Grandpa’s pool table manufacturer/make?

QJenn

Registered
When was a girl, my Grandpa bought a pool table for the family to play out in a sunroom when they visited. He was practical, salt of the earth, agricultural raised kind of guy living in Orange County, CA back when there were still avocado and citrus groves. Like I could picture him ordering a pool table from Sear’s or something. Or perhaps a second hand table that was a good quality play,

My best guess is the pool table became part of the home in the early 1970’s? So for sentimental reasons we moved this pool table up to Northern California. We did it ourselves borrowing a box trailer for cars. The table had a few cob webs, dust, and the original green felt was torn years in the covered patio sun room. However, essentially the table itself was still in good shape. I recall my husband sanded off the feet a bit to have them look a little smoother and there is still a little patina on the score keeper frame.

We can’t find any pictures online that actually resemble this table to determine the make and model. It’s a single piece of slate and Weighs a lot, it was a lot of work for us to load it on a trailer and then get it in our home. We did it for a labor of love and now we have moved to East Coast. We are trying to decide if sentiment should prevail on moving it again or if we sell it, how should we list it for sale in San Francisco Bay Area if it is foolish to pay for moving of a table that isn’t worth the expense?

I recall when we had someone come out to reflect it and balance the feet, he didn’t know exactly what the table was. However, he said it has a nice play. Good solid feel and single piece of slate plays nice. We honestly didn’t use it much because my husband worked graves, my son swings, and someone was usually sleeping in our house or we weren’t home at same time. Now that my husband retired and sleeps at night, we might have awake time together but we are relocating to area we don’t have friends of family and there is a pandemic, so it may be years before we invite any new friends into our home.

We are trying to ascertain what Grandpa bought and if it’s more a trio don’t sentimental lane then a valuable vintage table, perhaps it’s time to have someone list it for sale along with our previous home. If it’s a treasure we didn’t recognize because I was merely being sentimental and salvaging something from country property that is now a subdivision, then I don’t want to be stupid just because this is an inconvenient time that we can’t fly back and forth from coastlines. Knowing my Grandpa and Grandma, they would want me to make an informed decision, then be comfortable if I weighed out the pros and cons of a decision. I just don’t understand what this table is? I know I can’t easily search the web and locate another that looks just like it, so how may I make and informed decision on whether the cost of moving this table can be justified when there are many others for sale locally near our home. Unless, the single piece of slate makes it worth the expenses?

Any guidance is appreciated. Our realtor moved it into dining room in photos and the felt was SF 49er sports room motif when we lived in the house. There is a tag on the bottom but not familiar with pool table makes and models to decipher it.

Thank you for taking a look please.
 

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measureman

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
When was a girl, my Grandpa bought a pool table for the family to play out in a sunroom when they visited. He was practical, salt of the earth, agricultural raised kind of guy living in Orange County, CA back when there were still avocado and citrus groves. Like I could picture him ordering a pool table from Sear’s or something. Or perhaps a second hand table that was a good quality play,

My best guess is the pool table became part of the home in the early 1970’s? So for sentimental reasons we moved this pool table up to Northern California. We did it ourselves borrowing a box trailer for cars. The table had a few cob webs, dust, and the original green felt was torn years in the covered patio sun room. However, essentially the table itself was still in good shape. I recall my husband sanded off the feet a bit to have them look a little smoother and there is still a little patina on the score keeper frame.

We can’t find any pictures online that actually resemble this table to determine the make and model. It’s a single piece of slate and Weighs a lot, it was a lot of work for us to load it on a trailer and then get it in our home. We did it for a labor of love and now we have moved to East Coast. We are trying to decide if sentiment should prevail on moving it again or if we sell it, how should we list it for sale in San Francisco Bay Area if it is foolish to pay for moving of a table that isn’t worth the expense?

I recall when we had someone come out to reflect it and balance the feet, he didn’t know exactly what the table was. However, he said it has a nice play. Good solid feel and single piece of slate plays nice. We honestly didn’t use it much because my husband worked graves, my son swings, and someone was usually sleeping in our house or we weren’t home at same time. Now that my husband retired and sleeps at night, we might have awake time together but we are relocating to area we don’t have friends of family and there is a pandemic, so it may be years before we invite any new friends into our home.

We are trying to ascertain what Grandpa bought and if it’s more a trio don’t sentimental lane then a valuable vintage table, perhaps it’s time to have someone list it for sale along with our previous home. If it’s a treasure we didn’t recognize because I was merely being sentimental and salvaging something from country property that is now a subdivision, then I don’t want to be stupid just because this is an inconvenient time that we can’t fly back and forth from coastlines. Knowing my Grandpa and Grandma, they would want me to make an informed decision, then be comfortable if I weighed out the pros and cons of a decision. I just don’t understand what this table is? I know I can’t easily search the web and locate another that looks just like it, so how may I make and informed decision on whether the cost of moving this table can be justified when there are many others for sale locally near our home. Unless, the single piece of slate makes it worth the expenses?

