History of the Cue, Billiard digest April 1997
circa 1600: The Cuestick is introduced in Europe.
circa 1750: Charles Boulle makes Marquetry cues for french monarchs.
circa 1768: Cues manufactured in Virginia are exported as far as Boston.
circa 1785: The Jeffrey, a cue with it's end cut at an angle, is introduced.
circa 1789: The end of the cue shaft is rounded, but still tipless.
circa 1800: Chalk is applied to tipless cues to apply friction.
circa 1818: Francios Mingaud invents the Leather cue tip.
1828-33 : Thurston's sells Blue chalk & double layer tips, jointed cues
and balanced weighted cues.
circa 1860: Metal screw introduced.
circa 1875: Albert Garnier rubs beeswax on cue butt to improve grip.
circa 1880: Cloth wraps introduced to Europe.
1894 : Herman Rambow begins working for Brunswick as a mail runner.
1895 : "Irish Linen Fishing Line" introduced as wrap.
1925 : Rambow receives patent for a cue with adjustable balance point.
1940 : Brunswick-Balke-Collender Co. introduces "Willie Hoppe"
model with brass to brass joint.
1925-88 : Harvey Martin, Frank Paradise, George Balabushka and Gus
Zamboti and many others elevate custom cue design.
1965-present: Companies start mass producing cues such as Mcdermott, Meucci, Mali, Viking, Huebler and many others.
1986 : Balabushka cue featured in Color of Money motion picture.
1992 : American Cuemakers Association founded.
1994 : Robot used for R&D for Predator cue.
1995 : First showcase of American Cue art opens in L.A.
1996 : Thomas Wayne cue sells for $103,000.
Hope this info helps.
C.H.