I"m 72, I was in pool halls starting in 1968/69. -- GB died in 1975. Guys who were around pool a lot from the mid 60s to the mid to late 70s all had knowledge of George's cues as being the most desired, until Gus's cues caught on as well. Back then, for many reasons, some of us never got our hands on one of the prized cues. However, those who aged with the game and , perhaps became more financially successful, those guys desired that Holy Grail, as many people do who follow many different sports/games as a hobby.
It is not a random number at all- I think that 65+ to early- mid 80s would be the age where most GB cues reside or had passed through their hands.
It is not just the cue, or the maker, most of the collecting passion is identifying with the era itself with regard to the pool scene of 1960s into the 70s- --if you never walked into a room in that time period- then you just won't understand. If you never walked up a flight or down a flight of stairs to hear ONLY the sound of the balls clicking just as you approached the door , then you won't understand. If you never opened a room door where the ONLY light was the lights above the tables, then you won't understand. If you never walked into a room with an old guy sitting high up behind a platformed desk with a mechanical time/date stamp machine to check you in or out of your game time- then you just don't understand. If you are comfortable with smoke free rooms, full of loud music, video games, gourmet food, and women-- then you just won't ever understand what 1960s to mid 1970s pool was like for most who played back then. For many, the cue is their lasting connection, if it is not a GB, then it is probably something with four points and notched pearl diamonds.
