How can you tell if a mahjong set is Bakelite?
Most Bakelite tiles are a yellow-orange in color (some would say “butterscotch”), but other colors are known, especially in two-tone tiles. The tiles are opaque, very dense and usually have fairly sharp edges. Bakelite wasn’t widely used to make mah-jongg sets in the 1920s, when mah-jongg was a craze (see FAQ 11).
What are old mahjong sets made of?
Traditional mahjong tiles are made of bamboo, ivory and bone, but tiles made from natural materials tend to discolour or crack with time, which makes fair play impossible as players can identify covered tiles by their imperfections.
How much is a mahjong game worth?
Values of mahjong sets are based on their age and condition as well as materials used to create both box and tiles. Prices paid for some sets featuring ornate mahogany, walnut and ebony boxes containing painted, carved ivory or Bakelite tiles have ranged from $1,400 to $3,750 during the past several years.
What is the difference between Chinese and American mahjong sets?
Traditional Chinese mahjong sets have 144 tiles, while American version is played with eight additional joker tiles and different score cards. In the American game, the first person to match a hand of 14 tiles and thus “call mahjong” ends the game, whereupon tiles are scored and a winner is declared.
How do you clean Bakelite mahjong tiles?
I clean most of my tiles (bone and bamboo, Bakelite, Catalin, celluloid, wood, but NOT ivory, composition, or cardboard) with rubbing alcohol. I use a soft cloth or paper towel dampened (NOT soaked), with isopropyl alcohol and rub down all six surfaces of each tile (a good thing to do in front of the television).
How do you clean Bakelite Mahjong tiles?
How do you date a Mah Jong set?
FAQ 7g: How Old Is My Mah-Jongg Set?
- If the set is cowbone and bamboo, it’s probably from the 1920s – 1940s.
- If the set is cowbone and bamboo and came in a wooden box, the slide-front type of box (with drawers) is older (early 1920s) than the slide-top type of box (late 1920s – 1940s, maybe).
What are the most valuable mahjong tiles?
These tiles are light-colored catalin “enrobed” with darker-colored catalin or bakelite. The backs of some enrobed tiles. Sets with enrobed tiles and genuine ivory tiles are the two most valuable types of sets.
Should I get American or Chinese mahjong?
When in doubt, we recommend that you purchase an American mahjong set. American mahjong sets contain all of the tiles for Chinese mahjong as long as you substitute dragons for the “zhong”and “fa” tiles.
How can you tell real Bakelite?
Using Formula 409 Cleaner To use, dampen a cotton swab with 409 and rub it gently on the inside of the item being tested. If it is Bakelite, the swab will turn yellow. If a piece is lacquered, it may test negative with 409. Black Bakelite pieces often fail this test as well.
How do you get scratches out of Bakelite?
Use Magnolia Glayzit or Soft Scrub for slightly faded Bakelite. Use Brasso, Novus plastic polish, Simichrome metal polish, or an automobile rubbing compound to treat more severe fading and/or light scratches. Brasso is usually the cheapest, but may require more elbow grease.
How can you tell if a mahjong set is ivory?
Ivory has cross-hatching known as Schreger lines, but sometimes several pieces need to be examined to see it, depending on where on the tusk the pieces came from.
Which version of mahjong should I learn?
If you want to be able to play the most variations of mahjong then a western set works well because they have the most tiles. Also the western numbers on the tiles makes it easier to teach new people how to play.
What is the best version of mahjong?
Top Ten Best Mahjong Tables
| Product | Case Material | |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | White Swan Mahjong Set | Aluminum |
| 2. | American Mahjong Set by Linda Li | Soft quilt |
| 3. | Yellow Mountain Imports Classic Royale II | Wood |
| 4. | White Swan White/Burgundy Mahjong Set | Aluminum |