Willie Hoppe's Cue

RoadHustler

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
So I finally got a reasonably priced copy of Billiards As it should be Played by Willie Hoppe printed in 1941. I payed 30 bucks on ebay and it was totally worth it. What immediately struck me was his cue it is slightly different than any of the Brunswick Titlist Hoppe cues I have seen. I figured you folks would enjoy the photos.

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Here is a photo from the book of Hoppe style cues.

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manwon

"WARLOCK 1"
Silver Member
So I finally got a reasonably priced copy of Billiards As it should be Played by Willie Hoppe printed in 1941. I payed 30 bucks on ebay and it was totally worth it. What immediately struck me was his cue it is slightly different than any of the Brunswick Titlist Hoppe cues I have seen. I figured you folks would enjoy the photos.



The reason that cue is different is because it was customized for Willie by Herman Rambow. The extra section that looks jointed was most likely where weight was added for balance, or to shorten the cue for different Billiards games.

All I can say for certain is that any cue that Willie used publicly was modified by Rambow. Willie Hoppe and many others were sponsored by Brunswick and part of that sponsorship was using Brunswick's equipment, tables, balls, cues and anything else Pool or Billiards related.

When Rambow quit working for Brunswick in the 1920 and started Superior Billiards he lost all his famous clients, this was during the time that he invented and patented the Hub Cue. Herman was forced out of business by Brunswick just a few years after he started his company and ended up going back to work for Brunswick. Again from this point until his retirement he was the only man who modified cues for those sponsored by Brunswick.

So plainly and without a doubt the cue pictured was built or modified for Willie Hoppe by Herman Rambow.

Hope this helps and by the way nice pictures.
 

Mr Hoppe

Sawdust maker
Silver Member
So I finally got a reasonably priced copy of Billiards As it should be Played by Willie Hoppe printed in 1941. I payed 30 bucks on ebay and it was totally worth it. What immediately struck me was his cue it is slightly different than any of the Brunswick Titlist Hoppe cues I have seen. I figured you folks would enjoy the photos.

Another reason this cue doesn't look like a "Titlist Hoppe" is that there may have been no such thing as a Titlist at the time. Brunswick's 4 point 4 veneer cue may have still been known as the Carom King at the time this picture was taken.

The model 26.5 changed names to the Carom King in '39 and lasted for only a couple of years. I don't know the exact year the Titlist was introduced, but I believe it was '41 or '42. In either event, it looks like that cue Willie Hoppe is holding in the photo doesn't have veneers, so it's a different model cue all together.

BTW, I have a pristine copy of this book that I bought off of e-bay for a whopping $8!
 
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9ballrob

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Here is a early Rambow cue that is about identical to the one shown in Hoppe's hands. This cue was owned by Earle Lookabaugh, a world class 3-cushion billiard player, who played against all the greats in the 1920s. I have a picture of him holding this cue in 1921 which was the year he won the National Amateur 3-cushion championship and then turned professional. The picture I have shows the cue before the weight was added.

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RoadHustler

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Totally

Here is a early Rambow cue that is about identical to the one shown in Hoppe's hands.

Wow that's really cool. It does look allot like the one he uses in the book just the width of the ring above the points is different. Even the slight lip where the wrap meets the wood on the top is the same. Check out one of the masse photos later in the book you can see it there if i have time ill post the photo tomorrow.
 

worktheknight

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Thanks for this thread, really interesting and I appreciate the time everyone is taking to post the photo's. Great Viewing and reading. Thanks Again
 
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