Ancient table (or not?) - Destrehan Planation, New Orleans, LA, USA

Linwood

AzB Silver Member
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We were in New Orleans at the Destrehan Plantation wandering around when they showed us a room (which we could not enter, just look through glass) which was the billiard room.

I asked the guide if it was period authentic, and she had no clue, saying "A University provided it when they helped with restoration".

Pure curiousity... anyone know anything about it? Or what pool tables looked like in the mid-1800's?

It was in an add-on wing, so maybe it was late 1800's.

Vacation%202017%20-%20DD8_5051-XL.jpg


I'm certain it is not original, as they said the house was looted and the only original fixture was a heavy large bathtub. But much was restored or recreations. To me though this looked a bit modern compared to other furniture both in finish and in preservation.

Sorry for the reflections; had to shoot through glass.
 

Renegade_56

AzB Silver Member
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It's an odd looking billiards table in that, judging by the length of the cue on it one would think it's 9 foot instead of 10 or 12. Looks more like a fairly recent home table to me.
 

Joe_Jaguar

AzB Silver Member
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Or what pool tables looked like in the mid-1800's?

There are definitely some old ones out there. I saw one a few years back in the quarters at the fort on Mackinac Island. Real old billiard table. Saw this one a few years back at the Biltmore. Photo came out bad.


DSCN0386.jpg
 

Linwood

AzB Silver Member
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It's an odd looking billiards table in that, judging by the length of the cue on it one would think it's 9 foot instead of 10 or 12. Looks more like a fairly recent home table to me.

Would tables back then have been built to order? It seemed about the right size for the room (the room itself is original size, if restored). I thought the cues and racks looked surprisingly current though also.
 

pt109

WO double hemlock
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I'm going with 'old'.
..played one like that...had a four piece slate.
 

Texas Carom Club

9ball did to billiards what hiphop did to america
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Very nice, I have never heard of a 12ft billiard table, I think brunswick offered it once in a brochure but never actually seen an image

8-9fters would have been Common here back when Americans played carom
 

1pocket

Steve Booth
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Looks like an 1880's or so Brunswick Balke Callender sort of table to me. I have one similar vintage rough shape, but similar shaped square legs. Mine was billiards also, although 9' length and four piece slate too for that matter. The one in your pic only looks like about a 9' table to me.
 

Rico

AzB Silver Member
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billiards

Looks sorta like a non pariel 1870,s 1880,s.Could be a 10ft. Many of the billiard tables were converted to pocket tables. I had a exhibition novelty 1872.
 

book collector

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Would tables back then have been built to order? It seemed about the right size for the room (the room itself is original size, if restored). I thought the cues and racks looked surprisingly current though also.

Looks like an 1870s Brunswick NonPareil, I can't be sure from the photo, but it looks original to me.
Brunswick made most of their tables in 10 and 9 foot versions and many also came in 8 foot models.
Most thieves would not steal a pool table.
 

Bob Jewett

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I have a few photocopies of old catalogs. Judging by an 1880 catalog, it looks like a "Nonpareil Novelty" as mentioned above. It has the 45-degree turned legs and the bulge in the middle of the side. The photo is fancier than the catalog in that it has ornaments just below the rail cap and the one in the catalog does not. The catalog model is called the "Standard" so maybe there were special features you could add.

The catalog mentions that all the championships and matches were played on this model and it lists some averages that the top players achieved.
 

Bob Jewett

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Would tables back then have been built to order? It seemed about the right size for the room (the room itself is original size, if restored). I thought the cues and racks looked surprisingly current though also.
From the picture, it looks like you would have a broken lamp if you tried to play on it.
 

Poolplaya9

Tellin' it like it is...
Silver Member
Pure curiousity... anyone know.....what pool tables looked like in the mid-1800's?

It was in an add-on wing, so maybe it was late 1800's.

Here is one that has been posted before from that general time period that is an original and was left behind when the mining town of Bodie, CA was abandoned. Of course there were multiple models of tables back then too so they don't all look alike but this gives you an example of an unrestored original from the time period.
https://www.google.com/search?q=bod...wPnVAhXPZiYKHY_vDSsQ_AUICygC&biw=1680&bih=815
 

Mr. Bond

Orbis Non Sufficit
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I see no reason why it couldn't be an authentic period table, there are still plenty of them around. (and billiards was very popular in New Orleans back in the day)

This table in particular would have been produced after the development of the " bevel " style frame by Collender et al .....so I'd say between 1872 and 1890 or so.
 

michael4

AzB Silver Member
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Would tables back then have been built to order? It seemed about the right size for the room (the room itself is original size, if restored). I thought the cues and racks looked surprisingly current though also.

most people seem to agree its an original "old" table, but it wasnt built for this house......

they "re-staged" this house with period furniture to try to recreate what it would have looked like
 

Linwood

AzB Silver Member
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Wow, thanks for the insight. As I said, curiosity, but you guys clearly know more about it than the guide did.
 

ceebee

AzB Silver Member
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I wonder why it has 3 Red Balls & not 1 Red & 2 white balls.

The table may almost be totally original ....?
 
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