I was killing some time today, looking through an antique shop and came across what has been advertised as Bakelite (forgive my spelling) chips and rack.

Upon closer examination, the chips are not bakelite, but plastic - the kind whose ridges interlock together. No big deal there. What caught my eye was the two racks they had the chips in.

The chips are about 7/8" diameter and the rack is square with four cylinders for the chips and the whole square block is about 2 1/2" across and maybe 3-4" tall. There is a metal ball inserted into the top center of the block for a handle.

A couple of questions...

How do I know that the block is bakelite?
What is the value of these blocks whether they be bakelite or not?
Where can I find any information on bakelite chips and poker accessories?

If the asking price is reasonable, I'd be interested, otherwise neat to look at.

Thanks for the help. Email or on the board is great!

TOM