In 1912 Alonzo Burt founded The Portland Billiard Ball Company in Portland Maine, specializing in high quality billiard balls manufactured under a patented process. The company also made numerous other products including checkers, dominos, tally balls, and bowling balls.

By the early 1930's the Portland Billiard Ball Company had begun manufacturing poker chips along with billiard balls. At first these were very simple designs made from a clay like composition material or an early plastic called Plaskon. Plaskon was marketed under the trade name "Breaknot".

Left to right: 3 composition (clay) round edge; elk design; prince of wales design; sailing ship design; spotted faro marker. All the above made by us in the 1930's