This is the quick version story of my awful weekend:
Two weeks ago Bill Smith posted about a table for sale for 6k that he had access to that was restored to perfection. Before I could get much more information he posted that it was sold.
Then last week I saw the same table posted by Bob Briskey on Facebook for 5k.
So apparently the deal fell through and then Bob decided to lower the price by a thousand. I reached out to Bob and learned that he was a realtor and the table is in a house that he sold which closes on Monday. The sellers said that he could do whatever with the table, so he was trying to sell it, but also considered keeping it himself. He also was considering giving it to the new homeowners as a housewarning gift if he couldn't get a worthwhile deal. Bob and I make a gentlemen's agreement that I would come check it out and if it's as advertised, I would give him 3k to take it home.
Check out the pictures for yourself. Based on the comments by Bill, I was expecting this table to be in excellent shape, I just wasn't sure how well it would play even after being perfectly restored.
My friend Jamie and I made extremely last minute plans to go get this table. We met Bob at the house with the moving truck, went in the basement to check out the table.
Upon a closer look, the large leg veneers were split along almost all the corners, there were several cracks down the middle, and the bottom corners were almost all rotting away. When we took the cover off the table ever single rail was split by the corner pockets. A couple of the blinds were being held on by a single screw. One of the corner pocket pieces had both end pieces broken off where the bolt threads are. Several copper rail protector sleeves were missing.
Then we took the felt off to inspect the slate. Each piece of the slate was cracked in multiple places and near the corner pockets the layers were separating. Someone had tried using Bondo to repair it, but it was not smooth or level in many places, and the pieces did not meet level at the seams.
The trip cost me about $1000, my identity got stolen during our travels, and I got home at 4am this morning. Essentially, this trip was to refelt a pool table for a new homeowner whom I've never met. For free.
Bob paid for the felt, but never offered Jamie and me and money for our trouble. However, he gave me some very valueable information by accident - During one of our conversations over the weekend, Bob told me that he never listed the table for 6k. He also told me that Bill Smith never came to look at the table, which surprised me because I thought he lived in or near Chicago since he said he had access to the table, and had been raving about the table, how it was restored to perfection and how the pictures do not do it justice...
Think about that really hard and tell me what that means to you.
Two weeks ago Bill Smith posted about a table for sale for 6k that he had access to that was restored to perfection. Before I could get much more information he posted that it was sold.
I have access to this VERY RARE beautifully restored, Brunswick Alexandria 4'6" x 9'-0" pool tale.
It's located in the Chicago area.
The pictures do not do it justice!
This is a SUPER price for this table!
Then last week I saw the same table posted by Bob Briskey on Facebook for 5k.
So apparently the deal fell through and then Bob decided to lower the price by a thousand. I reached out to Bob and learned that he was a realtor and the table is in a house that he sold which closes on Monday. The sellers said that he could do whatever with the table, so he was trying to sell it, but also considered keeping it himself. He also was considering giving it to the new homeowners as a housewarning gift if he couldn't get a worthwhile deal. Bob and I make a gentlemen's agreement that I would come check it out and if it's as advertised, I would give him 3k to take it home.
Check out the pictures for yourself. Based on the comments by Bill, I was expecting this table to be in excellent shape, I just wasn't sure how well it would play even after being perfectly restored.
My friend Jamie and I made extremely last minute plans to go get this table. We met Bob at the house with the moving truck, went in the basement to check out the table.
Upon a closer look, the large leg veneers were split along almost all the corners, there were several cracks down the middle, and the bottom corners were almost all rotting away. When we took the cover off the table ever single rail was split by the corner pockets. A couple of the blinds were being held on by a single screw. One of the corner pocket pieces had both end pieces broken off where the bolt threads are. Several copper rail protector sleeves were missing.
Then we took the felt off to inspect the slate. Each piece of the slate was cracked in multiple places and near the corner pockets the layers were separating. Someone had tried using Bondo to repair it, but it was not smooth or level in many places, and the pieces did not meet level at the seams.
The trip cost me about $1000, my identity got stolen during our travels, and I got home at 4am this morning. Essentially, this trip was to refelt a pool table for a new homeowner whom I've never met. For free.
Bob paid for the felt, but never offered Jamie and me and money for our trouble. However, he gave me some very valueable information by accident - During one of our conversations over the weekend, Bob told me that he never listed the table for 6k. He also told me that Bill Smith never came to look at the table, which surprised me because I thought he lived in or near Chicago since he said he had access to the table, and had been raving about the table, how it was restored to perfection and how the pictures do not do it justice...
Think about that really hard and tell me what that means to you.
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