Merry Widow..??

C

commswatch

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Where did the term "Merry Widow" originate? From what I can tell, it refers to a pointless forearm with usually simplistic inlay work on the butt. I've been away for awhile...and never recall seeing anything referred to as "Merry Widow"
Someone educate me!
 
lfigueroa

lfigueroa

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
commswatch said:
Where did the term "Merry Widow" originate? From what I can tell, it refers to a pointless forearm with usually simplistic inlay work on the butt. I've been away for awhile...and never recall seeing anything referred to as "Merry Widow"
Someone educate me!
Click to expand...


Merry Widow... nothing pointy sticking up from the butt.

Lou Figueroa
took a shot :)
 
Straightpool_99

Straightpool_99

I see dead balls
Silver Member
commswatch said:
Where did the term "Merry Widow" originate? From what I can tell, it refers to a pointless forearm with usually simplistic inlay work on the butt. I've been away for awhile...and never recall seeing anything referred to as "Merry Widow"
Someone educate me!
Click to expand...

I have no idea. My best guess would be that the widow was merry because her husband bought a plain cue, leaving her money instead of decorated pieces of wood?
 
Tramp Steamer

Tramp Steamer

One Pocket enthusiast.
Silver Member
Merry Widow actually came from a woman who was tried and convicted of killing her husband. She was sentenced to death and became the first female to be executed in the, then new, gas chamber at the Missouri State Penitentiary at Jefferson City. The year was 1914, and the following article appeared in the Kansas City Star from that April.

April 26, 1914. Mary Widowski, a thirty-five year old seamstress from Lees Summit, MO, was convicted of murdering her fourth husband, Mr. Vernon Widowski, by beating him to death with his own pool cue while he slept. Mrs. Widowski had pled not guilty to the charge citing mental cruelty due in part to Mr. Widowski's penchant for high-stakes gambling at local Billiard parlors. According to testimony she stated: "The dirty bastard had it coming. I worked my fingers to the bone and he took the money and gambled it away. I hope he rots in hell!"
The blood spattered murder weapon was reported to be an unadorned Harvey Martin pool cue with Mr. Martin's signature black and red butt rings.

I found the clipping of this story buried among some papers from my late Uncle Walter's estate. :smile:
 
C

commswatch

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Tramp Steamer said:
Merry Widow actually came from a woman who was tried and convicted of killing her husband. She was sentenced to death and became the first female to be executed in the, then new, gas chamber at the Missouri State Penitentiary at Jefferson City. The year was 1914, and the following article appeared in the Kansas City Star from that April.

April 26, 1914. Mary Widowski, a thirty-five year old seamstress from Lees Summit, MO, was convicted of murdering her fourth husband, Mr. Vernon Widowski, by beating him to death with his own pool cue while he slept. Mrs. Widowski had pled not guilty to the charge citing mental cruelty due in part to Mr. Widowski's penchant for high-stakes gambling at local Billiard parlors. According to testimony she stated: "The dirty bastard had it coming. I worked my fingers to the bone and he took the money and gambled it away. I hope he rots in hell!"
The blood spattered murder weapon was reported to be an unadorned Harvey Martin pool cue with Mr. Martin's signature black and red butt rings.

I found the clipping of this story buried among some papers from my late Uncle Walter's estate. :smile:
Click to expand...

That is fascinating! I can't tell if you made this up whilst 3/4 hammered, or it is in fact a true story. I tend to believe the latter....so.... thank you! An unadorned cue/murder weapon is now known as a merry widow.
 
Tramp Steamer

Tramp Steamer

One Pocket enthusiast.
Silver Member
commswatch said:
That is fascinating! I can't tell if you made this up whilst 3/4 hammered, or it is in fact a true story. I tend to believe the latter....so.... thank you! An unadorned cue/murder weapon is now known as a merry widow.
Click to expand...


commswatch, as with all my stories there is an element of truth, and in this case that element is: 'unadorned'. :thumbup:

P.S. I never drink when telling stories. It's much too dangerous.
 
P

pdcue

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
commswatch said:
Where did the term "Merry Widow" originate? From what I can tell, it refers to a pointless forearm with usually simplistic inlay work on the butt. I've been away for awhile...and never recall seeing anything referred to as "Merry Widow"
Someone educate me!
Click to expand...

In the worl of cues, it is a term used to describe a cue without points.
Been in use for 100 years or so.

Also used in regard to women's "foundation" garments from the same era.

Dale
 
ctyhntr

ctyhntr

RIP Kelly
Silver Member
You are correct, but nowadays the term fell out of favor. Sellers prefer calling them sneaky petes with no points. :)

commswatch said:
Where did the term "Merry Widow" originate? From what I can tell, it refers to a pointless forearm with usually simplistic inlay work on the butt. I've been away for awhile...and never recall seeing anything referred to as "Merry Widow"
Someone educate me!
Click to expand...
 
cueenvy

cueenvy

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
It truly means the butt is a solid piece of wood. No handle and buttsleeve. Just a wrap groove cut into the wood.
 
Sealegs50

Sealegs50

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Tramp Steamer said:
Merry Widow actually came from a woman who was tried and convicted of killing her husband. She was sentenced to death and became the first female to be executed in the, then new, gas chamber at the Missouri State Penitentiary at Jefferson City. The year was 1914, and the following article appeared in the Kansas City Star from that April.

April 26, 1914. Mary Widowski, a thirty-five year old seamstress from Lees Summit, MO, was convicted of murdering her fourth husband, Mr. Vernon Widowski, by beating him to death with his own pool cue while he slept. Mrs. Widowski had pled not guilty to the charge citing mental cruelty due in part to Mr. Widowski's penchant for high-stakes gambling at local Billiard parlors. According to testimony she stated: "The dirty bastard had it coming. I worked my fingers to the bone and he took the money and gambled it away. I hope he rots in hell!"
The blood spattered murder weapon was reported to be an unadorned Harvey Martin pool cue with Mr. Martin's signature black and red butt rings.

I found the clipping of this story buried among some papers from my late Uncle Walter's estate. :smile:
Click to expand...

How old would Harvey have been when he made that cue?
 
Tramp Steamer

Tramp Steamer

One Pocket enthusiast.
Silver Member
All kidding aside, we really haven't come up with a good answer to the OP's question: What is a Merry Widow pool cue?
I did a bit of googling and learned that an operetta, by Franz Lehar, entitled: Merry Widow, was popular back in the day, but in itself had no reference to pool, or pool cues.
The most telling bit of research may be a design for a corselet, a smaller and more basic version of a corset, that was popular in the early 1900's. In the 1950's the corselet design was reintroduced and named after the operetta, Merry Widow.
Although unsubstantiated, my guess is the Merry Widow cue is simply a plain cue with a wrap, just as the Merry Widow corselet was a plain undergarment wrap for a woman.
I have to go lay down now, I've got a headache from this shit. :smile:
 
B

bbb

AzB Gold Member
Gold Member
Silver Member
in a search in the"sk the cuemaker" section i found this
hope it helps
.....
from shooter08
Merry Widow- 1 piece of wood, can be one piece or cut and have a A joint
Plain Jane- more than one piece of wood with butt, handle, forearm w/ A joint
......
from sunchaser
According to Blue Book of Cues, Brunswick introduced the Merry Widow cue, and the term is still used to describe a cue without points.
 
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