Hee Trading Co
Hee Trading Co., Malaysia, manufacture board games, jig-saw puzzles, chess sets, games compendiums as well as card games such as Happy Families, Donkey and Snap.

Ooi Yan Hee trading as Hee Trading Co., 4 & 6 Medan Mak Mandin, Taman Sukaria, Butterworth, Pulau Pinang, 13400, Malaysia, manufactures board games (Monopoly, Millionaire, Billionaire), jig-saw puzzles, chess sets, games compendiums as well as card games such as Happy Families, Old Maid, Donkey and Snap. They are also listed in Malayan Business directories under "Wood Processing Equipment Suppliers" and under "Wood, Bamboo, Rattan & Straw Product". These cards have also been used in Singapore for about 50 years and have become naturalised there.
Happy Family
There are 9 families, the families surnames are: Stone, Tack, Dauber, Bun, Bone, Weeder, Plod, Fillet and Dose. We can see that Dickie Dose is studying to become a Doctor, like his father, whilst Daisy Dose is giving her teddy bear an injection.

Above: Happy Families designed and created by Ooi Yan Hee, manufactured by Hee Trading Co., Malaysia, 1984. The family names are in the correct tradition where the first names of the family members commence with the same letter as the surnames, e.g. Freddy Fillet, Wendy Weeder, etc. However, the translations are far more sober than their English names. The Plod family are simply called the “Police” family in Chinese. The Dose family is similarly styled the “Doctor” family. The Sons and daughters of the families are named in the English text. The Chinese version does not, they are simply called “So and so’s Son” or “So and so’s daughter”. It also seems that the present “Happy families” deck is a redrawn version of “Happy Families No. 5864” by Tower Press. Images kindly supplied by Anthony Lee.

Old Maid

Above: this ‘Old Maid’ deck appears to be a transitional stage between Tower Press ‘Old Maid’, and the present decks published by Hee Trading. However, this deck is anonymous. Image courtesy Anthony Lee.

Above: Old Maid children's card game designed and created by Ooi Yan Hee, manufactured by Hee Trading Co., Malaysia, 1984. There are 18 subjects, 17 pairs of cartoon cards and a pair of old maids. (I presume that the user is to throw out one of the old maids). The card titles and images appear to have been inspired by Old Maid, no. 5862 published by Tower Press in the late 1950s. The same titles are used but some of the images are slightly different. Images kindly supplied by Anthony Lee. (Click image to zoom)

Donkey

Above: Donkey children's card game designed and created by Ooi Yan Hee, manufactured by Hee Trading Co., Malaysia, 1984. The game is exactly the same as Old Maid, save how the loser is insulted. The structure of the deck is as in Old Maid, save the whimsical scenes are replaced by more bucolic ones see more →
The designs appear to have been inspired by the earlier game published by Tower Press product no.5863 but with some modifications. For example, the Pigs were probably replaced because of religious/cultural sensibilities. Malaysia is a country populated with many Muslims, who consider the animal unholy. Likewise, the milk churns were probably replaced due to unfamiliarity with them in this context. There are 2 donkeys in the deck. I think the maker expected the player to throw one out before play. Images kindly supplied by Anthony Lee.

Snap

Above: Snap children's card game designed and created by Ooi Yan Hee, manufactured by Hee Trading Co., Malaysia, 1984. 36 cards, 9 characters repeated 4 times. The images appear to have been inspired by Old Maid, no. 5732 published by Tower Press in the 1950s. Images kindly supplied by Anthony Lee.
Just last year, Singapore celebrated its 50th Year of independence. Hee’s cards were given out in state-sponsored “Goody packs” for this occasion ( see: Keep SG Funpack postcard for SG50 goodie bag collection►). Hee’s cards were included as part of the “Good old games” that were played back then. Such is the presence of the cards on the Singaporean psyche.
Trending Articles
Popular articles from the past 28 days
Related Articles

Woodblock and Stencil Jack of Hearts
A limited edition art print of the Jack of Hearts 1984 woodblock joker.

Woodblock and Stencil Queen of Clubs
A limited edition art print of the Queen of Clubs 1984 woodblock joker.

Woodblock and Stencil Jack of Clubs
A limited edition art print of the Jack of Clubs 1984 woodblock joker.

Woodblock and Stencil King of Diamonds
A limited edition art print of the King of Diamonds 1984 woodblock joker.

