A.E. Schmidt Co. Cue

HawaiianEye

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Aloha all,

I bought this cue from the A.E. Schmidt Co. in St. Louis in around May of 1973. I ordered it from a catalog in the Sportsman's Club pool hall in Kennett, Mo. where I worked throughout my teens.

A few months after I bought it, I went overseas in the military and a left it with the owner of the pool room and I used it when I went home which wasn't too frequently.

Now, 39 years later, I just got the cue back in my possession this morning. It has held up remarkably well for a cue of its age and it has had considerable play put on it over the years while being in the pool room owner's keep.

I hadn't seen it in so long, I had forgotten exactly what it looked like and I was surprised at how it was made compared to the cues I have owned since buying this one.

To the best of my reckoning, it seems to be made from a Brunswick Titlist and I think it remains full-spliced under the wrap. It looks like the wrap is Cortland and the joint seems to be made of aluminum (could be steel) and it has a brass pin which I think is 5/16-14 (could be 5/16-18). The shaft joint also has a metal collar and it is piloted. The base of the pilot surrounding the brass insert in the shaft looks to be set in nylon. (From what I've been told, Paul Huebler used nylon sleeves when he made cues for them...he left A.E. Schmidt Co. to start making his own cues in 1974). There doesn't seem to be any kind of hard finish put on it...looks and feels like an oil finish.

There is no rubber bumper on it now, but I'm quite sure there was one when I bought it.

If anyone has an A.E. Schmidt catalog from around 1972-73 that shows this cue, I'd sure like to know more about it.
 

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HawaiianEye

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
More pics

Here are a few more pics so it may help somebody identify the model and maker.
 

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HawaiianEye

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Now that I've had a chance to look the cue over and do some searching, it looks like it could have been made by the National Cue Co. or Ricco Cervantes of the Gandy Co.

I have seen some cues posted in the threads on here that have pictures that are very similar to this cue.

I know A.E. Schmidt got their cues from quite a few sources and now that I have pictures of my cue that I can send to Kurt and Fred Schmidt, I may be able to find out the maker.

Still looking for any help I can get on here identifying who made it. :)
 

Chopdoc

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
National/Gandy/Cervantes is about right I think.

There are some catalog pics posted somewhere in the forums I think.

Great cue.


.
 

deadnutz

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
The forearm, joint and weight bolt look Gandy but I'm trying to remember a Gandy with brass shaft inserts and I can't. I'm pretty sure the Gandys I've seen all had alluminum shaft inserts. Also, to my knowledge Gandy never used a titlist blank. That leads me to believe National or Viking but it has so many Gandy traits it leads me to believe its a National. Whatever it is, I like it! Cool story as well. I'm sure someone much more knowledgable than me will be along shortly.
 

manwon

"WARLOCK 1"
Silver Member
Aloha all,

I bought this cue from the A.E. Schmidt Co. in St. Louis in around May of 1973. I ordered it from a catalog in the Sportsman's Club pool hall in Kennett, Mo. where I worked throughout my teens.

A few months after I bought it, I went overseas in the military and a left it with the owner of the pool room and I used it when I went home which wasn't too frequently.

Now, 39 years later, I just got the cue back in my possession this morning. It has held up remarkably well for a cue of its age and it has had considerable play put on it over the years while being in the pool room owner's keep.

I hadn't seen it in so long, I had forgotten exactly what it looked like and I was surprised at how it was made compared to the cues I have owned since buying this one.

To the best of my reckoning, it seems to be made from a Brunswick Titlist and I think it remains full-spliced under the wrap. It looks like the wrap is Cortland and the joint seems to be made of aluminum (could be steel) and it has a brass pin which I think is 5/16-14 (could be 5/16-18). The shaft joint also has a metal collar and it is piloted. The base of the pilot surrounding the brass insert in the shaft looks to be set in nylon. (From what I've been told, Paul Huebler used nylon sleeves when he made cues for them...he left A.E. Schmidt Co. to start making his own cues in 1974). There doesn't seem to be any kind of hard finish put on it...looks and feels like an oil finish.

There is no rubber bumper on it now, but I'm quite sure there was one when I bought it.

If anyone has an A.E. Schmidt catalog from around 1972-73 that shows this cue, I'd sure like to know more about it.



The cues model is an S-12 they were manufactured from 1970 until 1977. I have included photo's of original catalogs dated 1971, 1975-1976, and 1976-1977. In the 1971 catalog it really gives you no information who made these cues, however, Paul Huebler was working A.E. Schmidt during that time frame until late 1972 or early 1973 when he started Huebler cues and had Bob Meucci working with him in his shop. The later catalogs still say that A.E. Schmidt are making this cues in house, and they also state that they are using a Hoppe style four prong inlaided butt. It is possible that they were using one piece Titlist cues as the base for these cues because as late as 1977 they still had Titlist cues for sale in their catalog. However, the comparisons in the pictures do not show the exact color pearl rings in the cue pictured in this thread I think from the differences in the catalogs they certainly used different color Pearl at different times they were building.


