Mostly I’ve gravitated toward British bone spellicans, which in large part preceded American Jack Straws, but this is a very early set of the latter, c. 1890, in great shape, and I really love that all of the pieces are shaped like tools (specifically intended to represent farm tools from what I’ve read.) Each piece has a point value stamped on one side—indicating how many points a player would receive for successful extracting it from the others without disturbing them—and the set seems more or less complete, except for a hook. I’ve found it’s fairly easy just to craft a hook oneself from a piece of wire, though, or to use one of the pieces shaped like a foot/hook instead—or certainly there are lots of other things one might do with these great little mini tools, including just throw them in a bowl!

Box measures 6 1/2” x 5” x 1 5/8” and is in very good condition. Jack straws themselves average about 3 1/4” long and are in great shape.