Hoyle v Foster: whose name should we remember?
Hoyle’s name is associated with the rules by which many games are played, particularly card games B...

Hoyle and his Legacy
Edmond Hoyle (1672-1769) was an English writer who made his name by writing on whist and a selection...

Bridge Markers and bridge scoring methods
Bridge Markers and bridge scoring methods 1900-1930

Pinochle
I have always been intrigued by the game Pinochle.

Les 7 Familles Pyrénées
Mountains, flowers, animals, tourist sites of the Pyrenees, all drawn by the artist Pertuzé.

Jeu des 7 Familles Spider-Man
Colourful card game featuring the Marvel Comics superhero Spider-Man and some of his fearsome advers...

Dungeons & Dragons “Curse of Strahd” Tarokka Deck
Enhance your Dungeons & Dragons game with the Tarokka Deck, a tarot-inspired set of cards that bring...

Old Bachelor™
The 90’s version of Old Maid with illustrations by Susan Wise.

Jeu de 7 Familles France 98
Families card game with comic designs featuring seven of the teams competing in the 1998 World Cup. ...

Cleveland Museum of Art artists card game
Cleveland Museum of Art artists card game, USA, c.1993.

Jeu de Familles Les Pierrafeu®
Quartet game featuring The Flintstones and friends.

Souvenir of Singapore, Malaya and Borneo
52 different colour pictures of Singapore, Malaya and Borneo from the early 1960s.

Papst Quartett
A quartet game featuring a selection of popes up to Benedict XVI.

Lecardo
‘Lecardo’ playing cards, dominos & word building game invented by Stanley Kermode, United Kingdom, c...

Pumuckl quartet game
Quartet game featuring the kobold Pumuckl, creation of the German author Ellis Kaut.

Charlie Brown Plays Baseball card game
Peanuts comic strip characters on cards for regular play or a special game based on baseball.

Alternative Happy Families
An updated, 1980s-style “Alternative Happy Families” game.

Detskie
‘Detskie’ children’s cards produced in Russia, 2001.

Politically Incorrect Happy Families
A Happy Families set with many differences from a conventional one.

Malaya 1941-1942: King George VI currency notes
Playing cards featuring King George VI Currency Notes, Malaya 1941-1942.

Waddingtons Nursery Rhymes
Nursery rhyme playing cards by Waddingtons, Leeds, UK, 1975.

Vesalius Anatomy Card Game
Celebrating the work of Andreas Vesalius in the quincentenary year of his birth.

Black Peter
Two Black Peter games by Willy Mayrl published by Ferd Piatnik & Söhne, 1950s.

Sergeant-Major
Sergeant-Major card game devised by W.G.Smith

Pepys Games
The Story of Pepys Games by Rex Pitts

J. W. Spear and Sons
Jacob Wolfe Spear founded his company manufacturing fancy goods in 1879 near Nuremberg in Bavaria, G...

Chad Valley Co. Ltd
Chad Valley Co. Ltd (incorporating Johnson Brothers (Harborne) Ltd, the long-established UK brand bo...

Multum in Parvo Co., Ltd
Multum in Parvo published a range of indoor games during the period from 1884-1927.

Ariel Productions Ltd
The founder of Ariel Productions, Philip Marx, was a prolific publisher of children’s books and comi...

Kum-Bak Sports, Toys & Games
Kum-Bak Sports, Toys & Games MFG Co., Ltd, London S.E.11

Crazy People
Crazy People children’s card game illustrated by caricaturist and graphic artist Walter Trier, c.195...

Andere Zeiten - Andere Kleider
‘History of fashion’ cultural quartet game designed by Erika Werner-Nestler, 1954.

Netherlands Kostuum Kwartet
Dutch costumes quartet game designed by Gerard Huijg, 1983.

Panko
Panko (Votes for Women) suffragette card game published by Peter Gurney Ltd, c.1912.

Snap
Anonymous Snap game, 1930s.

Nederlands Stedenkwartet
Nederlands Stedenkwartet with heraldic needlepoint patterns by Permin, c.1970.

Lion Coffee
Lion Coffee Mother Goose card game, late 19th C.

Panto People
Panto People published by E. S. & A. Robinson, c.1930s.

Hats-Off!
Hats-Off! miniature card game published by E. S. & A. Robinson, c.1930s.

Zoo-Boots
Zoo-Boots published by E. S. & A. Robinson, c.1930s.