Bone and Ebony Dominoes Value Guide

These Victorian-era dominoes represent 19th-century French craftsmanship, featuring a delicate layer of bovine bone pinned to a dense ebony wood base. They are highly collectible for their dual-material construction and the inclusion of functional brass 'spinners' designed to protect the bone faces during play.

What Is Bone and Ebony Dominoes Worth?

The typical price range for Bone and Ebony Dominoes is $50 - $55 based on recent sales. However, values can vary depending on the item's condition, rarity, and other factors such as:

• Completeness of the set, as missing tiles significantly reduce the market value from the $50-$55 range.
• The physical condition of the bone faces, specifically looking for cracks, yellowing, or missing brass spinner pins.
• The presence of an original storage box, which adds historical context and protects the delicate materials.
• The precision of the hand-carved pips and the overall tightness of the metal pins connecting the bone to the ebony.

How to Identify Bone and Ebony Dominoes?

• Look for the visible brass spinner pin in the center of each tile, which was used to facilitate shuffling and prevent surface wear.
• Examine the side profile to confirm the two-part construction where the white bone layer is pinned to the dark ebony wood.
• Check for natural grain patterns in the bone and the characteristic heavy weight and dark hue of authentic ebony.
• Verify the French origin and Victorian dating (1860-1890) through the specific hand-drilled pips and aged patina of the materials.

History of Bone and Ebony Dominoes

These sets were popular during the 19th century and were typically handcrafted by pinning a thin layer of bovine bone to a solid ebony base. The small brass pin in the center, known as a 'spinner', was originally designed to protect the bone face from wear and to help shuffle the tiles by making them easier to spin on a table.