Top 5 Most Significant Cues..

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CueCaps

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
I always wondered...
What would be the top 5 most significant Cues of the American Cuemakers.

Would it be ?
The Golden Buska
Ernie's Centennial Cue
Jackie Gleason's Balabuska
Gus' personal 8 Point Cues
Gus' Unfinished cue - completed by Barry * < Correction: Still in "Unfinished" condition.. Thanks Ken K. :)
Willie Mosconi's Frank Paradise Cue
Barry Szamboti's Tribute to my Dad
Bill Stroud's Ruby Cue
Thomas Wayne's Celtic Knot Cue
Any others?
Richard Black's El Blanco Grande?



Added to replies below:
1st.. Thanks for posting Jamie, Joe, Don (?) Adams, Sean.. and all..
Those kind of cues you listed Jamie.. That kind of collectables.. Not the 1st. two piece cues, 1st cue with juma ferrule, etc..
Maybe I mis-named Ernie's silver cue.. but, that is the one I meant as the Centennial Cue..
And, Thomas' Celtic Prince.. I called it the "Celtic Knot".. Sorry Thomas..

"Can someone PLEASE post pics of this Golden Balabushka??" Quote - yally
Yally, I think someone will make a "Tribute" soon .. :D




 

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Very difficult question Alton. Are you speaking of design only, or construction as well?

Just off the top of my head I would have to say:

1. Ernie's Sliver & Ivory cue built in 1966
2. The Golden Balabushka
3. Szamboti Snap cue
4. An early Kersenbrock (can't think of a specific example)
5. Thomas Wayne Celtic Prince

silverg1.jpg
 
I think each person would have a personal top 5. However I think from design standards, Ernies cue, any fancy inlaid Bushka, Paradise, Szamboti could be considered "firsts".

I do like to think that ANY cue used by a professional to win a number of tournaments would have to be included. I think Bushka or Botis that were made for, and used by, the likes of Crane, Mosconi, Caras, Hopkins, Mizerak, etc.. a step further ANY early cue used to win by any of the champions should be cherished and revered. How many titles did Willie use his Rambo to win? I think what gets lost in todays cue world, is that cues were made at one time for actually playing the game.

I think if Bushka was given the choice to build a cue for Irving Crane or John Rockefeller, that John Rockefeller would be buying a fvcking Palmer.

(Remember even the golden Balabushka was made for a pool player.)

JV (---not that Palmer was a bad cue either... :)
 
Worminator said:
Very difficult question Alton. Are you speaking of design only, or construction as well?

Just off the top of my head I would have to say:

1. Ernie's Sliver & Ivory cue built in 1966
2. The Golden Balabushka
3. Szamboti Snap cue
4. An early Kersenbrock (can't think of a specific example)
5. Thomas Wayne Celtic Prince

silverg1.jpg
Click to expand...

Did he make the case as well?

I've always really loved wooden box cases but there's virtually nobody that does them...

At least that I know of.
 
Alton strikes again....

Boy, what an interesting topic !!

It would be pretty hard to corral, but I think possible to have a consensus top 5....might not be everybody's personal top 5....but possible imo to arrive at a general consensus industry top 5. This almost sounds like something that should be done and voted on. :)

I like Jamie's suggestions, pretty strong group there. It would be tough to pick a DPK, but might have to go with one of his newer monster creations. I'm sure there's some crazy ones that most everyone has never seen. Just a taste of a few 'bigger ones' courtesy of Dr. Wu (via the internet time machine below).

Ernie's 1966 silver cue and Barry's "Tribute to my dad" would probably be on my top 5 list. Would have to give it some serious thought on the rest.

If you're talking ***influential***, it would be tough to not include Eddie's 'Balabushka'/Joss from TCOM. Gotta admit how hugely influential that cue was to the world of custom cues back then.
 

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I agree lots of cues should be posted and voted on. Just in the few that are already here there's a couple I haven't seen before. Sounds like a good job for Jamie since he is good at running large votes.

Sent from my SCH-I545 using Tapatalk 2
 
CueCaps said:
I always wondered...
What would be the top 5 most significant Cues of the American Cuemakers.

Would it be ?
The Golden Buska
Ernie's Centennial Cue
Jackie Gleason's Balabuska
Gus' personal 8 Point Cues
Gus' Unfinished cue - completed by Barry
Willie Mosconi's Frank Paradise Cue
Barry Szamboti's Tribute to my Dad
Bill Stroud's Ruby Cue
Thomas Wayne's Celtic Knot Cue
Any others?
Richard Black's El Blanco Grande?



Added to replies below:
1st.. Thanks for posting Jamie, Joe, Don (?) Adams, Sean.. and all..
Those kind of cues you listed Jamie.. That kind of collectables.. Not the 1st. two piece cues, 1st cue with juma ferrule, etc..
Maybe I mis-named Ernie's silver cue.. but, that is the one I meant as the Centennial Cue..
And, Thomas' Celtic Prince.. I called it the "Celtic Knot".. Sorry Thomas..

"Can someone PLEASE post pics of this Golden Balabushka??" Quote - yally
Yally, I think someone will make a "Tribute" soon .. :D
Click to expand...
Hey Alton,
Just to clarify your description of Gus' Last Cue Unfinished.
That cue was NEVER completed by Barry. It remains in the stage that Gus left it.
Best,
Ken
 
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cueaddicts said:
Boy, what an interesting topic !!

