From: wealthywolf@hotmail.com
Sent: Wednesday, July 16, 2008 5:04 PM
Subject: Set for Sale - Revised Tile Count - This set has complete tile set
16 July 2008
This set belonged to my parents. They married in 1928. The set is made of dovetailed bone and bamboo. This set has 148 Tiles.
The leather case is well worn inside and out. A carrying handle has come off and the lock/latch strap is broken. I have the key. The inside is burgundy velvet. There are four trays that hold the tiles.
There is a rule book entitled, "The Directions for Playing "Ma Jack", and it says Shanghai and Made in China. The top part of the rule book is brown and the lower part is green. It looks like it may have been left in the sun and faded.
The Sticks are as follows, they are well used and I have not cleaned them or messed with them at all:
Sticks with 8 Red dots: 35 plus one that is broken
Sticks with 2 Red dots: 35
Sticks with 6 Red and 6 Black dots: 8
Sticks with 1 Red and 3 Black dots: 39
The Tiles and Pieces are as follows, they are in good condition and I have not cleaned them or messed with them at all:
36 Dots
36 Cracks
36 Bams
4 East
4 West
4 North
4 South
8 Flowers
4 Green Dragons
4 Red Dragons
4 White Dragons
4 Blanks
4 Wind Indicators in Ming with lid
4 Tiny Dice in box with sliding top
I have 13 pictures that are very good with close-ups of the One Bam and the Eight Flowers (all of which are different). If you would like to see the photos, please email me (wealthywolf@hotmail.com) with your email address and I will send the file.
Thank you.
Best regards,
Tina Lundy

From: Ileen Tobe
Email: ileen@qualitest-inc.com
Sent: Thursday, May 01, 2008 8:03 AM
Subject: 3 Sets For Sale
Set For Sale: 3 sets for sale
# of tiles: regular game amount plus extras
Color of tiles: yellowing due to age
Material the tiles are made of: I believe the sets are pure ivory
Description of case: briefcase like, imitation alligator
Accessories included: chips, racks
Overall condition of set: good condition but old
URL where you can see pictures: don’t have

Buyer Alert. This seller offers items purportedly of "ivory." Visitors to this site are especially advised to be wary of such claims. See our What's It Made Of? page for assistance in how to tell ivory from bone. Caveat emptor -- make sure you're sure before you buy.
All trades or sales are private transactions between individuals--the Exchange is simply a listing point for those who wish to make such trades and is no way involved in any transactions, nor may it be held responsible for any problems between buyers and sellers.

From: Mindy Briggs
Sent: Sunday, March 09, 2008 3:22 PM
Subject: Set For Sale
Set For Sale:
Antique 1920s Mah-Jongg Mahjong Set Bone & Bamboo Tiles
I am selling an antique Mah-Jongg set that was imported from China by the Mah-Jongg Sales Company of America in the early 1920s, probably in 1923. The set includes the following:
*    Rosewood box with sliding front cover and five drawers
*    Four racks in original box
*    132 scoring sticks (bones)
*    Four wind discs in cylindrical container
*    Three bone dice in wooden box with sliding top
*    148 dovetailed cow bone and bamboo tiles
This set is up for auction on eBay through March 19, 2008. It’s Item Number is 300205984832. For detailed pictures, go to: http://www.flickr.com/photos/22804970@N04/sets/72157604083009053
For questions, email me at minbri@sbcglobal.net.

恭喜發財! 2008 is the Year of the Rat! (Click to see your New Year's card.) Tom Sloper February 7, 2007

