Possible Ricco Cervantes / Gandy Cue – Rosewood Titlist?

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I recently picked up this unmarked cue and have been trying to work through the construction before assigning anything to it.

At this point, I suspect it may be an early Gandy cue by Ricco Cervantes, possibly built from a rosewood Brunswick Titlist blank. I’m hoping someone familiar with these early Gandy/National cues can either confirm that direction or tell me where I’m going wrong.

Two of Chopdoc’s cues in the Gandy Cue Information thread particularly caught my attention, for different reasons.

First is his ebony Titlist HC-140, identified by Dick Abbott as a circa-1969 Ricco Cervantes. The point geometry and veneer configuration look remarkably similar to this cue, with the obvious difference being ebony versus what appears to be rosewood here:

https://forums.azbilliards.com/threads/gandy-cue-information.127423/post-6283210

Separately, Chopdoc’s HC-150 caught my attention because of several other construction details. In particular, the translucent material and ring arrangement at the joint look very similar, as does the veneer-style ringwork at the butt sleeve. That cue is also described as having aluminum shaft inserts and two shafts:

https://forums.azbilliards.com/threads/gandy-cue-information.127423/post-6284550

I realize these are two different cues, so I’m not suggesting that either one individually duplicates this cue. What caught my attention is that several of its more unusual construction details seem to appear across these early Gandy/Cervantes examples.

A few details and measurements from this cue:

• 57 5/8” overall
• Butt: 28 7/8” excluding pin, 15.3 oz
• Two shafts: 28 1/2” to end of ferrule, 4.4 oz and 4.1 oz
• Both ferrules approximately 12.7 mm x 1”
• 5/16-18 joint
• 21.0 mm joint diameter
• Metal shaft inserts appear to be aluminum/nonmagnetic
• Approximately 13” linen wrap
• Butt diameter approximately 1.27”
• Four-point/four-veneer full-splice forearm
• No markings found anywhere

The cue was reportedly purchased years ago at a flea market in Chicago.

Does Ricco Cervantes / early Gandy look like the right direction here? And does the forearm appear to be a rosewood Brunswick Titlist blank?

Any information, corrections or comparable examples would be greatly appreciated.
 

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I recently picked up this unmarked cue and have been trying to work through the construction before assigning anything to it.

At this point, I suspect it may be an early Gandy cue by Ricco Cervantes, possibly built from a rosewood Brunswick Titlist blank. I’m hoping someone familiar with these early Gandy/National cues can either confirm that direction or tell me where I’m going wrong.

Two of Chopdoc’s cues in the Gandy Cue Information thread particularly caught my attention, for different reasons.

First is his ebony Titlist HC-140, identified by Dick Abbott as a circa-1969 Ricco Cervantes. The point geometry and veneer configuration look remarkably similar to this cue, with the obvious difference being ebony versus what appears to be rosewood here:

https://forums.azbilliards.com/threads/gandy-cue-information.127423/post-6283210

Separately, Chopdoc’s HC-150 caught my attention because of several other construction details. In particular, the translucent material and ring arrangement at the joint look very similar, as does the veneer-style ringwork at the butt sleeve. That cue is also described as having aluminum shaft inserts and two shafts:

https://forums.azbilliards.com/threads/gandy-cue-information.127423/post-6284550

I realize these are two different cues, so I’m not suggesting that either one individually duplicates this cue. What caught my attention is that several of its more unusual construction details seem to appear across these early Gandy/Cervantes examples.

A few details and measurements from this cue:

• 57 5/8” overall
• Butt: 28 7/8” excluding pin, 15.3 oz
• Two shafts: 28 1/2” to end of ferrule, 4.4 oz and 4.1 oz
• Both ferrules approximately 12.7 mm x 1”
• 5/16-18 joint
• 21.0 mm joint diameter
• Metal shaft inserts appear to be aluminum/nonmagnetic
• Approximately 13” linen wrap
• Butt diameter approximately 1.27”
• Four-point/four-veneer full-splice forearm
• No markings found anywhere

The cue was reportedly purchased years ago at a flea market in Chicago.

Does Ricco Cervantes / early Gandy look like the right direction here? And does the forearm appear to be a rosewood Brunswick Titlist blank?

Any information, corrections or comparable examples would be greatly appreciated.
It's an HC-150.

Those are vinyl veneers, not Titlist.
 
Last edited:
Bill Lister(BilliardBills) has a Wico Gandy for sale. https://www.billiardbills.com/cues-under-2k/ Scroll down to bottom of under-$2000 cues.
That's been listed for years.

It is non-original wrap, they came with two shafts. One non-original shaft with that one.

It says ivory butt cap, which is intriguing. I think I emailed and asked about that and didn't get an answer. My memory is foggy and I have no notes on that. I do have that exact cue in my files.
 
Thanks, Chopdoc! Really appreciate the confirmation on the HC-150. Would this one fall into the Ricco Cervantes period as well?
Interesting to note a variation on this one you posted.

The veneer stacks in the butt sleeve are wood, not veneer matching the points.

My example has matching vinyl veneers in that location.

I do not know how common this variation might be.

The aluminum shaft inserts, vinyl veneers, and other design and construction details do indicate it is an early Gandy/Ricco cue.
 
I recently picked up this unmarked cue and have been trying to work through the construction before assigning anything to it.

At this point, I suspect it may be an early Gandy cue by Ricco Cervantes, possibly built from a rosewood Brunswick Titlist blank. I’m hoping someone familiar with these early Gandy/National cues can either confirm that direction or tell me where I’m going wrong.

Two of Chopdoc’s cues in the Gandy Cue Information thread particularly caught my attention, for different reasons.

First is his ebony Titlist HC-140, identified by Dick Abbott as a circa-1969 Ricco Cervantes. The point geometry and veneer configuration look remarkably similar to this cue, with the obvious difference being ebony versus what appears to be rosewood here:

https://forums.azbilliards.com/threads/gandy-cue-information.127423/post-6283210

Separately, Chopdoc’s HC-150 caught my attention because of several other construction details. In particular, the translucent material and ring arrangement at the joint look very similar, as does the veneer-style ringwork at the butt sleeve. That cue is also described as having aluminum shaft inserts and two shafts:

https://forums.azbilliards.com/threads/gandy-cue-information.127423/post-6284550

I realize these are two different cues, so I’m not suggesting that either one individually duplicates this cue. What caught my attention is that several of its more unusual construction details seem to appear across these early Gandy/Cervantes examples.

A few details and measurements from this cue:

• 57 5/8” overall
• Butt: 28 7/8” excluding pin, 15.3 oz
• Two shafts: 28 1/2” to end of ferrule, 4.4 oz and 4.1 oz
• Both ferrules approximately 12.7 mm x 1”
• 5/16-18 joint
• 21.0 mm joint diameter
• Metal shaft inserts appear to be aluminum/nonmagnetic
• Approximately 13” linen wrap
• Butt diameter approximately 1.27”
• Four-point/four-veneer full-splice forearm
• No markings found anywhere

The cue was reportedly purchased years ago at a flea market in Chicago.

Does Ricco Cervantes / early Gandy look like the right direction here? And does the forearm appear to be a rosewood Brunswick Titlist blank?

Any information, corrections or comparable examples would be greatly appreciated.
The Ebony Titlist Gandy cue I have has point dimensions that would have nothing to do with your cue. It is a Brunswick blank.

FYI I am looking for a standard construction HC-140 for my collection. That ebony treasure is my only HC-140.
 
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