Abe Rich Cue
- Thread starter Stew boo
- Start date
middleofnowhere
Registered
They are production cues Abe didn't make those cues.
Those cues most probably were Saul Rich cues. The company was sold in the early 70s to a gentleman who then sold it a few years later to what is now known as Imperial Industries- now the largest distributors of many billiard related products in the U.S. The cues were made in NY by Saul Rich's production company and later by the following owners as mentioned. Humberto Betti was the guy who started it all for what his sons/grandsons/ great grandsons now run Imperial and some cues would later bear the name H Betti on the buttcap- ( see image below) just as you see the Rich name in the photos.
Eventually all the cue production went to Asia under the Imperial name. The cue you have on the left is mostly probably a higher quality Brazilian Rosewood- the Saul Rich cues and even the later H Betti cues did source very good quality woods for the cue butts, however the rest of the cue ( shafts, etc.) - in the later days of production, were not of the highest quality as prior cues.
I recently handed over to the now presiding president of Imperial an H Betti cue ( his great grandfather) that I sourced and it had the exact same Brazilian Rosewood butt and pearl inlay pattern - ( see image below) - it was a mint cue from the 70s.
Many of their cues featured piloted stainless steel joints with a 5/16 18 joint screw. If the shafts appear to be a higher quality maple in terms of wood density- then most probably were produced under Saul Rich himself or the earlier years (72-77) of one of the two subsequent owners of the company.
Eventually all the cue production went to Asia under the Imperial name. The cue you have on the left is mostly probably a higher quality Brazilian Rosewood- the Saul Rich cues and even the later H Betti cues did source very good quality woods for the cue butts, however the rest of the cue ( shafts, etc.) - in the later days of production, were not of the highest quality as prior cues.
I recently handed over to the now presiding president of Imperial an H Betti cue ( his great grandfather) that I sourced and it had the exact same Brazilian Rosewood butt and pearl inlay pattern - ( see image below) - it was a mint cue from the 70s.
Many of their cues featured piloted stainless steel joints with a 5/16 18 joint screw. If the shafts appear to be a higher quality maple in terms of wood density- then most probably were produced under Saul Rich himself or the earlier years (72-77) of one of the two subsequent owners of the company.
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What does "handed over" mean in this context, Mike. Donated to? Sold to? Gifted? Just curious.
Arnaldo
I gifted to him. He is a wonderful guy.
My first decent cue was a Rich....bought out west in ‘67...rosewood and Cortland wrap....2 shafts. $85
Mike....do you think it was Abe or Saul?....it was certainly much slicker than the Florida cues.
Saul Rich for sure.
A lot of that playability had to do with the woods and how they were aged, don't let anyone fool you, the woods were a big factor- Funny, I put a quality wood shaft onto that H Betti Brazilian Rosewood cue and played with it before handing over to Humberto Betti's great grandson and I, too, felt that it hit very much like my Tim Scruggs, maybe even better, as you stated!Here is my Saul Rich cue. It plays every bit as good as the old Scruggs I had. Shorter 70’s style points.
