Taylor & Co. (Chicago, IL) shipped a total of 2000 of these chips in six colors to E. Remer, 1607 W. Walnut St., Stockton, CA, on 5/20/1941. This was the residential address of Elmer "Bones" Remmer (1898-1963). From the 1930s through the 1950s, Bones was a San Francisco gambling kingpin. He had controlling interests in the Cal-Neva Lodge (Lake Tahoe, NV), and several Bay Area illegal gambling operations, including the "21 Club" in El Cerrito, the Oaks Club in Emeryville, the 186 Eddy Club and the Menlo Club, both in San Francisco. Its unclear where exactly these chips were used.
Photograph of Elmer Remmer at the San Francisco County Courthouse, circa 1948.( Courtesy of the Bancroft Library). |