Hermance Edan
French designer and publisher of L'Attaque, predecessor to Stratego.
Hermance Edan (21 December 1851 – 2 May 1934) was a French board game designer and publisher. She worked in the field from 1908 until her death, and is remembered chiefly for inventing and patenting *L’Attaque*, a popular game that later served as the basis for Stratego.
Edan was born in Paris to Antoine-Victor Edan, a schoolmaster from Picardy, and his second wife, Louise Cécile Gosse. Through her mother she was the grand-niece of painter Nicolas Gosse; through her father, the niece of diplomat Benoît Edan, France’s first consul in Shanghai. Nothing is recorded about her childhood, education, or life before 1908, when she filed a French patent for a “battle game with mobile pieces on a gameboard.” The patent was granted the next year. In November 1909 she also applied for a British patent for *L’Attaque*. That same year she exhibited two games—*L’Attaque* and *Vite Au But*—at the Concours Lépine, a competition for inventors.
Edan went on to become a professional game creator and publisher, selling her products to department stores through wholesalers. By 1912 she was in business with her brother-in-law, whom she married in 1915 after the death of his wife (Edan’s sister Nelly). The firm operated under the name “EDAN and RODHAIN, games, R. d’Alençon 9.” In 1915 she submitted a French patent for a “Jeu de Bataille navale.” Around 1920 she reached an agreement with H. P. Gibson and Sons Ltd to distribute her games in the United Kingdom and other English-speaking countries under their original French titles. *L’Attaque* became a major success in Britain, and Gibson later released variants such as *Dover Patrol* (a naval version) and *Aviation* (an aerial one).
Edan’s business continued through the First World War; she filed at least one patent in 1917. By 1925 her office was at 3 Avenue du Maine in Paris’s 15th arrondissement. Her husband died in 1921. Edan herself died on 2 May 1934 at age 82, at her home and office on Avenue du Maine.
Quick Facts
- Birth Name
- Bénédicte Émilie Hermance Cécile Edan
- Birth Date
- 1851-12-21
- Birth Place
- Paris, France
- Death Date
- 1934-05-02
- Occupation
- Game designer
- Known For
- L'Attaque
Facts from the source article.
Lore & Background
Hermance Edan was born in Paris on 21 December 1851, daughter of Antoine-Victor Edan, a schoolmaster in Picardy, and his second wife, Louise Cécile Gosse. Through her mother, she was the grand-niece of the painter Nicolas Gosse, and through her father, the niece of diplomat Benoît Edan. Nothing is known of her childhood, education, or life before 1908, when she applied to the French Patent Office for a patent for a 'battle game with mobile pieces on a gameboard,' which was issued the following year. She also filed a patent application in Great Britain for L'Attaque in November 1909, and that year exhibited two games, L'Attaque and Vite Au But, at the Concours Lépine.
By 1912, Edan was in business with her brother-in-law, whom she married in 1915 after the death of his wife (Edan's sister Nelly), under the name 'EDAN and RODHAIN, games, R. d'Alençon 9.' In 1915, she submitted a French patent for a 'Jeu de Bataille navale.' Around 1920, she made an agreement with H. P. Gibson and Sons Ltd to distribute her games in the United Kingdom and other Anglophone countries under their original French titles. L'Attaque met with great success in the UK, and Gibson later added variants including Dover Patrol and Aviation. Edan's business remained active during the First World War, and by 1925 her office was at 3 Avenue du Maine in Paris. Her husband died in 1920; Edan died on 2 May 1934 at her home and office on Avenue du Maine.
Reader's Guide
Hermance Edan's significance lies in her creation of L'Attaque, a board game that not only achieved commercial success in its own right but also served as the direct predecessor to Stratego, one of the most widely known strategy games of the 20th century. Her work as a female inventor and publisher in the early 1900s, a period when women were rarely active in the games industry, is notable. Edan's patents in France and Great Britain, her participation in the Concours Lépine, and her business partnership with her brother-in-law demonstrate her entrepreneurial drive. The longevity of her company through World War I and the subsequent licensing to H. P. Gibson and Sons Ltd helped spread L'Attaque internationally, particularly in the United Kingdom. The game's influence is further evidenced by Gibson's later variants, such as Dover Patrol and Aviation, which adapted its mechanics to naval and aerial themes. Edan's legacy is thus twofold: she pioneered a game design that evolved into a classic, and she carved a place for herself in the history of board game publishing.
Did You Know?
- Hermance Edan applied for a French patent for a 'battle game with mobile pieces on a gameboard' in 1908, which was issued the following year.
- Edan married her brother-in-law in 1915 after the death of his wife, who was Edan's sister Nelly.
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