Antique Gambling Chips, Revised Edition

Antique Gambling Chips examines each of the major types of gaming pieces over the past 300 years: bone, wood, ivory, mother of pearl, clay, and various plastic compositions. There are extensive illustrations and explanations, including methods of manufacture, material and design variations, distribution and valuation of each type of chip. A section on chip holders, boxes and cases adds to the value of the book, because in some cases the value of the holders which may be found at flea markets and antique shows may well exceed the value of the chips they contain. The section of the book on mother of pearl chips was contributed by Englishman Derek Cowan, who is the outstanding authority on mother of pearl chips, and who has a vast personal collection as well. The intricate engraving on mother of pearl chips is a sharp contrast to the mass-produced character of clay and modern casino chips. Ken Chopping, a serious collector of ivory chips, has contributed a section on the manufacture of ivories as well. Similarly, one of the main appeals of ivory gaming chips is the individual nature of each chip. Hand-engraved and specifically designed to be unique to prevent "counterfeiting," ivory chips are small individual works of art, and along with chips made of bone and early clay composition, dominated the American gambling scene of the 1800's. Riverboat and frontier gamblers prized their personal sets of chips and cards, which they carried from place to place to use wherever they could arrange a game. Seymour's book belongs in every serious collector's library.