 1930

36” high x 72” wide x 1” deep

Provenance: Clacton on Sea Showground, Essex

This classic and colourful Fairground Sideshow Double Target Games Board is a fine work from the vernacular tradition of Fairground Folk Art. Of generous scale and decorated in a bright fresh palette, the flamboyant hand painted, airbrushed and sign written decoration was created to excite interest and seduce the custom of paying competitors. The circular targets are segmented by wire divisions and are painted onto solid timber boards, joined to create a single large panel. This example was reputedly originally made and used at the Fairground at Clacton on Sea, Essex and had been kept in storage, by the original Fairground family owners since the 1940s. As with all fairground attractions they were regularly refreshed and decorated to keep them colourful and attractive and this example was professionally re-decorated by the specialist painters Duffield’s of Colchester, prior to being put into winter storage, many years ago, since when they have never been re-used, possibly because of the intervening years of the second World War. It is wonderful to find an example in such impeccable professionally restored condition, as it was intended for use. A spectacular example of British Fairground Folk Art on a large scale, to be exhibited at Masterpiece London 2015.