Click here for information on where to buy Mah-Jong sets (mainly in the UK)
The cheapest new sets cost between £20 and £30. The most expensive ones approach £200.
Vintage sets can cost much more.
Mah-Jong sets are usually not cheap. And it is worth paying as much as you can reasonably afford to obtain one that is attractive. Having a set that feels good enhances the experience of the game.
A good place to start looking is your local second-hand shops. You may be very fortunate and find an old set made from bone and bamboo.
An alternative is to look for a second-hand set on eBay, though you are at a disadvantage in not being able to take a close look. It’s worth trying to verify a few things with the seller before bidding.
Ask when and where it was bought, what the tiles are made from and how many tiles are in the set. There should be at least 144 tiles. Sometimes there are also 4 spare tiles and 4 joker tiles.
Attractive, new Mah-Jong sets are not always easy to find in the High Street. You will need to look in department stores and specialist games shops. A list of shops selling Mah-Jong sets in the UK and Ireland can be found in Shops. To get an idea of the range available, look at Suppliers.
A list of web sites that sell Mah-Jong sets can be found in Web Sales. Google Product Search is also a good place to look. eBay always has plenty of Mah-Jong sets for sale, though they are often imports from China (so there are postal costs to pay).
Buying Racks
Racks are not generally sold with Mah-Jong sets, but they are worth getting. They can be simple wooden ones or more decorative, lacquered racks (often with compartments for the tallies).
A search on Google Product Search or Amazon should be successful. They are also listed in Shops and Web Sales.
Buying Tallies
You do not need to use tallies, but they do add some fun. They go by different names and are more difficult to find. So you may need to search in Google Product Search and other places using “Mah-Jong” with one or more of the following names: “tallies”, “tally sticks”, “scoring sticks”, “counting sticks”, “money sticks”, “chips”. Some are listed in Shops and Web Sales.
Buying other Accessories
If you want a special table for playing Mah-Jong on, a card table will suffice. Look in Google Product Search.
Mah-Jong table cloths can be bought from some web sites (see DAJA mahjong, for example) but a cheaper alternative is to buy a suitably sized square of green felt.
© 2008 Peter Gregory
