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So I'm browsing eBay looking for a Mah Jong set. It's a bit alarming. I don't actually care whether the set I'm buying is a genuine ninth dynasty doodah thingummy, because I'm basically ignorant and they're all very pretty and seemingly inexpensive by comparison with the absolutely vile plastic sets on sale in London shops. So, you know, if it was an authentic copy of an old-style set which didn't fall apart or smell of chicken giblets or whatever, I'd be happy - actually happier, probably, than I would be if I thought I'd purchased some dearly-loved hand-me-down set for sod all by making creative use of the exchange rate.
The problem, in a word, is ivory. I can find plenty of boxes made in wood, but all the actual sets seem to be made in bamboo and 'bone'. Some of them say 'ivory', and some of them say 'great elephant bone', which is pretty unequivocal. (Pedantically, I think elephant bone isn't actually 'ivory', but I doubt that makes much difference in the context of how the elephant feels about it, or what HM Customs & Excise might plausibly say about importing it.)
Again, I actually wouldn't mind if the material in question turned out to be, say, pig bone or bleached wood (not that I'd be thrilled about the former, but at least there isn't a worldwide pig shortage). I fear, however, that in this particular they're all being truthful. There's a distressing amount of other ivory stuff knocking around, including whole tusks.
I really don't want an ivory set, not even one which was demonstrably made before 1947, which would make it legal, if still upsetting.
I'd also rather not have one made in formica. Because it's just not very nice.
(Although having said that, the idea of a recycled materials Mah Jong set is fabulous. Polished cokebottle tiles or something.)
So does anyone know any alternatives? Or any way of making sure you're not holding Bar Bar's teeth when you yell 'kong'? |
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