Estate sale find?

Bishop

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
99% of what I come across is junk. But this one caught my attention. There's characteristics of veneer work, I'm thinking full splice. Its quite thick and very much reminds me of my older Titlist before conversion.

Unfortunately there's no sticker or identifying marks. Its very hard to tell but in the light it almost looks like natural, green, brown, orange veneers but its just too hard to tell, the veneers are thick too. Points line up pretty well, better than most.

I'm not gifted enough to know whether this cue is something worth converting/selling or if its just another junk house cue. I'm hoping one of you guys can fill in the blanks for me.

I can get more pictures if it would at all help. Last pic shows a pretty nasty gouge but I've seen worse filled.

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cue

I think I would take a chance in havn it converted it could have good potential for a great lookn cue
 
It looks like its worth converting, if you take razor blade and scrape it near the gouge (don't dig in just scrape past the finish a little bit) you can probably get a better look at the veneer colors. Or you can just sell it, I think realizm might be interested, if not I might be for the right price.
 
It looks like its worth converting, if you take razor blade and scrape it near the gouge (don't dig in just scrape past the finish a little bit) you can probably get a better look at the veneer colors. Or you can just sell it, I think realizm might be interested, if not I might be for the right price.
I'm certainly open to selling but I need at least a roundabout range of market value. I don't usually have aspirations of high retail on my finds. Its in good shape, I've had worse converted and I think that gouge could be filled nicely after its turned down since its a dark wood. I don't want to just arbitrarily pluck a number.

Anyone have an idea of what I've got here? My first impression was Brunswick from around the 50-60's but I'm just not well versed enough with these cues to really know.
 
I'm certainly open to selling but I need at least a roundabout range of market value. I don't usually have aspirations of high retail on my finds. Its in good shape, I've had worse converted and I think that gouge could be filled nicely after its turned down since its a dark wood. I don't want to just arbitrarily pluck a number.

Anyone have an idea of what I've got here? My first impression was Brunswick from around the 50-60's but I'm just not well versed enough with these cues to really know.

there's an old familiar face :thumbup:
i doubt it's a brunswick,
based on the wide squared off bottom points
 
Does the very bottom of the butt have anything like "Brunswick" stamped into the wood? If so, that would be an asian made model from the '70's. The veneer colors look too washed out to me for it to be a '50's cue. All my opinion, of course.

Chris
 
if you take razor blade and scrape it near the gouge (don't dig in just scrape past the finish a little bit) you can probably get a better look at the veneer colors.
Okay I lightly took away some dirt and grime. My camera is not real good at close ups but you can still see the veneers well enough here.

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Looks like purple, teal, Walnut/Rosewood?, natural.

I was thinking there was some orange there but I didn't want to dig on it. That inner veneer look more natural than dyed. Hopefully knowing more about the veneer colors can help someone date or value this.
 
Does the very bottom of the butt have anything like "Brunswick" stamped into the wood? If so, that would be an asian made model from the '70's. The veneer colors look too washed out to me for it to be a '50's cue. All my opinion, of course.

Chris
No stamp. I removed the rotting bumper and there's nothing there.
 
Okay I lightly took away some dirt and grime. My camera is not real good at close ups but you can still see the veneers well enough here.

Looks like purple, teal, Walnut/Rosewood?, natural.

I was thinking there was some orange there but I didn't want to dig on it. That inner veneer look more natural than dyed. Hopefully knowing more about the veneer colors can help someone date or value this.

You can see the veneers very well. And I stand corrected. Those are indeed, titlist veneer colors. The last is natural.. no orange. And the stamping I was referring to would be on the side of the butt, near the bottom.. not under the cue. If there's nothing there at all, then it's not what I was thinking of. But, if it were a Brunswick, rather than another make, it should have the weight and "Willie Hoppe" stamped into the upper part of the butt.. with the number between two of the points.

Chris
 
I never asked, but I assume the cue is a one piece? If so, you may have one of the VERY earliest titlist types. Try this link.. it shows the same squared off bottom veneers that yours does. And don't worry about hurting the value of it by scraping off the old grime. That chunk out of it and a missing decal (if it had one), made it suitable only for conversion. Here's the website address:

http://www.belltownvintage.com/OldCues.html

Chris
 
You can see the veneers very well. And I stand corrected. Those are indeed, titlist veneer colors. The last is natural.. no orange. And the stamping I was referring to would be on the side of the butt, near the bottom.. not under the cue. If there's nothing there at all, then it's not what I was thinking of. But, if it were a Brunswick, rather than another make, it should have the weight and "Willie Hoppe" stamped into the upper part of the butt.. with the number between two of the points.

Chris
There is no "willie hoppe" stamp. There is a number stamped right above the a point. 19oz. The first thing I looked for was a hoppe stamp but I'm just not seeing one.

It is one piece. Its a lot straighter than I thought it would be, its not true but the roll out seems to be on the shaft end of things.

There are no markings or stamps near the bottom of the butt.

Even though I only scraped a little bit the veneers are brighter than I expected. They look to pop a bit more than a conversion I had done from a 40's era.
 
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IMHO it's an early Brunswick. But I suppose there are other possibilities.

Beautiful find I think, even with the chunk missing.




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no expert

but i have owned about 100 of this type cue and converted about 25 different titlist. i cannot be sure from photos, but my best guess is one of two. it might be a brunswick by schmelke or a very good chinese reproduction. either way it can be converted to a very nice playing cue. as far as the chip missing i would contact ryan at rat cues, he is a master at this type of repair.

chuck starkey
 
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older brunswick

I never asked, but I assume the cue is a one piece? If so, you may have one of the VERY earliest titlist types. Try this link.. it shows the same squared off bottom veneers that yours does. And don't worry about hurting the value of it by scraping off the old grime. That chunk out of it and a missing decal (if it had one), made it suitable only for conversion.
Chris

I agree. I think it may be a 26 1/2 I don't know what the value is, some of the dimensions would dictate value. Some cue makers will only convert if they meet certain requirements. A friend of mine just bought 30 old brunswicks for a steal. 20 of them were titlists, and 10 were 26 1/2's but I think he got a good deal because of the quantity. Not one of the titlists were purpleheart or ebony, and only 5 were rosewood. Oh, and he's a hog and keepin em all, I did talk him out of one of the non rosewoods though. I'm hoping to get in touch with james white for the conversion.
,Tom
 
In the post that I left the link, I misread what the author stated. I was looking at the cues in order from the top down, but they were actually supposed to be read from the bottom up. The one from the '70's was the only one that had the squared off bottoms on the veneers. But, the link shows it as a 2 piece with a wrap. As I am nothing close to a titlist expert, I will let the link do any further talking for me, and allow the experts to add their comments. I just wanted to straighten that out.

Chris
 
I got some measurments. I'm not going to say these are 100% accurate but my old set of calipers should get us close.

bottom of the butt 1'' up 35.5mm

bottom of the points 31mm

top of the dark point 27mm

again I'm close, these aren't nice new digital calipers.

The cue feels huge in my hand. Definitely thicker than my last conversion.
 
A lot of PMs with guys treading lightly on price. I can understand wanting to get the best value. I'm not looking for upper retail price, I'd like to turn my good fortune into a good deal for someone. I'll certainly entertain offers around fair or reasonable market value.

Also willing to trade for quality golf clubs or guitars, if that helps anyone out. I was going to hold off on putting it up in the for sale forum figuring one of you guys might like first shot at it.
 
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