Balabushka Question-

[Chicagoplayer]

Knowing what you know now about cues,
marketing and product placement in film and tv.
(items featured and mentioned on film and tv, get highlighted and then sellout/B])

If you knew that Balabushka was the cue chosen for the movie
"The Color of Money" beforehand-

Would you have bought one or all the Balabushka cues you could find?

-CP
:thumbup:

 

[TX Poolnut]

No. There are much better invests to make your money work for you. Invest is the only reason I would have considered to purchase a Balabushka.

 

[WildWing]

As I recall, they were pretty expensive before the movie anyhow, at least in 1986 dollars.

 

[Bavafongoul]

Would You Have Bought Gold At $300 Oz. in 1985?

OP posed a question so I'll reply in kind..........Would you have bought gold in 1985, one year before the Color of Money was released, knowing what the price of gold is today?

In 1985, gold was trading for $300 ounce and Balabushka cues were selling for $800-$1300........Duh?

Matt B.

 

[Shooter5209]

it was not even a balabushka used in the it was a joss they just said balabushka

 

[classiccues]

Actually working a room in 1980-1984 in NJ, I remember two being sold, both north of 2500.00. Szam's were right on their tail. Except Gus was alive and you could make 200-400 (1980's dollars) immediately when you hit the pool room.

The rumor that Balabushka's were unheard, uncollected, and unrecognized before TCOM is a myth perpetuated by jealousy and stupidity.

JV

 

[HighEndCues]

Knowing what you know now about cues,
marketing and product placement in film and tv.
(items featured and mentioned on film and tv, get highlighted and then sellout/B])

If you knew that Balabushka was the cue chosen for the movie
"The Color of Money" beforehand-

Would you have bought one or all the Balabushka cues you could find?

-CP
:thumbup:

George was making cues starting in 1959. By the later 60's Balabushka had a name of one of the top makers. The Color of money came out in 1986, which was 11 years after George died. The Movie didn't make Balabusha any more popular then he was already to players or collectors. After George died in 1975 anyone looking for an investment for the future could have bought one.
Best,
Ken

 

[macguy]

No. There are much better invests to make your money work for you. Invest is the only reason I would have considered to purchase a Balabushka.

I bought one for $500.00. It was for sale in a pool room and people knew what it was, the guy was the original owner. Here is the thing, it was $500.00 and no takers it had been there for a while.

A few years later I sold it at the BCA show for $4500.00. Not a bad investment. Today it would be worth more then twice that. It was one of the more desirable models with the rings and MOP diamonds. I was happy with my profit though.

 

[mikemosconi]

An old time straight pool player named Johnny Tona, who owned Family Billiards in Huntsville Alabama was a pro player rep for Brunswick in the Mosconi era. Irving Crane had Balabushka make Johnny a cue in the 60s and Johnny sold it to someone in 1988 for $5,000+, he said that the guy tracked him down at his pool hall and just came in and offered the dough. Johnny needed cash as he had been swindled out of his home by his former wife and he also had no idea of cue collecting, so he was astonished by the offer and sold it-- I don't know who bought it or where it ended up. This would never have happened without TCOM bringing pool and resulting collecting to new highs.

 

[macguy]

OP posed a question so I'll reply in kind..........Would you have bought gold in 1985, one year before the Color of Money was released, knowing what the price of gold is today?

In 1985, gold was trading for $300 ounce and Balabushka cues were selling for $800-$1300........Duh?

Matt B.

Just a few years earlier gold was like $800.00 an ounce so gold was a little scary.

 

[Chicagoplayer]

Bavafangoul-

OP posed a question so I'll reply in kind..........Would you have bought gold in 1985, one year before the Color of Money was released, knowing what the price of gold is today?

In 1985, gold was trading for $300 ounce and Balabushka cues were selling for $800-$1300........Duh?

Matt B.

_______________________________________

If gold broker "Smith" was mentioned positively in a movie that directly correlated to it's business,
then "Smith's" business would benefit.

The point I make with Balabushka:

Yes,
Balabushka cues were popular and costly, but only known within the pool community.
It was the film TCOM, that put the name Balabushka in the minds of the mainstream, non pool playing crowd.

One thing directly impacted another-cause and effect.

Please don't compare apples and oranges,
especially since I also posted a picture with my post so you could see where my point was going.


Maybe you don't know that "Raising the Hustler" is a film-

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2uxH63RqwSM

Capisce?

-CP

 

[pdcue]

_______________________________________

If gold broker "Smith" was mentioned positively in a movie that directly correlated to it's business,
then "Smith's" business would benefit.

The point I make with Balabushka:

Yes,
Balabushka cues were popular and costly, but only known within the pool community.
It was the film TCOM, that put the name Balabushka in the minds of the mainstream, non pool playing crowd.

One thing directly impacted another-cause and effect.

Please don't compare apples and oranges,
especially since I also posted a picture with my post so you could see where my point was going.


Maybe you don't know that "Raising the Hustler" is a film-

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2uxH63RqwSM

Capisce?

-CP

Well just let me be the very first to congratulate you on your 20/20 hindsight.

For the record, no one, but no one had a clue the magnitude that TCOM was
going to have on Pool and esp custom cues. The Japan phenom would have been
thought to be less likely than another atomic bomb attack.

For those that may not know, there had been a few other movies and TV movies
that had been highly anticipated as the second coming of 'The Hustler' but their
collective effect was virtually undetectable.

I recall reading an article in, I believe, Pool and Billiards, stating that the much
ballyhooed soon to be released "sequel" to 'The Hustler' would have little impact
on the business of Pool, with perhaps, some small increase in interest in
2 piece cues.

