That story damages my heart; in Syracuse in the late '70s at our big outdoor show; I had just returned with my family from the Cape so rushed out; it began to rain and rain hard; I bought a lot of stuff and when I reached the beginning of the last row stuck my head in and said, "Any poker chips?" The dealer opened a case and pulled out an ivory in a chain with a crack that had "50" on one side and Pay in N.O. on the other with the gamblers name or initial on it. I asked with breath baited, how much? $25 he said. I had only $20; he would not take a check; I asked if he would put it aside while I searched out an ATM [not easily findable in the rural town on a Sunday; went; found one; came back; the dealer had packed up and left. That was the closest I came to an attributable authentic River Boat ivory (I do have a few others but they are 20th Century repros).
|