Vintage Bone and Bamboo Mahjong Set, 144 Tiles, With Four Tile Racks Circa 1940

This Mahjong set was made for the Asian market as it has no western numerals or indices. The tiles are made of ox bone and bamboo with the image stamped into it. The set contains 36 dots, 36 bams, 36 craks, 16 winds, 12 dragons, 4 flowers, 4 seasons. 8 flowers/ season were common in export sets 1937-1942. The inclusion of joker tiles may have originated in America where they were required by the National Mah Jongg League in 1960-61.

The set is in a lacquer box with a dragon and phoenix in gold. There is loss to the lacquer in a couple of places and the handles are gone. The tiles themselves have some discolouration commensurate with use and age.

Copies of this set may be found on Amazon, but with modern plastic tiles. The popularity of Mahjong exploded after the end of the Qing dynasty in 1911 and started being exported to the west in 1919-1920. Ox bone and bamboo suggest it is first half of the 20th century.