Comparable Sales Report
Antique Brass-Cased Poker Set by Judd Gross Co. Jewelers, c. 1915
Retailer: Judd Gross Co. Jewelers, Toledo, Ohio · Early 20th Century (Edwardian/Early Art Deco)
The Maker
Judd-Gross Co. Jewelers was a prominent luxury retailer in Toledo, Ohio, during the early 20th century. Incorporated around May 1910 with Elias Gross as President, the company operated a prestigious storefront at 245 Summit St., an area historically known as the "Wall Street of the Midwest." During the Edwardian and early Art Deco periods, high-end regional jewelers frequently diversified their offerings with luxury men's accessories, tobacciana, and sporting goods.
Poker sets housed in heavily constructed, hard-rolled brass cases were explicitly marketed as premium holiday gifts for gentlemen. This reflected a broader cultural shift where high-stakes private gaming transitioned from a frontier gamble to a refined, status-signaling pursuit held in exclusive social clubs and wood-paneled libraries. The inclusion of the original token definitively ties the object to this specific midwestern retailer, resolving minor historical directory discrepancies regarding the storefront number and serving as highly desirable material provenance.
Valuation
$300 – $450
Insurance / Replacement: $900
Auction FMV · 80% confidence
High
This is an early 20th-century (c. 1915) luxury brass-cased poker set originally retailed by Judd-Gross Co. Jewelers of Toledo, Ohio. The value is anchored by its heavy solid-brass casing, authentic clay chips with a four-leaf clover motif, and the rare inclusion of the original retailer's token providing concrete Midwestern provenance. The owner correctly notes the chips are made of clay, a highly desirable material standard for the era that commands a premium over later plastic iterations. While standard wooden-cased sets from the era are common, solid brass iterations retailed by luxury jewelers are scarce, pushing this set into the desirable category of "gentlemen's antiques" with an estimated auction value of $300 to $450.
Market Analysis
Because direct comps for sets explicitly retailed by Judd-Gross Co. are sparse (0/3 exact matches), this valuation is market-informed, relying on period-accurate, high-end antique gaming equivalents. The baseline for standard early 1900s clay chips in ordinary wooden cases rests between $80 and $150, as seen in recent eBay and Leland Little auction results. However, non-traditional luxury casing materials significantly elevate value; a 1930s Bakelite-cased set recently sold for $250, and a 1920s leather-cased travel set achieved $295 on Chairish. A comparable solid brass poker box (albeit with Liberace provenance) achieved $525, demonstrating the ceiling for heavy brass cases in the secondary market. Lacking celebrity provenance but boasting excellent verified regional jeweler provenance and authentic clay chips, the subject item is appropriately positioned above standard wooden sets but conservatively below the extreme high-end retail asking prices ($400-$720 adjusted) seen on vetted antiquarian platforms.
Value Drivers
▲ Solid brass exterior casing significantly upgrades the set over mass-produced wooden carousels
▲ Authentic early 20th-century clay composition chips, confirmed by owner and historical context
▲ Original Judd-Gross Co. Jewelers token providing verified c. 1915 Toledo, Ohio provenance
▲ Unique four-leaf clover embossed motif on the chips, adding thematic collector appeal
Concerns
▼ Lack of direct, exact-match public auction records for Judd-Gross Co. marked sets limits precise baseline formulation
▼ Heavy brass cases frequently suffer from surface tarnishing, oxidation, or denting which can impact aesthetic grade
▼ Clay chips are prone to chipping or cracking; value heavily depends on the chips remaining intact and playable
🏛 Best Venue
Specialty auction houses like Potter & Potter (specializing in gambling memorabilia) or high-end curated platforms like Chairish/1stDibs under 'Gentlemen's Antiques'.
📈 Upside Potential
Targeted marketing to regional Midwestern history collectors (Toledo) or crossover tobacciana/gaming enthusiasts could push the value toward the $500+ luxury retail ceiling.
⚠️
Authenticity Notice
Low risk. Counterfeits of obscure regional mid-western jewelers' poker sets are virtually non-existent, though buyers will verify the clay composition of the chips.
Comparable Sales (5)
Vintage 1930s Clay Composite Poker Chips in Marbled Bakelite Box
MEDIUM
SOLD
Liberace-Owned Brass Poker Chip Game Box With Vintage Chips
MEDIUM
SOLD
Antique Clay Poker Chips Set in Original Wood Case with Brass Hardware
MEDIUM
SOLD
Vintage Travel Poker Set in Original Case (Wood/Brass Mounts with Chips)
MEDIUM
SOLD
Professional Gambler's Poker Set (Walnut Case, Brass Latch & 285 Clay Chips)
MEDIUM
SOLD
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