1920s mah-jongg set and 1960s Courreges shoulderbag

[Eve]

Two things I need less than I need the money.

1) Grandmother's mah-jongg set. Nice bone pieces, in a plain but nice-looking wooden box. Used only once by a little old Jewish lady in Atlantic City.

2) Black patent-leather Courreges shoulderbag, perfect condition, with the logo in white patent leather. Very groovy.

[Duke]

Ooh, I might be interested in that mah-jongg set. I have a set from the 1920s as well, but it's a significantly inferior set made of wood pieces. May I ask how much you might be asking for it?

[Eve]

I was hoping for $500. I checked the eBay sets and asked an auction house--but really, this is so much easier than that, and I am so lazy. If you e me through my website, I can send you photos.

P.S. I am pretty sure it is bone and not ivory.

[Duke]

Hmmm--I'm going to have to think about that. But before I even make a decision, I'd highly recommend you find out whether it's ivory. An ivory mah-jongg set from the 1920s would be worth thousands of dollars, easily. (That would be out of my price range...but for something of that value it would well be worth the hassle of going through an auction house.)

[Eve]

You're quite right--I am planning to sell some family jewelry at an estate-sale place, and will bring along a tile for them to look at. Thanks!

[Duke]

This page might give you some help on identifying your tiles in the meantime. It mentions that ivory tiles from the 1920s are very rare.

[Eve]

Thanks! I will take a closer look tonight, and will bring them to the estate-sale place next week. I am thinking probably bone, maybe ivory.