Recent content by WildWing

Yes, the Varner Joss series had the center dashed joint rings, as did the A series. The more interesting part is that you have the plain black collar with date earlier than 1984, which I had not seen before. Maybe the Diamond Series and those earlier ones were being built concurrently to go...

Interesting. Yours shows 1982 and 1983 with plain black collars when the Diamond Series was being build with dashes. Yours also shows what looks like a Diamond Series on the far right. do you remember the year it was made?

Could be right. I have a 1984 Joss with white lettering in the joint collars. Before 1984, I believe was the Diamond Series with the dashes in the middle of the joint collar, but I'm not 100% on that. It would be neat if someone has a lettered collar that says 1983. And none of the pictures...

1984 or later when they changed the joint collars, I think Chopdoc has the right date.

Excellent addition to this thread. All the best, WW

I see what you mean about the bumper on the fancy one. Could use a replacement. If you can't find a KU bumper, I believe most cuemakers and cue repairmen have access to new brown bumpers, which are not a bad replacement. On the fancy one, I do see the groove on the outer edge of the interior...

It is a bit hard to see, but there is a groove that is below the portion in which the insert and bolt would go. That's where the residue would built up. I don't think generally dirt, but rather residue from the KU bumper.

Bottom right picture. https://classiccues.com/cuemakers/balabushka_george_id.html

One thing I can't help but think about, is the typical groove at the bottom of the delrin buttplate left by the Forstner bit that George used to shape the inside of the butt plate. That groove at the outside edge of the inside of the buttplate always built up a little brown residue, likely from...

Not doubting you a bit. If you search though, you will also find some Tang with smaller screw insert assemblies for Balabushka cues as well. My impression is most of them were done that way, but now I wonder how most of his later cues, say 1970 through 1975 were done.

Here are some better pictures of the later Lisciotti Balabushka. Looks like it was on sale way back then for 55K. You may recognize the owner at the time, not sure. https://forums.azbilliards.com/threads/mizeraks-balabushka-including-loas-55k-trade-option.191349/

To me, this is one of the more interesting pictures of one of the cues. If you'd have shown this up front, I probably would have said not necessarily a Balabushka. Reason is, most of them had a metal insert, sometimes called a Tang, where a smaller aluminum screw went into. If nothing else...

Yes, Willie Mosconi's Balabushka went for between 90 and 100 grand on a Hunt auction something like 15 years ago.

Yes, Larry's later cue was the maple windows butt sleeve with ivory arch inlays connecting the windows. If I remember right, Larry and Steve were gambling in Asbury Park, NJ, and Larry ended up winning Steve's cue. No matter, as Steve later on went to have George make what is the famous "Dove"...

Well, had a feeling of that, but your pictures and clues weren't helping. However, since you didn't post a pic of beneath the bumper, it makes sense now. No other maker on the East Coast was quite like that. Larry had another Bushka, probably later. He won it from Steve Mizerak in a...