Note there is no to say for certain that Paul Heubler made the pictured cue, but could have been working for A.E. Schmidt when the pictured cue was made. Since these cues were made over a period of many years it is difficult to say with out doubt exactly when this cues was made. But there is no doubt that these are really nice cues from that time frame and as the later catalogs show after 1971 they started coming with two shafts. To the OP, I think you have a great cue and I would certainly treasure it if it were mine.

1.jpg

1-71.jpg

The catalog below is the later catalog from 1976-1977
1-75-76.jpg

The Catalog below is the early catalog from 1971
2-71.jpg

2-75-76.jpg
 
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cueman

AzB Gold Member
Gold Member
Silver Member
This thread is of much more importance than most cue ID threads that I have seen. This thread just identified many of the "who built it" cues that have come on here. A.E. Schmidt Co can now be identified as the maker of many of the cues people have guessed were Palmers, Gandy, Adam and Paradise.
 

HawaiianEye

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Thank you manwon!!

Thank you very much manwon...I KNEW you would come through...you always do.

I just got off the phone with Fred Schmidt (great, great grandson of the founder of A.E. Schmidt) and he gave me some more info.

If you look at the top of the brochure it identifies who made the cues...V before the stock number indicates Viking...A indicates Adams...and S indicates a Schmidt cue. Schmidt cues were made in St. Louis at the company by Lloyd Bennett and there was also another guy names Bill Vanhoos.

I am uploading a picture of the same brochure manwon posted...you can see the information in the top corner.
 

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manwon

"WARLOCK 1"
Silver Member
Thank you very much manwon...I KNEW you would come through...you always do.

I just got off the phone with Fred Schmidt (great, great grandson of the founder of A.E. Schmidt) and he gave me some more info.

If you look at the top of the brochure it identifies who made the cues...V before the stock number indicates Viking...A indicates Adams...and S indicates a Schmidt cue. Schmidt cues were made in St. Louis at the company by Lloyd Bennett and there was also another guy names Bill Vanhoos.

I am uploading a picture of the same brochure manwon posted...you can see the information in the top corner.

I am glad you got additional information, but the photo of the catalog you posted is after 1971. I am posting another photo of the 1971 catalog where they call all the cues MF Cues and list no maker I actually have three catalogs. In that earlier catalog your cue is an MF-12, now I know what MF means out in the world:D but I have know clue what they mean.

1.jpg

3.jpg

76 77.jpg

4.jpg

5.jpg

Glad I could help
 
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HawaiianEye

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Aloha,

I plan on giving this old cue a test run tomorrow, so I put a new TNT MAX PRO tip on it and cleaned it up a bit with a Magic Eraser. I don't know how old the tip on it was, but it was hard as a rock. I'm sure it was a Le Pro, but after so many years of sitting idle it hit like concrete.

Do any of you know what kind of rubber bumper would fit this cue? I'm looking for one.
 
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Chopdoc

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
I have looked at this cue many times believe it or not. I really dig this era. I have a couple of Gandy cues similar in style as well as Rich and National. Yours is a really sweet example though.

I didn't even think it needed refinished. I am sure it will look amazing. I look forward to seeing pics.


:thumbup:




.
 

phil dade

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
I grew up in St Louis. Schmidt was a great place to visit. Tons of tables, recreation gear and cues. Many beautiful antiques. I had stil lhave a McDermott I bought from Schmidt, my first 58" cue, and I had an A E Schmidt original until last year which played very well and looked nice. I gave it to Mark Gregory's assistant when he was redoing my centennial.

I think you will really like it whne you get it back from Scott.:)
 

HawaiianEye

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Looked good in the pictures. Was a refinish really necessary? Hopefully you're saving the wrap.

I'm not sure the wrap can be saved.

I'll find out once Scot gets a look at the cue.

The plastic rings in the bottom have swollen a bit over the years and need a bit of sanding down and the butt cap needs to be reglued.

I plan on playing with it and not putting it on a shelf. I wanted to make sure it was all tightened up and lasting another 40 years.
 

WildWing

Super Gun Mod
Silver Member
I'm not sure the wrap can be saved.

I'll find out once Scot gets a look at the cue.

The plastic rings in the bottom have swollen a bit over the years and need a bit of sanding down and the butt cap needs to be reglued.

I plan on playing with it and not putting it on a shelf. I wanted to make sure it was all tightened up and lasting another 40 years.

Good plan, agree with you.

All the best,
WW
 

Chopdoc

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
I'm not sure the wrap can be saved.

I'll find out once Scot gets a look at the cue.

The plastic rings in the bottom have swollen a bit over the years and need a bit of sanding down and the butt cap needs to be reglued.

I plan on playing with it and not putting it on a shelf. I wanted to make sure it was all tightened up and lasting another 40 years.



Perfectly understandable. Age does have it's effects, and looks can be deceiving.

I look forward to after pics. And some review of how it plays. :thumbup:

Hopefully the wrap can be saved. But in any case it is in expert hands.


These cues were real war horses and it's good to see them returned to action.



.
 
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