What are these?

[Heratnumber7]

I found 4 of these in DMs garage. Does anyone know what they are?

I'm wondering if they are used for some kind of game.

Roulette

I was thinking they fitted in a box and the chips were stacked in them.

I was going to suggest backgammon tile holders but they look a bit big

It does look as if they're designed to hold chips/tiles etc for games. I guess you don't have any other clues to their background, otherwise you wouldn't be asking us?!

Are the bottoms flat or slightly curved, it's difficult to tell with the shadows?

Or they could be inserts which go into a drawer designed to store something specific non-game related.

Intriguing - I love these MN mystery threads!

Maybe they've come from something like a sewing box/cabinet for storing things like pins, needles, reels of cotton etc?

Or a 'collector-of-small-items' cabinet?

Found them in DMs garage while clearing out her house, so no other clues.

Roulette chip holder maybe, or backgammon. But neither DF nor DM played either game, so probably not.

They both played bridge - is there anything they might be used for in bridge?

I'll take a better photo later and post it.

Is this better?

Maybe they are designed to be multi functional. ie can be used for several games.

You might be correct. The right hand side of the photo you've just posted looks like a rest for Scrabble tiles.

tile holders for mahjong

Unescorted is spot on.

Mah Jong. That makes sense. Would have loved these playing that with my dad and brother.

Ah. I've never played Mahjong, so what are the shallow 'dishes' behind the tile holders used for?

How woukd one use them for mahjong?

Not saying that's wrong, but I have no idea why DPs would have 4 mahjong tile holders!

The segmented bit is rounded, so not for holding tiles.

In our mah jong set we had loads of little round counters too. Never did figure out exactly why 😂

Maybe it's mahjong then. Weird though

It seems you're right! Well I never!

images.app.goo.gl/3cKVpFiuD5iufLUp9

How fabulous!