From: David and Paula Friedman
Sent: Thursday, January 17, 2008 6:56 AM
Subject: Set For Sale
Set For Sale: Full Asian Antique Set
# of tiles: 144 plus 12
Color of tiles: Cream
Material the tiles are made of: Bakelite
Description of case: Alligator Black
Accessories included: 5-racks and 2-dice
Overall condition of set: Excellent
URL where you can see pictures:  http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&rd=1&item=320208812224&ssPageName=STRK:MESE:IT&ih=011
This set belonged to my 97 year old grandmother.  I believe it to be Made in China circa 1930's.
Picture of the tiles:  http://flatwaredoc.com/images/mahjongset1.jpg
This set has been evaluated as a "Full Asian" set with 144 matching tiles plus 12 additional tiles. I am told it is an rare set because the Bam #1 is not a bird but a pineapple type of figure. The set can be called Haystack, sprouted bamboo because of the unique 1 bam (its usually a bird) This is the list of tiles:
1-9 of Dots = 36   1-9 of Craks= 36   1-9 of bams=36    4- each of white, red and green dragons=12     4 each of winds N S E & W = 16 Flowers 8 Total 144 matching tiles.   Other flower tiles that do not match original set number 12
This set comes with everything you see: 5-trays in the same mahogany color bakelite (1-tray has broken and missing point chips as you can see), 156 tiles and 2-dice.
Contact:
Paula Friedman
friedmanco@earthlink.net

From: David and Paula Friedman
Sent: Thursday, January 17, 2008 8:50 AM
Subject: Set For Sale
Oops!  Don't know why I said 'Alligator Black".  It is actually alligator type finish in a maroon color.  Must have been too early out in the Pac Northwest for me to think straight.  I hope you can correct.  Thanks so much for your wonderful site.
Paula Friedman
Set For Sale:
# of tiles:
Color of tiles:
Material the tiles are made of:
Description of case:
Accessories included:
Overall condition of set:
URL where you can see pictures:

[Maybe 1930s, maybe 1940s. It was NOT made in China. The "pineapple" is a bamboo sprout. I have never heard of this "Haystack" thingy before. The reason 12 mismatched flowers have been added is, of course, so that the set could be used to play American mah-jongg with the 1946 NMJL card. See FAQ 19AI and FAQ 19S and FAQ 11h and Column 311 - Tom Sloper]

[Item deleted -- SOLD!!]

From: Patty Cornett
Sent: Sunday, October 14, 2007 1:49 PM
Subject: Several Bakelite Mah Jongg Sets for Sale
I have 3 Vintage Bakelite Sets for Sale.  All sets were made by Royal and are complete with at least 152 tiles.  Two of these have 8 Natural Jokers, the other has 28 Flowers!  All sets have Bakelite Racks, dice, vintage Standard Hands and Rules cards, coins, a Bettor and a nice vintage Case.  I am asking $299.95 for the ones with Jokers and $224.95 for the 28 Flower set.  Please email me for more details/pics.  phenolicphenom@yahoo.com.  Patty
Patty Cornett
Phenolic Phenom
6413 SW Wentley Lane
Topeka, KS 66614
Website:
http://www.phenolicphenom.com

From: RogerGHum@aol.com
Sent: Sunday, September 02, 2007 11:01 AM
Subject: Set For Sale
Set For Sale: Old Mah Jong Set
# of tiles:148
Color of tiles: White Ivory
Material the tiles are made of: Combination of Ivory and Bamboo (face is Ivory, back is bamboo)
Description of case:Case is wood with brass corners and Handles
Accessories included:Old Chinese Ivory Counting Sticks (over 100)
Overall condition of set: Old and brown with Chinese Character
URL where you can see pictures:

Buyer Alert. This seller offers items purportedly of "ivory." Visitors to this site are especially advised to be wary of such claims. See our What's It Made Of? page for assistance in how to tell ivory from bone. Caveat emptor -- make sure you're sure before you buy.
All trades or sales are private transactions between individuals--the Exchange is simply a listing point for those who wish to make such trades and is no way involved in any transactions, nor may it be held responsible for any problems between buyers and sellers.

From: Angelica Teal (angelascrafts@sbcglobal.net)
Sent: Saturday, September 01, 2007 5:14 PM
Subject: Set For Sale
Set For Sale:
Set For Sale:
Mah jong set for sale.Please check out the following:
http://www.sell.com/231VGL
http://www.sell.com/22ZMFR
http://www.angelascrafts.biz/mahjongfile.1.html
Contact me if you have any questions. Thank you.