Any guidance is appreciated. Our realtor moved it into dining room in photos and the felt was SF 49er sports room motif when we lived in the house. There is a tag on the bottom but not familiar with pool table makes and models to decipher it.

Thank you for taking a look please.

This would help a lot.
There is a tag on the bottom but not familiar with pool table makes and models to decipher it.

Post a pic of the tag.
 

QJenn

Registered
I realized the photo of the tag underneath wasn’t first photo and accidentally uploaded another photo twice.

I am just not figuring out how to edit the photos on forum to swap the repetitive picture pit with the tag photo. Technology challenged I suppose. Hope everyone can see this photo?
 

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ideologist

I don't never exaggerate
Silver Member
This is a generic table that will sell for a few hundred at most, resold by swim and leisure stores, I have seen this branded as a bunch of different manufacturers.

Find a Boys and Girls Club and find out if they are accepting donations. The tax credit will outweigh the $300 cash you'll get
 

iusedtoberich

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
That's a nice family story!

Usually with home pool tables, they fall in one of two categories:

-Casual players buy one for the family from a sporting good supplier, or "man-cave" type store. They might pay 2k to 5k new. The table sits for years, and gets played once every 2 years, and the other times serves as an ironing board. Finally the day comes the owners of the table just want it out of the house. They think its worth 1 or 2k, (since they paid 2k-5k), but there are MANY other people in the exact same boat, that just want the table gone. What ends up happening, and you can verify on Craigslist, that at any given time there will be several tables for sale for either "free" or just $100 or $200 range, simply to get it out of the house.

-The other extreme is a really serious player. This player is looking for the best table he/she can get, and does not care about its appearance. This player typically buys a used commercial table from a pool room that has closed down or upgraded their tables. These used commercial tables go for about 1K-1.5K on the used market, and the player will then spend another 500 to 1k to hire a professional installer to put new cloth, new rubber cushions, and install it in his/her house. (New these table are typically about 7k range).

Unfortunately, there is not much in-between these two extremes. It means nearly all home-use furniture style tables are worth 100 to 200 or free, and commercial tables are worth about 1k.

If you ignore the sentimental value, your best bet IMO would be to leave it as part of the house when you sell it (if your Realator thinks that won't de-value the house for some reason). Then you don't have to lift a finger to try to sell it. If the Realator thinks its best to get rid of it, then put it on craigslist for free. Someone will be by to get it within one week. Put in your ad something like "don't even contact me if you don't have a pickup truck and tools to take it apart". You will get lots of emails, from lots of people, but only a few will actually have the means to physically get the table out of your house.
 

QJenn

Registered
Thank you for investing the time to write the thorough explanations. I am grateful for your time.

I think the primary question I had was that it was one piece of Italian slate. I didn’t know if there are many of those sold these days or if that was desirable? Also the fact that when
I looked online, I couldn’t find quite anything like it? Of course that may also mean that most were dumped 30 years ago also. Thanks again
 

QJenn

Registered
It would be helpful to understand how I describe it, even if we donate it as we are on the other side of the country during the pandemic. Do you have any more specifics about some of the names it might have been Branded by so I can do some more specific searches and pin it down a bit?

Is Zenith a pool table brand or also just a reference to the slate? Cicagna slate on the sticker? I will take any leads because not being near the table makes it even mire difficult to discuss it with potential next location. Thanks for replying initially and are grateful for your opinions.
 

Bob Jewett

AZB Osmium Member
Staff member
Gold Member
Silver Member
I think it would be a mistake to move it as moving it to the east coast would likely cost more than the table is worth.

In 2006 I had a similar situation in Redwood City. The dealers I knew who handled used tables were not even willing to come and take my 9-foot table away for free. The table stayed in the house. The buyers were said to be glad to have it.
 

SBC

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Thank you for investing the time to write the thorough explanations. I am grateful for your time.

I think the primary question I had was that it was one piece of Italian slate. I didn’t know if there are many of those sold these days or if that was desirable? Also the fact that when
I looked online, I couldn’t find quite anything like it? Of course that may also mean that most were dumped 30 years ago also. Thanks again
Likely 3 pieces of slate.
The table will have braces going crosswise where the 2 seams are.

Hard to know where all the old pool.tabkes end up...most have laundry on them!
 

ideologist

I don't never exaggerate
Silver Member
The sticker on the slate is related to the Italian slate quarry where it was made. Italy produced a lot of the slate in the world at the time, it's not extra valuable or anything.

