Pool Ball Collecting.

classiccues said:

Brunswick Centennial Carom Set in box... The Brunswick Balke Collander Company... Original..would est. 40's timeframe...



Snooker clay balls, triangle and counter from a set..



A set of ironwood balls, for what? I do not know.. but they are round and cool...



JV

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What a fabulous contribution to the thread, JV - how I’d love to play some 3C with those BBC beauties. Wow.

Are they being played at all or only for static display, sir?

I’m thinking that if I stop in some time....

~ K.


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rexus31 said:

I don't notice a difference. They play good.

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I can confirm that.

The Olhausen's are my favorite to date. Each ball weighs in at 166 grams and they play just as good as they look. I like the font, its size and the 4 dart design.

rexus31 said:

The Olhausen's are my favorite to date. Each ball weighs in at 166 grams and they play just as good as they look. I like the font, its size and the 4 dart design.

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Well thanks, you just cost me money, had to buy a set of these even though I have a set of Aramith pro's and tourney's, when I saw the predator balls and loved the looks of them although the cat's head on the one side was debatable.

But these I had never seen before in all my searches when buying the balls I have, was going to add a set of Brunswick's to my rotation just because, but had to have these instead on looks alone.

Add another to the collection! Straight from South Korea, I give to you a set of Cosmos Diamond Ultra C Pool TV Set. These all weight in at 168-169 grams. Enjoy!

Where did you find the Olhausen's, the place I had ordered from ended up being a bust. :frown:

I love the looks of the Cosmos balls, prefer the non TV colours.

MrSharp said:

Where did you find the Olhausen's, the place I had ordered from ended up being a bust. :frown:

I love the looks of the Cosmos balls, prefer the non TV colours.

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I sent you a PM with a possible solution.

Rubik's Cube said:

Good morning, Rexus.

Many thanks indeed for sharing photographs of your growing collection, you're certainly acquiring some truly beautiful sets. Tell me, sir, what's on your future wish list? I've noticed that the prestigious pool balls you've showcased thus far all have a certain design theme and was wondering if you had plans to collect any other classic sets like the Raschigs, Romaniques or Bicentennials etc?

Or maybe you already have them?

Best wishes,
RC.

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Thanks! I prefer numbers on the balls so certain Raschig sets don't appeal to me. I like the Romaniques and Bicentennials so those are certainly on the list if the price is right. I'd like to acquire a nice set of antique Hyatt's at some point. I really dig the font on those old balls. I wish someone would make a modern set in that style. Nothing is really next on the list; just really depends on what deals come up.

Hi all....

I saw this on the Internet and thought of this thread.

https://www.houzz.com/projects/users/daytze?lt=hl

I had a feeling long ago as a young parent while collecting material for the nursery that Theodor Seuss Geisel would play a much larger role in everyday life than mere whimsical children’s books....but who would have thought a billiard ball set could ever be described as Seussian

Let’s see now - how about we place a miniature pool ball (or two!) WITHIN a regulation pool ball and not just imprint the image of one like Crest did with a set I posted back in #684 - which was surely a manufacturing marvel in itself. But after seeing this next thread contribution in person, under the lights and even magnification, one can barely comprehend (and only best guess) at the “sheer ingenuity of manufacture” as my good friend Rubik’s Cube replied when I shared details via email the other day.

The details:

Weight tolerances between each of the 16 balls came to within 2 grams of an average 167 - which is nearly identical to the best that Aramith produces today. Impressive.

Zero roll-off issues when using repeatable test conditions and a tabletop stimpmeter regardless of distance or orientation when released. Same for actual game play. Very impressive.

Dare I say a top-5 rated resistance to typical collision induced scuffs and impact marks after 10+ racks of 14.1 practice - and if one would ever compare them to the latest edition of our beloved Brunswick Centennials side by side after those 10+ racks, you may think the Cents were the less expensive set if not knock-offs.

Finish, shine and cleanup? Equally impressive.

Mike Massey must have thought so as well



Introducing the rarely seen “fusion balls” as this set has been marketed in the past. From mainland China.

Large, easy to-read numerals



And the wow-factor side



No - they don’t rattle. They do not oscillate. They aren’t holograms. They appear to be two separate balls within the 2.25” waggish design.

Perhaps I do need to have a whimsical category...

~ K.

Saratoga, Wyoming

If you’ve ever driven through this small community of 1,700 or had the sincere pleasure of traipsing down Bridge Avenue destined for the Hotel Wolf and the reputed best bacon-wrapped filet in those parts, you’d get the sense that there is more here than meets the eye. So you’d ask around.

Head over to Duke’s Bar & Grill - just across the street - for an after-dinner dram and game of pool, you say?

What is this? I’m seeing posters on the walls of Duke’s telling tales of past annual pool tournaments called The Wyoming Open....previous winners by the names we all recognize: Morris. Van Boening. Deuel. Archer. Okay. What’s going on?