[May 5 2007 item delisted - it sold! We appreciate it when sellers notify us that an item can be delisted. - Webmaster]

SCAM ALERT

Mah-Jongg sellers take note! Be advised that sometimes your "for sale" post can get offers from scam artists who offer to buy your stuff but are really trying to rip you off. For example (actual emails):

From: micheal makr
Email: makr1212@yahoo.com
Sent: Saturday, April 26, 2008 10:37 AM
Subject: ur item posted for sales
I Saw your Ads on the net so i will like to know if you still want to sell it.But i read the present condition and price and i want you to tell me if there is any other explanation you have that is not on the ads tell me and let me know the exact last price you will sell it to me and do get back to me with the pics if you have any one available.Hope you get back to me. Regards..

(Gotta love the command of English!)

From: "helen wilton"
Email: guidamoss@gmail.com
Sent: Tuesday, April 29, 2008 6:55 AM
Subject: Intersted in your item for sale..................
> Hello
>      its my pleasure to contact you , I am smith gary a busniess man base in london i saw your advert for sale and i am intersted to purchase the item from you. I want you to understand that i am makeing an Urgent order and also an Urgent payment  bcos the item is Needed urgently. I will like you to give me details about the last price for the Item and the Present condition as i am willing to buy the item .
> I want you to understand the Urgency of the item so i want you to understand that i have Instucted my client in usa who is owning me the sum of $10,000 to send you the payment fast . so i request this information below.
> Full name
> Address
> Zipcode
> State
> Country
> Phone .
> I want you to know that i will foward this detail to my client and he will send you payment for the item
> Note: that once you have received the payment kindly deposit it in your account once it clear you are to reduct the cost of the item and send the balance to my shipping company who will come and pick up the item at your location .
> I want to know if you are willing to sell the item to me as i will await for the requested detail from you so that my asscoiate can issue the payment today .
> Thanks for the mail
> Smith gary

(And another actual email from 2007):

From: mike.howie@yahoo.com
To: SS♠Sloperama♥com
Sent: Thursday, April 12, 2007 5:13 PM
Subject: Item for sale@http://www.sloperama.com/majexchange/sets.htm
Hello,
                Am interetsed on this item and am willing to buy it now so let me know if the item is still available for sell and the pix, condition including the last asking price of the item okay...So let me hear from you.....

(And another actual email from 2005):

Name = BEN
Email = benjohnsonstoreltd@yahoo.com
Items for sale =
GOODDAY SELLER,
My name is ben johnson the sales Rep. of ben Stores Limited. We
will love to process an international order from your store which we need it
shipped directly to our client in west africa (Nigeria). All payments would be made through the Credit Card We will want to know if you do ship internationally. We will
be awaiting your soonest response. Please reply back so we can list the products needed.
Kindest Regards.
ben johnson
Note: Kindly include your website or the list if the available item in stock.

1. It's hard to tell exactly what he wants to buy. He seems desirous of buying just any old thing. This vagueness would continue, should you email him back.
2. "Smith gary" doesn't know how to tell a first name from a last name, and his email is actually from "Helen Wilton."
3. "Mike Howie" has contacted other vendors to order mah-jongg merchandise (I heard from them, we compared notes) but apparently doesn't know anything about mah-jongg whatsoever.
4. Odd that "Ben" says he'll pay by credit card - usually these guys want to pay by check, and the check turns out to be for more than the purchase amount, so they need the difference reimbursed (and that's where you lose money, because his check bounces). So I don't know what this guy's deal is - maybe bait and switch (saying now that he'll pay by credit card, but when it comes down to it, "oops can I pay you by check instead"), or maybe he has stolen credit card numbers.
5. "Ben" mentioned Nigeria. Everybody is well familiar with the Nigerian scam, right? You've gotten those emails? The main business activity in Nigeria is, well, scams. You can look it up on the internet. The US gov't has warnings posted about doing business with anyone in Nigeria. See http://travel.state.gov/travel/tips/brochures/brochures_2113.html.
6. Frequently the buyer wants his order (usually a large amount of goods) shipped to some overseas location (not necessarily Nigeria). So what happens to the hapless seller is that the check is bad (or the credit card turns out to be bad) and a large amount of expensive inventory is now gone. Seller beware.

SCAM ALERT

[Old posts are periodically removed. If your post was removed, please feel free to post again! - Webmaster]