atique ball-case question? what are the holes for???

Solartje

Solartje

the Brunswick BUG bit me
Silver Member
Hi all,

i was wondering if someone could tell me what the 4 extra cilinder holes are in this box. i know some round chalks have been made, but dont think this is what they are for? do they have any function at all or are they purely decorative? the balls and case are around a 100y old, and the box is the original box off the elephant ivory balls.

ps isnt this the cooooolest ivory ball set uve ever seen :) i LOVE the solid wooden openings-carved case *drewl*.

ad36_1_sbl.JPG


reps for the first person knowing what it is for :cool:
 
I can only guess at this.

One is the holes were put in place in order to hold the wood in place while it's being cut.

2) Seeing that ivoy balls took much care to slow the natural process of shrinking and getting out of round these holes may have been receivers for some kind of climate control product. Either a desiccant to keep them dry or something to add moisture. Probably the latter. Kinda like a cigar box.
 
Solartje said:
Hi all,

i was wondering if someone could tell me what the 4 extra cilinder holes are in this box. i know some round chalks have been made, but dont think this is what they are for? do they have any function at all or are they purely decorative? the balls and case are around a 100y old, and the box is the original box off the elephant ivory balls.

ps isnt this the cooooolest ivory ball set uve ever seen :) i LOVE the solid wooden openings-carved case *drewl*.

ad36_1_sbl.JPG


reps for the first person knowing what it is for :cool:
Click to expand...


Perhaps extra tips? I really couldn't say. The holes look very deep so that may not be it.
 
Johnnyt said:
Is the case wood or metal? Johnnyt
Click to expand...
Sorry I see it's wood. I would say that the four small holes are for pins to hold the piece on a fixture so it doesn't move during drilling the sections for the balls. Johnnyt
 
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Solartje said:
Hi all,

i was wondering if someone could tell me what the 4 extra cilinder holes are in this box. i know some round chalks have been made, but dont think this is what they are for? do they have any function at all or are they purely decorative? the balls and case are around a 100y old, and the box is the original box off the elephant ivory balls.

ps isnt this the cooooolest ivory ball set uve ever seen :) i LOVE the solid wooden openings-carved case *drewl*.

ad36_1_sbl.JPG


reps for the first person knowing what it is for :cool:
Click to expand...

When I first started playing we used ivories and I remember them looking like that but I've never seen a box like that.
To answer your question I would guess the holes are to provide ventilation to maintain a even and constant room temperature. I remember being told that the ivories had to be at room temperature before playing or they would shatter.

Steve
 
Didn't chalk back then come in a circular form ? Maybe it was designed to hold a few pieces of chalk like one in the pictures.

Mj
 

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Solartje said:
Hi all,

i was wondering if someone could tell me what the 4 extra cilinder holes are in this box. i know some round chalks have been made, but dont think this is what they are for? do they have any function at all or are they purely decorative? the balls and case are around a 100y old, and the box is the original box off the elephant ivory balls.

ps isnt this the cooooolest ivory ball set uve ever seen :) i LOVE the solid wooden openings-carved case *drewl*.

ad36_1_sbl.JPG


reps for the first person knowing what it is for :cool:
Click to expand...

Could the holes be to store some type of "slip on tip"?
I don't think there were leather tips as we know them today, a 100 years ago.

Steve
 
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pfff damn hard to find the answer.

all options could be correct, and they all might be wrong.

i dont think it has to be for chalks. even if i know there are round chalks, most of them where square with white chalk.

i dont think it was to hold the box when the balls where carved. if that was the case, u would see... ribbles? mm damn dont know how to explain it. it would be like the hole in a shaft. not a flat surface but with... ribbles :p

temperature. they holes dont goe true all the way. the stop at the bottom. when the box is closed i dont see what these holes could do to the balls.

till now, i think the option about screw-on-tips could be a good answer.

maybe it was used to put water in it? for the humidity level?

pfff keep it coming guys....



(ps any idea about value's of the set or the box alone?) i was thinking about something around 500-750$ for the set. maybe even more. 3balls = 3 x 150-200$ + box/set = 150-200$ , on the other hand, this is the first set like this ive ever seen, so the rarity might double the price. could use some help from the experts.
 
I sent the picture to a few billiard museums and carom ball retailers to see if they knew. Little things like this drive me crazy. Too much idol time I guess lol. Johnnyt
 
I doubt the holes are for storage. They are too small and the changing angle of the box as it closes would keep you from putting anything long enough to go from one side of the box into the other without binding.

As mentioned before, the most practical advantage of the holes seems to be for weight.

I'm thinking the holes are simply decorative, with the added advantage of less weight.

That's my vote! :D
 
Solartje said:
pfff damn hard to find the answer.

all options could be correct, and they all might be wrong.

i dont think it has to be for chalks. even if i know there are round chalks, most of them where square with white chalk.

i dont think it was to hold the box when the balls where carved. if that was the case, u would see... ribbles? mm damn dont know how to explain it. it would be like the hole in a shaft. not a flat surface but with... ribbles :p

temperature. they holes dont goe true all the way. the stop at the bottom. when the box is closed i dont see what these holes could do to the balls.

till now, i think the option about screw-on-tips could be a good answer.

maybe it was used to put water in it? for the humidity level?

pfff keep it coming guys....



(ps any idea about value's of the set or the box alone?) i was thinking about something around 500-750$ for the set. maybe even more. 3balls = 3 x 150-200$ + box/set = 150-200$ , on the other hand, this is the first set like this ive ever seen, so the rarity might double the price. could use some help from the experts.
Click to expand...


How are you going to give those reps if YOU don't know the answer?:confused:

Steve
 
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