The fact that the table isn't branded means that the Pool and Spa store sold it as a generic table. Just donate it to a charity or leave it.

To put things into perspective, I just bought 4 of the most sought after commercial tables from this time period for less than $3000 by looking online and replying to sale ads.
 

QJenn

Registered
Sorry, the table absolutely is single piece of slate because we moved it to our house and had professional work on it. I wasn’t questioning whether it has multiple pieces, it’s a near to move.

I know it’s not wood or three pieces of slate, we saw the single piece of slate with our own eyeballs while it was moved. The bumpers aren’t awful. It plays okay.

I think I have enough feedback from all that the table needs to remain in the west coast, if anyone has better descriptions for me to describe it remotely, in the online, phone, or email, that feedback would be helpful.

I am still hoping someone might know if Zenith, top of the photo of slate sticker is about the slate only?

I am very grateful for all the participation and help guys!
 

iusedtoberich

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
As far as description to help sell it:

#1 is the size of the table. That is most relevant of all aspects because it can determine if the table will fit in the prospective buyer's home. The way to measure it is get a tape measure and go from one end of the table to the other (long direction). But put the tape measure on the "nose" of the cushion. This is the part of the cushion that the ball hits. If its 100 inches from cushion nose to cushion nose, you have a 9 foot table. If its 88-92 inches, you have an 8' table. And if its 80 inches, you have a 7 foot table.

#2, write in your ad that it has Italian slate.

The rest does not matter. It won't increase or decrease the value of your table.

Your comment that the table is one piece of slate. Usually this is only true if the table is a 7 foot table. Anything bigger and they are 99% 3 piece.

BTW, almost all slate for pool tables over the past 50 years comes from Italy or South America. Neither is more desirable than the other.

Again though, if you are intent on selling it, you really won't get more than 200 or 300 if you are lucky. Do you really want to go through all the hassle of finding a buyer that will not flake out on you, having them in your house for a couple hours to take it all apart and into their truck, maybe bang up your walls on the way out? All for a couple hundred bucks? Just leave it in the house and include it as a "bonus" in your house listing.

In my opinion:) Its your house and your table, and you can do whatever you want, of course:)
 

336Robin

Multiverse Operative
Silver Member
Thank you for investing the time to write the thorough explanations. I am grateful for your time.

I think the primary question I had was that it was one piece of Italian slate. I didn’t know if there are many of those sold these days or if that was desirable? Also the fact that when
I looked online, I couldn’t find quite anything like it? Of course that may also mean that most were dumped 30 years ago also. Thanks again

QJenn,

If you want to sell the table list it on Craigslist. In a few days you'll be emailed by a table mechanic in your area that will want to help you. If not contact him by looking at the other pool tables for sale.

Then they will copy your picture and advertise the table for you. They will price the table to include moving and delivery.

Easy peasey.

It happens all the time. Its a nice table price it according to the mechanics recommendations. Depending on size I'd say you should get minimum 500 for it.
 

hang-the-9

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
If the pool ball set that came with the table is the original one your family used on it, I suggest taking that with you and leaving the table or selling it. Moving it will cost quite a bit more than what the table is worth aside from your history with it. However the set of balls and maybe pool cue(s) that were used are easy to move and are also part of the history.
 

QJenn

Registered
Thank you for the idea of sentimentality souvenirs! Yes, we packed up the old box or original balls and they are moved East in a box. I haven’t unpacked all our boxes yet, but it will be fun when I stumble across them.

Good idea of ensuring they get a special spot in new place! I kinda forgot about them in all this crazy quick move to better air quality to see if I felt better? The world sure changed in a year, Lol.

I am grateful for the well intended feedback and yes, I forgot I have the old set of balls somewhere?
 

hang-the-9

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Thank you for the idea of sentimentality souvenirs! Yes, we packed up the old box or original balls and they are moved East in a box. I haven’t unpacked all our boxes yet, but it will be fun when I stumble across them.

Good idea of ensuring they get a special spot in new place! I kinda forgot about them in all this crazy quick move to better air quality to see if I felt better? The world sure changed in a year, Lol.

I am grateful for the well intended feedback and yes, I forgot I have the old set of balls somewhere?

You did not say where on the East Coast you are heading to, if you want to actually use the equipment from the table I'm sure the members around where you are heading into can get in touch with the local pool halls and you can just bring the ball set with you to play using your own set. People bring in their own ball sets to use often, with regulars it's no big deal.
 

tucson9ball

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
QJENN,
The plastic on the pockets and the round diamonds look very similar to a Fisher table my folks bought in the late 60's. It was an 8ft with a one piece slate.
Our old table did have a label on one end though, said Fisher Manufacturing or something like that....
 
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