Dale

 

[Chicagoplayer]

<sigh>

Well just let me be the very first to congratulate you on your 20/20 hindsight.

For the record, no one, but no one had a clue the magnitude that TCOM was
going to have on Pool and esp custom cues. The Japan phenom would have been
thought to be less likely than another atomic bomb attack.

For those that may not know, there had been a few other movies and TV movies
that had been highly anticipated as the second coming of 'The Hustler' but their
collective effect was virtually undetectable.

I recall reading an article in, I believe, Pool and Billiards, stating that the much
ballyhooed soon to be released "sequel" to 'The Hustler' would have little impact
on the business of Pool, with perhaps, some small increase in interest in
2 piece cues.

Dale

_______________________________________

Okay-

The proof of the pudding, is in the eating....

Just know the writing's on the wall...

 

[macguy]

Well just let me be the very first to congratulate you on your 20/20 hindsight.

For the record, no one, but no one had a clue the magnitude that TCOM was
going to have on Pool and esp custom cues. The Japan phenom would have been
thought to be less likely than another atomic bomb attack.

For those that may not know, there had been a few other movies and TV movies
that had been highly anticipated as the second coming of 'The Hustler' but their
collective effect was virtually undetectable.

I recall reading an article in, I believe, Pool and Billiards, stating that the much
ballyhooed soon to be released "sequel" to 'The Hustler' would have little impact
on the business of Pool, with perhaps, some small increase in interest in
2 piece cues.

Dale

There is another aspect, the internet didn't exist. If you had a cue for sale, any kind of cue and you tried to sell it locally, good luck. I had a Gina cue I could not get $300.00 for it around 1985.

In no time every possible local buyer had seen the cue and made dirt cheap offers and you were done. I finally did a cash and trade for a Szamboti. If I remember right I gave him the Gina plus a $150.00 for the Szamboti.

The internet changed everything. By the way, that Gina I was referring to is still around. I saw it sell on ebay a few years ago for $3500.00.

 

[bdorman]

_______________________________________


It was the film TCOM, that put the name Balabushka in the minds of the mainstream, non pool playing crowd.


-CP

Just the other day I was at an investment seminar. It covered stocks, bonds and Balabushkas...your basic, mainstream investments.

 

[macguy]

Just the other day I was at an investment seminar. It covered stocks, bonds and Balabushkas...your basic, mainstream investments.

I would not call anything regarding pool as mainstream. It is and always be a subculture. The COM was the trigger plus later the internet is what sent the prices up due to a world wide expanded market.

 

[HighEndCues]

I agree TCOM gave pool a great shot in the arm, and pool halls all over benifited from that. But, of those people who gained interest in the game a very small amount of them would go out and buy a $2500 Balabushka because of it. All the cue collectors knew everything about Balabushka's way before the movie.
I remember in 1989 passing on 2 Balabushka's for $1700 and $2000 and that was years after TCOM boom.

IMO Balabushka's would have progressed to their current market value if the movie was never made. Just as Szamboti's, Gina's and many others that have since there inception in the 60's and 70's.
You could have bought a Gus in the early 70's for $250 that could be worth $10k +
There are many Gus' bought in the 80's that were $2k-$3k and are worth $50k-$100k.
Reputation, Supply and Demand, and a lot of luck
Best,
Ken

 

[pdcue]

I agree TCOM gave pool a great shot in the arm, and pool halls all over benifited from that. But, of those people who gained interest in the game a very small amount of them would go out and buy a $2500 Balabushka because of it. All the cue collectors knew everything about Balabushka's way before the movie.
I remember in 1989 passing on 2 Balabushka's for $1700 and $2000 and that was years after TCOM boom.

IMO Balabushka's would have progressed to their current market value if the movie was never made. Just as Szamboti's, Gina's and many others that have since there inception in the 60's and 70's.
You could have bought a Gus in the early 70's for $250 that could be worth $10k +
There are many Gus' bought in the 80's that were $2k-$3k and are worth $50k-$100k.
Reputation, Supply and Demand, and a lot of luck
Best,
Ken

I couldn't disagree more with this idea - no TCOM there wouldn't be a cue that would bring $5000.

Dale

 

[macguy]

I agree TCOM gave pool a great shot in the arm, and pool halls all over benifited from that. But, of those people who gained interest in the game a very small amount of them would go out and buy a $2500 Balabushka because of it. All the cue collectors knew everything about Balabushka's way before the movie.
I remember in 1989 passing on 2 Balabushka's for $1700 and $2000 and that was years after TCOM boom.

IMO Balabushka's would have progressed to their current market value if the movie was never made. Just as Szamboti's, Gina's and many others that have since there inception in the 60's and 70's.
You could have bought a Gus in the early 70's for $250 that could be worth $10k +
There are many Gus' bought in the 80's that were $2k-$3k and are worth $50k-$100k.
Reputation, Supply and Demand, and a lot of luck
Best,
Ken

Not without the internet. That is the single number one reason many things have gone up, and down in value. My nephew sells high end cars. He may sell a RR or Maserati to someone across the country and they will fly in and trailer the car home.

Before, he could have a car like a Maserati for sale for a year waiting to connect up with a buyer. Cues were the same. You could not sell a high end cue locally if your life depended on it unless you got really lucky.

 

[pdcue]

_______________________________________

Okay-

The proof of the pudding, is in the eating....

Just know the writing's on the wall...

You're kidding yourself.
Inclusion in a movie doesn't guarantee financial upswing.

A few years ago a truly awful movie was made about table tennis.
Have you seen any vintage Butterfly paddles selling for $2000 yet?

Dale