The game: Saratoga. The official rules can be found stapled to the wall and well-worn copies can be had over in the corner where the balls can be found. A unique game, huh? A hybrid game combining 8-Ball and 9-Ball? Shoot your group in sequential order before pocketing the game winning black ball. And what’s this....a unique ball set made “by Aramith”?

IMPORTANT NOTE: my Saratoga ball set pictured below includes both 7 balls so that folks can play any number of traditional 8-Ball games BUT are not used for the game of Saratoga - only balls 1 through 6 and a unique rack arrangement for the break.

Pick your cue. Chalk up. Let’s play!



The story is as interesting as the game and ball set. I could write pages of what I do know, but for sake of brevity with just enough to capture your attention and curiosity, I can tell you this: The mayor of Saratoga, Mr. Glode, dreamt up this game back in the early 2000’s and has since just finished the 11th annual Wyoming Open featuring the game of Saratoga amongst other game divisions that allow local players to hobnob and actually play with the pro players in town for a long weekend of great fun and great play.



I’ll follow up with more details shortly (PICS of the Saratoga set racked on the table for sure) as well as the evolution of this wonderful game variation for 8 and 9-Ball fans everywhere - along with an early version ball set that Mayor Glode created to begin this new game back in 2008.

Many, many thanks to Tournament Director, Mr. Thayer, for being so gracious and helpful getting an official Saratoga ball set to me for my collection and the chance to share this unique story and game! To Mayor Glode, I must tip my proverbial hat for bringing a vision to reality and allowing us all the chance to play and experience another fabulous game on the baize - and hopefully the next time I pass through Saratoga, WY, we will have a chance to play a few racks, sir

~ K.

As promised for more information on the game SARATOGA, here is a screen shot of the rule sheet that I’ve compiled and formatted for easy reference and have available on both 11x17 and 8.5x11 if anyone would like a pdf copy emailed.

️ Rule sheet deleted due to changes necessary after consulting with the TD, Mr. Thayer today....

Stand by for an update

~ K.

Great to see you back on the PBC thread, RC - and your words are both sincerely appreciated and most generous, sir!

There is much to share and as I’ve read somewhere, when passion is your drive, the journey is unending and effortless. There is much to do

Here is a follow-up pic of the “new” Saratoga ball set design as you would see it racked per the unique rules - a design that eventually was manufactured by none other than Aramith - for both the creator, Mr. E.J. Glode Of Saratoga, Wyoming, and those of us throughout the world perusing threads here on AZB...



This classic numeral design is one of their most instantly recognizable sets and hails from their Premier line of balls....which they (Aramith) also used for the expanded baseball set posted earlier in this thread.

The initial idea and following ball design for this new game called Saratoga was found to be so unique that some folks thought it was too esoteric - which led to this set being the logical next step....pick your group (solids or stripes) and simply shoot them in numerical order as one would for 9 Ball while saving the game winning black ball for last. Simply brilliant in it’s design.

Stay tuned for a look at the original Saratoga set when I’m finished restoring and polishing them to the glory they deserve - just before they get racked and played for a special invitation-only night of billiards in honor of this fun game and ball set.

For now ~

K.

As promised from the Saratoga ball set post earlier this month...

The original vision and subsequent brainstorm for the game Saratoga by E.J. Glode included a unique ball set that caught my attention quite a few years ago while searching the globe for something different.

In the early winter of 2017, I found myself traipsing the streets of Saratoga, Wyoming, due to some always-welcomed luck and good fortune afforded by my profession and I was soon off to see what I could find. I was after this somewhat elusive ball set and to at least get them in-hand and perhaps play a few games on a local table. Like an explorer after a treasure, I found them - in Duke’s Bar & Grill.

Fast forward a year+ and with the kindest of help from tournament director, Mr Thayer and Mr Glode himself, I received the following set...one from the few original sets remaining and out of the private collection of (now) Mayor Glode himself!



The game Saratoga is played with balls 1 through 13 with this original set, so the 14 and 15 balls pictured are only used with the others for games requiring fifteen total object balls. This set was not manufactured by Aramith as is the newer generation of balls I posted previously, but they sure did polish up to near-perfection and they play marvelously. The ball weights are easily within the strictest of today’s standards and roll as true as any premium set one can buy.

I consider it a true privilege to hold and care for one of these original design Saratoga ball sets, and my most sincere “thank you!” and appreciation is once again extended to the fine gentlemen responsible for sharing this game with the world and hosting such a grand annual tournament in honor of Saratoga, WY.

~K.

For those interested, here is an exact reproduction I put together for the SARATOGA game and rule set handed out for the annual tournament this past spring of 2018:




~K.

Rubik's Cube said:

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Those poker balls bring back a lot of great memories. Been a long time.

Rake

The set on the bottom 2 shelves.
1890's, 2 1/8" with ivory cue ball.
Some neighborhood kid gave it to me about 30 years
ago.