It would be pretty hard to corral, but I think possible to have a consensus top 5....might not be everybody's personal top 5....but possible imo to arrive at a general consensus industry top 5. This almost sounds like something that should be done and voted on. :)

I like Jamie's suggestions, pretty strong group there. It would be tough to pick a DPK, but might have to go with one of his newer monster creations. I'm sure there's some crazy ones that most everyone has never seen. Just a taste of a few 'bigger ones' courtesy of Dr. Wu (via the internet time machine below).

Ernie's 1966 silver cue and Barry's "Tribute to my dad" would probably be on my top 5 list. Would have to give it some serious thought on the rest.

If you're talking ***influential***, it would be tough to not include Eddie's 'Balabushka'/Joss from TCOM. Gotta admit how hugely influential that cue was to the world of custom cues back then.
Click to expand...

Sean,

In the late 70s David Kersenbrock built an engraved silver cue called the Silver Lady for my friend Joe Dias in Chicago brokered by George Michiels. The cue took 1.5 years to complete. That may be the cue Jamie was referring to.

Joe owned the cue until the early 90s and it has changed hands one more time from what I have been told.

Joe would bring the cue to the pool hall and some tournaments now and then and I have held it in my hand. The cue is a beautiful work of art by a brilliant man.

I believe that cue should be top of the list, IMO.

BTW, I love the fancy Duality Cue you posted. It is one of my favorite cues by DPK.

Rick
 
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Rick, I've heard of David's early "Silver Lady" cue but haven't ever seen it. Anyone have pics of it? He's made several world class works of art imo. I think my favorite that I've seen is the ivory pronged "Pen & Paper" cue.

Here is a quick pic of the Golden Balabushka from pg 330 of the Billiard Encyclopedia 2nd edition.

Not the best quality, but caption reads, " George's most unique and elaborate cue. A year in the making, the solid rosewood butt was inlaid with 14 diamond shaped gold pieces and a lizard skin wrap."
 

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Worminator said:
Very difficult question Alton. Are you speaking of design only, or construction as well?

Just off the top of my head I would have to say:

1. Ernie's Sliver & Ivory cue built in 1966
2. The Golden Balabushka
3. Szamboti Snap cue
silverg1.jpg
Click to expand...

You had me with the first 3.
I would add Ernie's box cue, built for Ed Kelly (the first box cue ever constructed)

My 5th cue would require some consideration. Where to I place my emphasis...on a cue that changed history or on a cue that would command the highest value or one that I would choose above all others???

Barry's tribute box cue is a personal favorite (You called it JV)
Harvey Martin's custom balance concept was important
Mike Bender's Omega (photo taken in DPK's hands before the Omega/DPK breakup)
Dieckman's work in the development of the original Predator shaft (Predator Prototype cue)
 
Guaranteed! DPK " the flying lady" will be the most collectible cue of all time some day! To me it is today, but what do i know! His 10 TO 20 inlaid cues only bring 15,000+ dollars today and he is still alive . No one has ever done that! He is for sure the icon cue maker of all time!
 
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cueaddicts said:
Rick, I've heard of David's early "Silver Lady" cue but haven't ever seen it. Anyone have pics of it? He's made several world class works of art imo. I think my favorite that I've seen is the ivory pronged "Pen & Paper" cue.

Here is a quick pic of the Golden Balabushka from pg 330 of the Billiard Encyclopedia 2nd edition.

Not the best quality, but caption reads, " George's most unique and elaborate cue. A year in the making, the solid rosewood butt was inlaid with 14 diamond shaped gold pieces and a lizard skin wrap."
Click to expand...

Thank you cueaddicts. This is the most unique Bushka I have ever seen. Very much appreciate the time taken to post.

Does anyone have any history or knowledge about this cue? Custom order, Bushka moving away from his typical design, possible location, etc?

What a wonderful piece of art!
 
findcue4u said:
Guaranteed! DPK " the flying lady" will be the most collectible cue of all time some day! To me it is today, but what do i know! His 10 TO 20 inlaid cues only bring 15,000+ dollars today and he is still alive . No one has ever done that! He is for sure the icon cue maker of all time!
Click to expand...

Anyone got a picture of this one?
 
Ivory joint Balabushka in the Glenn collection
Mosconi hi run cue in the Glenn Collection
Gina first box cue made for Ed Kelley in the Prout Vault
Szamboti last work
John Nemic Deano cue with ivory Hoppe ring in the jake Hulsey collection

Jerry Franlin/Kirsenbrock Violin cue

no particular order

just my 2 cents
Dean
 
Not sure if it's artistic enough to reach the top five, but Thomas Waynes "them bones" cue is pretty cool.
 
Balabushka's fanciest cue
Szamboti's fanciest cue
The above pictured Gina Cue.
David Kersenbrock's Lady Cue
Thomas Wayne's Celtic Prince
Meucci's original Crown Jewel Cue.

Oh well that is 6 and I can't bring it down any lower than those 6.
 
Cues

How about Paul Schofields George Balabuska cue. Last one made in the box etc. Check it out on the cue and case gallery under Paul Schofield
My Balabushka
 
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