Gus Szamboti 70's

joe scherber

Registered
The dots are at the end of the points which is commonly done to cover up the tips of the points when there not equal length. I love dots but not their location.Your cue is a piece of cue history and a nice example of gus szambotis artistry/style
 

skins

Likes to draw
Silver Member
The dots are at the end of the points which is commonly done to cover up the tips of the points when there not equal length. I love dots but not their location.Your cue is a piece of cue history and a nice example of gus szambotis artistry/style

You're outright wrong... Adding "dot's", or anything else for that matter, should not be mentioned as something being covered up especially by Gus.. NEVER BY GUS... His prongs were AND still are thought of as some of the cleanest EVER. The ebony balls were added purely as a cosmetic detail to "cap" off the prongs. THAT was a common look back then that many loved including myself....Not only is your analogy of the esthetics of this cue wrong but IMHO so is your "wishful thinking/pie in the sky" potential valuation comment. Though the "AZ market" may not reflect what the value of this is, I believe original Gus work is at the top of the heap on desirability and will eventually command an acceptable price for the OP.
 
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jazznpool

Superior Cues--Unchalked!
Gold Member
Silver Member
You're outright wrong... Adding "dot's", or anything else for that matter, should not be mentioned as something being covered up especially by Gus.. NEVER BY GUS... His prongs were AND still are thought of as some of the cleanest EVER. The ebony balls were added purely as a cosmetic detail to "cap" off the prongs. THAT was a common look back then that many loved including myself....Not only is your analogy of the esthetics of this cue wrong but IMHO so is your "wishful thinking/pie in the sky" potential valuation comment. Though the "AZ market" may not reflect what the value of this is, I believe original Gus work is at the top of the heap on desirability and will eventually command an acceptable price for the OP.

He's not wrong in his thinking Tim. Joe is 100% correct. He didn't say Gus used the dots to even out the points on this cue. End of points decor is sometimes used as a remedy for uneven or other end of points problems. Joe does not like end of point dots and neither do I. If there was 1/8" space between the end of the points and the dots, I might love them, especially if small.

Nobody is ever wrong in their style preferences.
 
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skins

Likes to draw
Silver Member
He's not wrong in his thinking Tim. Joe is 100% correct. He didn't say Gus used the dots to even out the points on this cue. End of points decor is sometimes used as a remedy for uneven or other end of points problems. Joe does not like end of point dots and neither do I. If there was 1/8" space between the end of the points and the dots, I might love them, especially if small.

Nobody is ever wrong in their style preferences.

Never said anyone is wrong for their preference, I said they were wrong about mentioning the use of dots as a method of hiding uneven points FOR many makers especially Gus.. IMO if they knew about Gus work OR even if they didnt, they shouldn't have mentioned that for THIS cue...
 

joe scherber

Registered
Skins I said I don't like dots or any other inlay at the tip of the points and why. Never did I say or think that's why Gus put those dots there. Hes my favorite cue maker -don't read more into it than was actually stated.Again I love the cue.
 

skins

Likes to draw
Silver Member
Skins I said I don't like dots or any other inlay at the tip of the points and why. Never did I say or think that's why Gus put those dots there. Hes my favorite cue maker -don't read more into it than was actually stated.Again I love the cue.

Im not "reading" into anything Joe...This is what you said:

The dots are at the end of the points which is commonly done to cover up the tips of the points when there not equal length........

I took your comment as you said it, to infer that YOU think that it's a "given" based on your comment of it being a "common" accurance that adding dots at the top of points is done by makers to hide an imperfection which incidentally may be why you dont like them. Maybe it's been your experience because of the makers you've dealt with but my issue is with bringing that up in a conversation regarding a cue made by Gus which I believe a bit wreckless and counter productive to the OP's intention IMHO.

You dont have to like them but those dots meant more work for Gus and should and do increase the value.
 

classiccues

Don't hashtag your broke friends
Silver Member
Gus did not do many dots on 4 point cues, FTR... I think I have seen 4 or 5 +/-. Gus' point tip inlay work is mostly on his 8 pointers.

JV

Im not "reading" into anything Joe...This is what you said:



I took your comment as you said it, to infer that YOU think that it's a "given" based on your comment of it being a "common" accurance that adding dots at the top of points is done by makers to hide an imperfection which incidentally may be why you dont like them. Maybe it's been your experience because of the makers you've dealt with but my issue is with bringing that up in a conversation regarding a cue made by Gus which I believe a bit wreckless and counter productive to the OP's intention IMHO.

You dont have to like them but those dots meant more work for Gus and should and do increase the value.
 

