A while ago I received an email from Diane G asking for help on identifying a box containing bone and bamboo tiles, which she bought at an estate sale a few years back. I looked at the only photo of the tiles that Diane sent and am fairly confident that these tiles were made by the Mah Jongg Sales Company of America.
But the Mah Jongg Sales Company of America almost always put their name on their boxes – nowhere does their name or logo appear on this particular box. Apparently made of rosewood, this box has been painted gold and, as Diane pointed out, was clearly made for the American market as you can see from the words written in English, “MADE IN CHINA,” displayed on the back.
The question Diane is asking is whether or not this is the original box for these tiles. What company used the little guy holding perhaps a drum or a gong or a lantern – (I really don’t know what he is holding)? Which one of you out there has seen this logo before? Or, as I suggested to Diane, did the person who painted this box also add this sweet little figure that looks like something from an A.A. Milne book after he or she painted over the rosewood?
Tony? Tom? Michael? Any thoughts? Diane would love to know and now, so would I! Please send me your thoughts and I will publish them in a later post.
And Diane, thank you for the lovely message you sent along with these photos – it means the world to me.
Mah Jongg and Me 
The images are small so hard to really tell, but this does not look like a MJSA set to me, the dragons are incorrect for one of their sets. If manufactured by MJSA, the green dragon would have the ‘feng” character and the red dragon the “long” character. MJSA did sell other sets not manufactured by themselves. The silhouette looks like a child holding a lantern to me.
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I really appreciate your comments. I know some of you are experts, so my curiosity is really peaked. So far no one has identified this. I bought it at an estate sale from someone who traveled the world and seemed to have bought things in nevery place they went.
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oops; posted without finishing. Ann, I hope you will edit this! I will send you some additional photos; post if you think appropriate. Note the vegetable flowers. I love it because I always told my kids to “eat your veggies”. .. now I tell the grandkids.
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It’s not Mah-Jongg Sales of America, because the dragons are different. I’m so certain I’ve see this before, but I just can’t remember. First, I thought it was The Game of the Mandarins (Piroxloid), but that has the guy in the cone hat. Then I thought maybe I saw this on one of CHarli’s stickers, but I couldn’t find it. It’s driving me crazy. It might very well be just a generic “picture” that shows something associated with China. There were so many documentations or history of factories lost in the Cultural Revolution 😦
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Thank you for your comments. I think someone out there must know; I am ever hopeful of solving the mystery. Additional info: The “flowers” appear to be vegetables. Also, It is bone/bamboo.
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Katie is right. MJSA has very distinctive dragons, and these are not the MJSA dragons. This seems like a pretty standard 1920s B&B set with nice flowers and a cool box. Looks like it is in great condition, too.
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I was given this same set, two weeks ago.
After the Belvedere (CA) tournament, I stopped off at Home Depot. I was still “decked-out” in my Mah Jongg Jewelry. The clerk helping me, asked if I play Mah Jongg. When I told her that I teach in San Anselmo, she asked, if I would “like to have her parent’s old set, from “probably from the 30’s”! I gave her my phone number.
Two weeks ago, she called and said I could come by the store and pick up the set.
When she carried it into the store, it was all jumbled up, with pieces falling on the floor.
WOW!
The matched set is missing one North Wind and a three Crak – but has 14, “nearly the same”, additional tiles. I think the box must have been dropped, because the case is “out of whack” with a crack and chip on the back piece, (where your figure appears) The box, tiles and metal embellishments look identical to your set.
She also gave me four wood racks, that have the Chinese Doubling Scale glued onto them. They are labeled: M. S. Cowen & CO, IMPORTERS; CHINESE GAMES; 224 Commercial; San Francisco, Calif.
I’ll let you know if I get any other information.
In the meantime, I”m not taking off my Mah Jongg Jewelry!
Cheers,
Caine
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Hi Caine – GREAT story! Send photos!!!
And yes, I agree – don’t ever take off that MJ jewelry!!!
Ann xxo
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