Northwestern California Buckskin Bag with 4 sets of Gambling Sticks (cards).  Bag: Buckskin, iris fiber thread, and abalone. 
(Detailed Description Below)

Northwestern California Buckskin Bag with 4 sets of Gambling Sticks (cards).  Bag: Buckskin, iris fiber thread, and abalone.  Sticks: mock orange wood. black paint, tied together with buckskin thong.  Bundles: 1) 29 sticks, 2) 22 sticks, 3) 25 sticks, 4) 18 sticks.  Sticks 9 1/2 inches long.  Bag 10 inches x 8 1/2 inches wide, except flap.  Stick are used as cards in Northwestern California Indian Gambling games.  The stick with the the painted black center is the ace.  The gambling drum would be used by the player's "singer and drummer" when it was his turn to play and show his cards.   "His" song would be sung also.  Formerly in the Dr. W.C. Martin collection.  Sold by Skinner Auction, Sale #1290, #316.  Purchased by John Molloy.  Circa 1880-1900.
                                                                                        $4,500

Gambling Sticks or cards. Aces marked with a black mark. The Game was usually played between two teams. The dealer divided the sticks into two bunches behind his back and the opponent had to guess which hand the ace was in, or even whether the dealer has stuck the ace in the back of his clothing. Each team had a drummer and a singer, essentially “making medicine” for good luck in winning. Shoots from the cream bush ( Holodiscus discolor) as well as from the “mock orange” were scraped clean of bark. 8 ½ inches tied with old cord. From California or Oregon Indians,
                                                                                             $200

Sticks Used in Hupa Guessing Game
9" x 12" Photo by E. L. Curtis
             comes with Hupa Gambling Sticks