1915 Lafe Keafer Table Accessories

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Wynndi

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I picked up what is branded a Lafe Keafer pool cue rack at an informal (owners daughters) estate sale today.

I suspect that it is really a Brunswick with Lafe Keafer tacked over the Brunswick markings. There are serial numbers on the back that read 25 10355 in a few places.

The rack, ball rack and table (which had ridiculously thick slates) was installed in the manor in 1915.

Who can help me figure out the real provenance of this rack? If it is a Brunswick Balke Collender, it will be worth carefully restoring. If not, a general restore will be good enough for me!
 
"What makes you think its a Brunswick? "

There are a few reasons that I think so:

- The nameplate is a paper material with gilt lettering which is tacked on with 5 little nails - aftermarket branding. I cannot fold it back without damaging the brittle paper to see if markings exist behind it.

- What research I was able to do did not uncover that the Lafe Keafer company built accessories. If they had, they would be branded differently (not tacked-on paper)

- Design is remarkably similar, if not identical, to Brunswick racks built in that era.

- Manufacturer / serial numbers repeating in several locations indicate that it was made by an industrialized manufacturer, not a "mom and pop" shop.

- Companion piece ball rack from estate is also remarkably similar to Brunswick racks of that time, but is in such poor condition that it may not be identifiable.

Does anyone know who could make sense of the manufacturing / serial numbers on the back of the rack?
 
Mr. Bond said:
What makes you think its a Brunswick?
Click to expand...

I know you're enough of a historian to know that just about everything in America in the early 20th Century was re-labeled Brunswick material. I could see it being BBC, especially since they often used the same formatting on all their materials, like the rectangular label with the Lake Keafer label resides now.

I will look through my photos, I may have something similar with the BBC label.

Two thing that stand out to me as NOT being BBC is the size of that label marquee, and the stamped numbers. It is an absolutely gorgeous rack, either way. It deserves a proper restoration. You can always have a lithographer make a replica nameplate sign for you if you want to investigate underneath prior to a restore. The stamped numbers can be made with a punch set. I have one at home. Lots of woodworkers or machinists have them.
 
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Wow, that is beautiful. I would just clean/polish and leave it alone. No need to "restore".

Josh
 
That last comment made me exhale Diet Coke on my Keyboard!

What I may do is separate the topper from the rack (it is not too sturdy - of course it is 98+ years old) and should come off without any damage.

Once I've done that, I will have a pretty good look at what lies under the bottom half of the label. Whatever is under there should be remarkably well preserved as it hasn't seen light since 1915!

If anyone has a source for positively identifying the rack, I'm all ears.

I have carefully removed some of the 98 years of crud and some realy deep color is emerging. Can't tell if it's walnut or dark cherry in color, but I can tell that it will be a knockout when it's cleaned up!
 
I think you are on-track about the triangles and bent-over nails.

They are holding the topper in-place.

Some of the rack is wobbly and appears to have been reinforced by penny nails.

Does your BBC rack have serial numbers like mine?

What is holding together the major joins on yours?
 
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Lost

Call KEN HASH or DERRICK TIERS.
Both are extremely helpful people, both of those guys know there stuff when it comes to pool.


Rob.M
 
It's a hard call with stuff like racks etc... (rather than tables)
Keep in mind that Brunswick's work was copied very frequently.
Perhaps more than any other manufacturer.

Oh and btw, I promise you, the serial numbers will not help one bit.
Brunswick has no idea what they made or when.

I do agree that Derrick or Ken might be able to help, maybe.
But sometimes it just is what it is.....


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Public cue rack No. 1 from the late 1890s until 1908ish. Shown in my very rough 1899 catalog by Brunswick Balke Collender.
 
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