Maq1679

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Gus

What Will P. said was spot on. You offered me this very cue back in August for $12k and I passed, not because it isn't an incredible Gus Szamboti, it is. It is an absolutely beautiful and rare example of Gus's work. I passed because the prices in the high dollar collectible cue market have collapsed. Instead I bought a much rarer Balabushka at half the price you were asking. Ten years ago your cue would have probably sold for $18k or more but that's just not the case now. My question to you is if you were going to sell it back in August for $12k and someone is offering $13500 for it now, what has changed? If I were you, I would take that offer in a New York second and I would hand deliver it personally. Just my 2 cents. Best of luck with your sale.

Maq1679
 

skins

Likes to draw
Silver Member
What Will P. said was spot on. You offered me this very cue back in August for $12k and I passed, not because it isn't an incredible Gus Szamboti, it is. It is an absolutely beautiful and rare example of Gus's work. I passed because the prices in the high dollar collectible cue market have collapsed. Instead I bought a much rarer Balabushka at half the price you were asking. Ten years ago your cue would have probably sold for $18k or more but that's just not the case now. My question to you is if you were going to sell it back in August for $12k and someone is offering $13500 for it now, what has changed? If I were you, I would take that offer in a New York second and I would hand deliver it personally. Just my 2 cents. Best of luck with your sale.

Maq1679

Lets see your Balabushka that is "much rarer" than the OP's cue...
 

Logdog

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
What Will P. said was spot on. You offered me this very cue back in August for $12k and I passed,..........
Maq1679

I have no idea what you are talking about because I haven't offered this to anyone until I posted it back on Jan 31st. It has been in my safe deposit for the past 20 years. You have me confused for someone else.
 

Maq1679

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Gus

I just went back through my email exchanges and would like to apologize. The Gus I was offered is not the cue you have for sale. It is very similar as far as what an incredible cue maker Gus was except it has Ivory spears on the points and Ivory diamonds and dots on the butt sleeve. My apologies for the mistake but I still stand by my statement of your cue's value.

Maq1679
 

skins

Likes to draw
Silver Member
Anyone who makes the error of mistakng the Gus cue the OP posted to a Gus cue with "Ivory spears on the points and Ivory diamonds and dots on the butt sleeve" has NO credibility towards any valuation of ANY of Gus's work IMHO...
 

fromthebeginnin

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
What Will P. said was spot on. You offered me this very cue back in August for $12k and I passed, not because it isn't an incredible Gus Szamboti, it is. It is an absolutely beautiful and rare example of Gus's work. I passed because the prices in the high dollar collectible cue market have collapsed. Instead I bought a much rarer Balabushka at half the price you were asking. Ten years ago your cue would have probably sold for $18k or more but that's just not the case now. My question to you is if you were going to sell it back in August for $12k and someone is offering $13500 for it now, what has changed? If I were you, I would take that offer in a New York second and I would hand deliver it personally. Just my 2 cents. Best of luck with your sale.

Maq1679

I'd like to see the Balabushka as well!
 

Logdog

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Well, it looks like this is coming to a close with no posts for 10 days. I hope I was able to provide some insight for the group by posting the numbers I received both in appraisal and offers. To recap the appraisals, after throwing out the highest and lowest, ranged from $10,000-$18,000 and the offers I received ranged from $5,000-$13,500. I think this does not bode well for the market or at least the high end market when a cue of this quality that hasn't even been seen for over 20 years generated so few offers but it is what it is so I will try this again in 10-15 years and hopefully things will have changed for the better. I again want to thank the many people that offered their help and suggestions. This is exactly what a community like this is for and several of you went above and beyond with your help. Thanks again
 
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j2pac

Marital Slow Learner.
Staff member
Moderator
Gold Member
Silver Member
Well, it looks like this is coming to a close with no posts for 10 days. I hope I was able to provide some insight for the group by posting the numbers I received both in appraisal and offers. To recap the appraisals, after throwing oiut the highest and lowest, ranged from $10,000-$18,000 and the offers I received ranged from $5,000-$13,500. I think this does not bode well for the market or at least the high end market when a cue of this quality that hasn't even been seen for over 20 years generated so few offers but it is what it is so I will try this again in 10-15 years and hopefully things will have changed for the better. I again want to thank the many people that offered their help and suggestions. This is exactly what a coimmunity like this is for and several of you went above and beyond with your help. Thanks again

Just my opinion, but most of the remaining people who would have understood who Gus is/was may well be dead in 10-15 years. ;) An offer of $13,500.00 is solid, but at the end of the day, it's your cue. :cool:
Best regards.
j2
 
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