Wht did they use a Balabushka cue in the film "The Color of Money"?

macguy

macguy

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
kvinbrwr said:
That movie really changed the nature of cue collecting, but Balabushka had collectable cache before TCOM came out.

Kevin
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I'm not so sure about that. I bought one for $500.00 in 1983 that was for sale in a pool room for a few months without any buyers. They were priced generally around what the current market for cues were. Maybe it depended on the part of the country like with many things collectibles. Somewhere else maybe it would sell for a $1000.00 to the right buyer, who knows.
 
classiccues

classiccues

Don't hashtag your broke friends
Silver Member
kvinbrwr said:
HB

You are welcome. When Newman grabbed that "Balabushka" and handed to Cruise as if he was giving him the keys to the kingdom, every Bushka in the world went up in value a strong 20%. It doesn't matter that it was a Joss movie prop. Newman called it a Balabushka and Cruise's eyes went wide.

Gus, to the mainstream at the time, was that guy you built some parts for Babushka, and his cache started to rise on those coattails. People started to notice the superior quality and workmanship of Gus's product,and Gus's stuff took right off too. Barry's integrity didn't hurt either in that regard.

The economy has hurt all collectibles, cues included. Add in to that equation that every year that passes is another year further from TCOM, and there you have it.

The world according to me.

Kevin
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Gus's cues on the east coast were money in the bank before the movie. My uncle had one in 1984 that he paid Gus around 300 and sold it for 550.00 a week later. As far as Balabushka's I saw two from 1979-1986 in the most active rooms in NJ, and IMHO they were already being stashed (collected).

The bigs guys all had Szams, Miz, Hopkins, Martin, Ruocco, but they also had Bushkas at one time or another.

JV
 
Sealegs50

Sealegs50

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
kvinbrwr said:
HB

every Bushka in the world went up in value a strong 20%.

and Gus's stuff took right off too.
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The other point to consider was that Gus died only two years after TCOM, fairly close to the growing frenzy over collecting cues. In 1986, I had a chance to purchase a new Gus from Barry Bettencourt for $1200. Unfortunately, I was moving to NJ and needed every dollar to buy a house and had to pass (I'm still sick over it). By 1990, my life had settled a bit and I thought I could afford one. I called Barry B. to see if he could order one. He said that he had the same cue that I wanted in 1986. It was then I also learned of Gus' passing. The cue in used condition was now worth $5K. Barry B. said that Gus' cues were in high demand in Japan. He had two Gus 6-point cues that were worth upward of $10K at the time. It wasn't until 2006 that I finally bought one.

Greg
 
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kvinbrwr

kvinbrwr

Skee Ball Monster Playa
Gold Member
classiccues said:
Gus's cues on the east coast were money in the bank before the movie. My uncle had one in 1984 that he paid Gus around 300 and sold it for 550.00 a week later. As far as Balabushka's I saw two from 1979-1986 in the most active rooms in NJ, and IMHO they were already being stashed (collected).

The bigs guys all had Szams, Miz, Hopkins, Martin, Ruocco, but they also had Bushkas at one time or another.

JV
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Joe

Of for sure. I'm not of the delusion that it was all movie hype. Although the list of makers to choose from then was way smaller than it is now, EVERY great player back in the day had a Bushka or a Szam.

What I'm saying is about the values. If Newman had pulled out a Gina, held it like it was the Holy Grail, handed it to Cruise who acted like an angel had just handed the keys to the kingdom walked out into that bar, drew a crowd and everyone adored the "Gina Eddie just gave me", then a 4 point 60s Ginacue with a plain butt would have been worth 7K in 1994.

Thanks

Kevin
 
classiccues

classiccues

Don't hashtag your broke friends
Silver Member
kvinbrwr said:
Joe

Of for sure. I'm not of the delusion that it was all movie hype. Although the list of makers to choose from then was way smaller than it is now, EVERY great player back in the day had a Bushka or a Szam.

What I'm saying is about the values. If Newman had pulled out a Gina, held it like it was the Holy Grail, handed it to Cruise who acted like an angel had just handed the keys to the kingdom walked out into that bar, drew a crowd and everyone adored the "Gina Eddie just gave me", then a 4 point 60s Ginacue with a plain butt would have been worth 7K in 1994.

Thanks

Kevin
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Probably.. my own thought was they didn't use a Rambow because "Rambo" was already popular in another movie. lol

JV
 
dom_poppa

dom_poppa

Banned
Thanks for the history lesson.

You guys just reassured me how overpriced Balabushka's are. So Newman name drops the cue and that caused it to shoot up in value?

I can't believe the actual cue was a Joss. I would understand the value if it was really a Bushka in the film but it was another cue pretending to be it.

Suddenly the Bushka isn't as desirable as some make it out to be.
 
P

Paul Dayton

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Yeah, it's just like those Stradivarius fiddles, their peices got hammered as soon as people figured out they weren't really the ones used on Hee Haw.
 
T

TheBook

Ret Professional Goof Off
Silver Member
Strickly Hollywood hype plus it was part of the story to make Vincent the nieve idiot that he was.

.
 
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Chopdoc

Chopdoc

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
scttybee said:
please send me any undesirable bushkas asap-i will handle them appropriately
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Heck...since you cornered the Bushkas...

For those that seem disappojnted that a JOSS played the part....please feel free to send me your old JOSS cues. I will handle those appropriately.


Let's see now...made by the hands of Janes, Stroud, and/or Scruggs....yeah...I'll take real good care of those...:smile:



.
 
Dan White

Dan White

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Cornerman said:
This an 8-yr old thread, and this was answered pretty much immediately back then.
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Just read this thread and had to do a big "D'OH"!! Amazing how some of the old threads get new life. Still, I guess the facts don't change.
 
Fatboy

Fatboy

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Hustle_Bustle said:
I was wondering which pro player planted the seed in Price and Scorsese's ears when they chose to highlight Balabushka cues in the film.
Does anyone know?
thank you-
HB
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In the mid 80’s that was the considered the best cue. Szam’s were still being made and cost $500-$1500 for a 4pt depending on how fancy and who you bought it from.

Bushka’s were legendary cues, mythical almost. No internet, mite see a new pic of one in a magazine once a year. There was no CNC and 2488174 cue builders and forget Chinese cues(sporting goods)

A Bushka was it, the pinnacle of cues in pretty much everyone’s eyes. They have since faded into the past.

Christ I’m getting old,

Fatboy
 
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