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The Chip Board Archive 23

Illegal Of The Day Illinois 43 Chicago

I recently purchased a number of illegals and floor sweepings from a lady in Chicago.

See "Illegal Of The Day" Floorsweeping's posted 7/25/14.

http://www.thechipboard.com/index.cgi/page/1/md/read/id/1310656/sbj/illegal-of-the-day-floorsweepings/

Her father was a hustler in the Chicago area and picked the chips up in his ramblings. Many of them going back to the 1930's Chez Paree, a major illegal operation in Chicago. The lady I got them from had 800 of the white cord mold chips. I am guessing they will hit the market sooner or later.

Dave Brown our resident Chicago expert sent me this hub back in 2010. It was delivered to Joe Jacobson, Chicago ILL - 2000 Chocolate - 3/28/38, 9 days prior to the big raid on 4/6/38. To me it looks like a "Special Die" rather than standard font. The E.M. O'Neil Co (cord mold) was in Chicago in those days. Mason Co "(hub mold) was also based in Chicago. I've seen a lot of "Notes" on the old distributors records where they borrowed or bought dies from each other for reorders. Looks to me like this happened with the Chez Paree chips. The lady with the cord molds also a couple of the hubs.

Chez is located on Ontario Street, two blocks east of Michigan Avenue, in a three-story building created in 1917 as an automat, where home-cooked meals in glass cases could be purchased by inserting coins into slots.

During the Prohibition years, a speak-easy known as the Chez Pierre operated upstairs. In 1933, just after Franklin D. Roosevelt assumed his first term in office and Prohibition was repealed, the Chez Paree opened to the sweet sounds of the Ben Pollack Orchestra playing “Happy Days Are Here Again,” which had been FDR’s presidential campaign theme and was later associated with the return of the distilleries.

Article from 4/6/1938:

There is more on the web about the Chez Paree than we could ever write in an "Illegal Of The Day." It is well documented including pictures of the celebrities that appeared there. Looks to me like every celeb of the 1930'sm 40's, and 50's appeared there. It is still open and operating today.

For more info and pictures click or cut and paste the links. Thanks to Ed Hertel for the links.

Websites about the Chez Paree:

http://chicagostyleweddings.blogspot.com/2014/05/vendor-spotlight-go-chez-chic-for-your.html

http://burlyqnell.com/2013/10/20/46/

Images:

https://www.google.com/search?q=%22chez+paree%22+chicago&tbm=isch&tbo=u&source=univ&sa=X&ei=VAK8U9nIPM6syASOsYDIAQ&ved=0CCYQsAQ&biw=1165&bih=957#imgdii

If every illegal casino was documented on the web the way this one is, the "Illegal Of The Day" team would be out of business. vbg

David Spragg is in the process of posting 70 more "Illegal Of The Day's" on this site.

http://www.marlowcasinochips.com/links/genetrimble/genetrimble.htm

Over 200 of them are there now. Hopefully all 264 will be there soon. Thank you David.

Messages In This Thread

Illegal Of The Day Illinois 43 Chicago
thanks team & thanks David for updating
Re: Illegal Of The Day Illinois 43 Chicago
Re: I Need That...
I'll see what I can arrange for you
Wow! nice chips Rick
Here is a piece of china,maybe from same?
And a match cover !
if anyone has or gets any of these 2 chips
Re: A few more Chez Paree items
A few more...Chez Paree 25¢ & 50¢
Re: Illegal Of The Day Illinois 43 Chicago

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