Help with Identifying Old Mother of Pearl set (4 Viewers)

cncdean

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Hello,
I found this forum in my searches to identify this poker chip set. They’re mother of pearl. The box has a metal tag but it’s worn and you can’t tell what it is. There’s supposed to be 300 chips but it’s missing 2-blue and 1-red.
Any help is much appreciated.
 
I doubt you'll be able to nail it down any further than you already have. Listings for items like this (sets of mother-of-pearl game counters, or simulated mother-of-pearl game counters) show up on eBay from time to time, but they're generally speaking one-off items from a variety of sources, manufacturers, materials, quality, and age. If the box doesn't have any identifying features on it such as a legible name or date you probably won't be able to identify it.

If you keep a close eye on the eBay listings you might eventually see one that looks identical, and that could tell you more about it.

Even if you don't find one that's identical, you'll see some that are similar, perhaps similar enough to give you some idea of what it's worth. It looks quite attractive to me; a nice case, overall in good condition, genuine mother-of-pearl, and very nearly a complete set. A set like that is somewhat uncommon.
 
They look like bakelite chips from early 1900s. Sure they mother of pearl?
 
I think the varied iridescence on them is a dead giveaway for m-o-p. Iridescent plastic is more uniform, and Bakelite or Catalin isn't iridescent.

I'm not an expert, though.
 
Various colors indicate that that is not mother of pearl... Can we see some close up?
 
I was guessing they were dyed. Agreed, would love to see these up close!
 
I was guessing they were dyed. Agreed, would love to see these up close!

Ok, done some search on Google
You can dye mother of pearl.
If its genuine mother of pearl that set would be very old and expensive by the moment it was produced, right now that would be some serious money.
The condition at first glance is great so that puts some doubt about age.

There are some materials that can imitate original, most recently glass invented in 2014.

I belive best way to find out is to take few samples to nearest jewelry store.

Boy I really hope that's real deal and you get some serious bucks for it...
 
Are you sure it’s the original box? If so I bet a woodworker could tell you something about the age from the hinges and clasps on the box. Or at least what it’s not.
 

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Looks genuinely good.... Try jewelry shop to make sure... Nice find
 

I think those are different. Those are Catalin poker chips, which is a type of translucent swirled Bakelite. The OP's chips are only slightly translucent, and don't have the typical Catalin marble-like swirls. Catalin marbling is made by swirling together different colors of plastic while the plastic is still in a liquid state. Also, Catalin is glossy (the plastic is polished to a high gloss) but it's not shiny and iridescent the way that mother-of-pearl is.
 
Also, Dale Seymour divides mother of pearl chips into two categories: Chinese and French. These would be French style.
 
I got an email back and he said that they are unknown to him and is unsure if they are mop by the photos. No luck there.
 
I asked JustAnswer.com and an appraiser said,
A cased set of tinted mother-of-pearl gambling chips. Complete and in very fine condition. Late 19th to early 20th century.
Circa 1920.
Unmarked discs.
At resale, $800-$1000.

But mine is missing 3 and there’s some screws missing from the hinge. And some case scratches
 
I would post your questions and pictures on the Chip Board. There are few people on the board that focus on those type of chips.
 

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