Balabushka.. the final phase 3... what better way to close out 40 years

classiccues

classiccues

Morgan set complete...
Silver Member
I am just going to repost the letter, and a preview tomorrow night.... We do not want to over due it all in one night. :D

The holy grail, as previously indicated is George Balabushka's Last Work

JV
 
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Here is the letter...

JV
 

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Before I post a pic or two...

This cue is really a bridge. Whomever this was being made for, he must have been a player. It was on the way to being a pretty gussied up cue. What historians, like Mark and I find fascinating, is the cue is really a mid 1960's design. So we know George didn't stop using Spain / Davis blanks, or titlists, on date XXX. He used what he had. So we know there are 1974/75 Spain cues, and if someone showed us a titlist from 1975, I would think it is probably likely.

To speak of design, the prongs are black/green/black/green and ebony. We know George had green plastics. He didn't use them. In fact the material he chose, really helps set the tone of the cue. George's design eye, was truly special in his time.

JV
 
I don't think it is the last Balabushka
Jack Potter bought the last Balabushka and within a week or two the family had tried to reach him to obtain the cue

From the very first ,before there was any Balabushka mania it was common knowledge in the Dallas area that Jack had bought the last Balabushka

Jack was the fella who (along with Sanchez) made the Libra cues,a well known player , well liked and well known and beat me with the 5 and the break.
in the pool community,the last Balabushka is now in the Glenn collection and fairly well documented

Mr Tascarella was only speculating in my opinion,as I am certain of this story
 
Dean,
You really need to learn how to read. It is the last most complete unfinished cue by George. In other words, it was next on the list to get finished. Pete bought the shop and this was the next cue, to be done.

Look at the Billiard Encyclopedia 3rd edition page 427. There is a page devoted to cues by famous cuemakers that didn't get a chance to finish them due to their untimely demises.

Mr. Tascarella is not speculating at all. He is 100% certain the letter is 100% accurate.

Whether or not Jack's cue is the last Balabushka has nothing to do with this letter.

Joe / Mark

deanoc said:
I don't think it is the last Balabushka
Jack Potter bought the last Balabushka and within a week or two the family had tried to reach him to obtain the cue

From the very first ,before there was any Balabushka mania it was common knowledge in the Dallas area that Jack had bought the last Balabushka

Jack was the fella who (along with Sanchez) made the Libra cues,a well known player , well liked and well known and beat me with the 5 and the break.
in the pool community,the last Balabushka is now in the Glenn collection and fairly well documented

Mr Tascarella was only speculating in my opinion,as I am certain of this story
Click to expand...
 
The reason we held this amazing, historical cue back so many months and did not show this publically was we did not want to have a dozen versions, commissioned by others, all over the place.

Believe me, we wanted to really showcase it, but we decided on the SBE to be the venue where people will get to see it, and a surprise, first hand.

Joe / Mark
 
deanoc said:
I don't think it is the last Balabushka
Jack Potter bought the last Balabushka and within a week or two the family had tried to reach him to obtain the cue

From the very first ,before there was any Balabushka mania it was common knowledge in the Dallas area that Jack had bought the last Balabushka

Jack was the fella who (along with Sanchez) made the Libra cues,a well known player , well liked and well known and beat me with the 5 and the break.
in the pool community,the last Balabushka is now in the Glenn collection and fairly well documented

Mr Tascarella was only speculating in my opinion,as I am certain of this story
Click to expand...

Interesting....while this maybe the last cue in line to finish. This guy from Dallas probably has the last one from Geroge.
 
The design of this cue and color combinations of the veneers and butt sleeve has always been my favorite of George's cues. What a cue the customer of it would have gotten back then if George had been able to finish it. Makes ya wonder :scratchhead:, was it going to be linen or leather.
 
So just to let you know.. we did the unthinkable. We actually let Steve finish the cue.

JV
 

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Very understated and classic. Almost reminds me of some Paradise designs. Are you going to leave the forearm and butt sleeve as they are, or add some inlays?
 
WildWing said:
Very understated and classic. Almost reminds me of some Paradise designs. Are you going to leave the forearm and butt sleeve as they are, or add some inlays?
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Oh, Christ, you beat me to my own question. What a magnificent cue.
 
Just a curiosity question. Are these cues marked as Steve's or will LOAs be made to recognize them as such? I am sure they will remain in collections forever but will they one day become "originals" without the proper documentation. Either way they are great examples. Thanks for sharing.
 
Oh my, my, my......getting close but I may have a new favorite of the lot !!

That gray acrylic in the back end really does wondrous things with those m-o-p inlays. :thumbup:
 
Just curious why Steve Klein & not Pete Tascarella? Great cue, great story & thanks for sharing...
 
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