Summary of the chips. SEPIA - Sepia Club; BE - B(Speakes) E(Piper); BJE - B(ill Speakes) J(Briggs) E(Piper); R – R(obert) Briggs; COC + L&G (Chris O’Connor, Lake & Garden Club); WS – Wrangler Saloon.
The use of all the chips referred to revolves around four families of operators, active in OR and then KY between 1934 and the present day. The existence of these clubs and their chips has been proved by various arrest and investigation records I have been very fortunate to gain sight of. It is important to note that these records indicate the clubs were engaged in illegal craps and BJ games and were not ‘licensed’ card rooms for poker.
The chips came from an estate sale, supposedly originating from a property on Versailles Road, between Lexington & Frankfort, KY, and their usage researched and documented below. Subsequent research discovered they were originally supplied to establishments in Oregon, and the information (from a completely independent source) which I have now obtained, links these people to operations in both states.
Edwin “Ed” Piper and son Edwin “Ed” Piper Jr. Piper senior operated in Oregon until approx 1954 when he moved to KY. Piper Jr is still operating in KY today, working with Speakes and Briggs below.
William “Bill” Thomas Speakes Jr and son William “Bill” Thomas Speakes III. Speakes Jr operated in Oregon until 1954 when he moved to KY and opened the Dona Gene Club.
Brothers Eddie & Chris O’Connor. Eddie ran O’Connor’s in Portland, OR until he died. Chris operated in Oregon City. His body was found before the other people connected moved on to KY.
R(obert) John Briggs and son Jack Briggs. Robert operated in Oregon City. Jack operated in Newport, OR until the 1980’s, when he moved to KY to team up with Piper Jr and Speakes Jr once more.
Apart from the SqinCirc chips, the others date from early 1940’s to mid 1950’s. The WS chip was delivered to Jack Briggs, Wrangler Saloon, Newport OR per manufacturers records. As these operators ran moving games, there is no reason why the monogrammed chips would not have been used at all their locations.
Oregon locations
Sepia Club, 212 SW Alder St, Oregon City as long ago as 1942. Associated with other clubs on Washington St and the surrounding neighbourhood, many noted as ‘ramshackle temporary communities’. Operated behind the ‘front’ of a typewriter store. (Piper, Speaks Jr, John Briggs)
Lake & Garden Club, 1221 Washington St, Oregon City (Chris O’Connor)
Kentucky locations
314 Versailles Rd, Frankfort. No premises name, but other searches show it has been Monkey's Uncle, Tropic Café and now a Mexican restaurant. Aerial photography shows it is a big plot with newer looking building so whatever was there is probably long gone.
"City Club" (of Lexington), on South Limestone, owned by Speaks and Piper, later sold to Lloyd Gentry.
Piper was charged in 2005 for operating a gambling place at 1301 Winchester Rd. in Lexington (poker and blackjack tables were confiscated).
Piper also involved with the creation, in 1987, of Players Club of Lexington, a membership golf course with illegal gaming.
There are other very recent existing monogrammed BPS chips (Briggs, Piper, Speaks) which came direct from the operators in Lexington, KY.
Thanks also to Dean Sanders, Jim Linduff and Gene Trimble for helping with the KY elements of the research.
Chips are available as follows: (all prices INCLUDE shipping)
Sepia Navy, White & Pink set of 3 - $26 shipped (only 8 sets available)
Sepia Orange - $16 shipped (only TWO chips available)
BEx3, BJEx2, P set of 6 - $32 shipped
COC and L&G pair - $14 shipped
WS - $7 shipped
A set of 12 chips (ALL the above EXCEPT the Sepia Orange) will be $72 shipped
Im offering these first on the chipboard. Once I add them to my website and send to my mailing list the price will be slightly more (assuming I have any left).
Email me if interested in anything.
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