Identification
Photo reference
5 uploaded photos
Overview
A luxury gentleman's gaming set featuring a brass-clad exterior box with a velvet-lined lid and a removable hardwood chip carousel. The set contains a full complement of early composition chips, each uniquely embossed with a four-leaf clover 'good luck' motif.
Story
Retailing at high-end jewelers like Judd-Gross Co. around 1915, this brass-cased poker set transformed a traditional card game into a refined status symbol for the Midwestern elite.
Maker / Origin
Operating from 245 Summit Street in Toledo, Ohio, Judd-Gross Co. supplied luxury goods and gentlemen's sporting accessories during the city's early 20th-century economic boom. Retailer: Judd Gross Co. Jewelers, Toledo, Ohio; Retailer: Judd Gross Co.
Condition & Value
The retention of the original retailer's token and the historically accurate clay chips significantly bolsters the historical integrity and market value of the set. The brass shows a heavy, authentic patina with some surface oxidation and wear to the finish, which is expected for its age.
Full Research
Sold comps, value drivers, and venue guidance pulled from recent auction results.
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.
▲ 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
▼ 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.