1903 ENCASED DICE ADVERTISING PAPERWEIGHT CLEVELAND BUILDER TRADE STIMULATOR

Description

Exceptionally rare and original, ca1903 Hunkin Brothers Construction Company of Cleveland, Ohio Advertising Paperweight / Encased Dice Poker / Gambling Device / Sales Stimulator.
The Paperweight is made of solid glass with the advertising text on a paper insert that is affixed to the tin back and is viewed through the thick, clear glass of the Paperweight. The Paperweight has a domed top, is circular in shape (as can be seen in the scans below) and measures approx. 3" in diameter at the base. It features an advertising insert with text that reads “The Hunkin Brothers Construction Co. / General Contractors / Buildings, Docks, etc. / Cuyahoga Building / Cleveland, Ohio / Phone, Main 280”.
The Paperweight retains its original tin bottom features stamped text that reads “Pat’d Aug 18th 1903”.
Encased within the paperweight are five small bone dice. This type of Gambling paperweight was used to play a “poker” style game – the player with the best “hand” (pairs, full house, three of a kind, straight, etc) would be the winner of a bet of some kind which usually involved buying a drink at a saloon or winning a monetary “pot”. Often they were also meant to be a Sales Stimulator with some combination of the dice resulting in the customer winning a free prize or a discount on merchandise.
This very rare and original, heavy glass, Encased Dice Advertising Paperweight is in good to very good condition. There are no chips, cracks, breaks or repairs of any kind to the glass. The top surface has no surface scratches or abrasion however the glass of the paperweight is cloudy as can be seen in the scans belowThe bottom of the Paperweight retains the original tin backing which is exceptionally well preserved - intact and sound and retaining its original, brilliant japanned surface.
A very rare and original, ca1903 Hunkin Brothers Construction Company Advertising Paperweight Sales Stimulator / Encased Dice Poker / Gambling Device and a fantastic addition to any collection!!!
Be sure to check out this sellers other auctions for one other Encased Dice Advertising / Gambling paperweight which is also being offered for sale this week on eBay!!
Overseas shipping is extra and cost will be quoted at bidders request. Massachusetts residents must add 6.25% sales tax.
Please check out other early and interesting items offered by this seller on ebay.
Click Here to See Our Items We Have for Sale in the eBay Gallery
and
Click Here to Add Us To Your Favorite Sellers List.
Important Notes about Shipping Charges:
The amount quoted for Shipping & Handling is calculated by eBay and is equal to the EXACT amount charged by the Post Office plus a .00 "packing fee" - the .00 fee is our only compensation for the virgin packing materials we use on all of our professionally packaged boxes as well as our cost for the salaried help that does most of our packing - as I am sure you can see, we make NO profit on the Shipping charges and, in fact, our costs are usually greater than the .00 fee. Please contact us if there are any issues regarding the cost of shipping.
Powered by SixBit's eCommerce Solution