Brunswick Centennial & Anniversary

luckylager

luckylager

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Does anyone know Brunswick's rationale for having both of these tables sharing the spotlight from 1946 to 1961?

Was one considered the commercial model while the other was marketed as a home table?
 
luckylager said:
Does anyone know Brunswick's rationale for having both of these tables sharing the spotlight from 1946 to 1961?

Was one considered the commercial model while the other was marketed as a home table?
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Can't answer your specific question, but I think both were marketed as commercial tables. The room that I grew up in had Centennials, while the student union at the University of Connecticut (at the time) had 7 9' Anniversary pocket tables and 1 10' Anniversary Carom table.

I have a Centennial and am partial to them, though I very much appreciate the lines on the Anniversary. I was told many years ago that the Centennial was introduced in 1945 to celebrate 100 years of Brunswick. Others have told me that this honor goes to the Anniversary. Either way, both tables have a style that is timeless and desirable.

So, that's my take, FWIW.

Regards,
Roger
 
luckylager said:
Does anyone know Brunswick's rationale for having both of these tables sharing the spotlight from 1946 to 1961?

Was one considered the commercial model while the other was marketed as a home table?
Click to expand...

Hardly - there were no 'home' tables in those days.

Centennial was the "top of the line" as the Arcade had been in the 1920s.
The art decco metal sides were cutting edge style at the time -
they were the table used for the world championship tournament.

Look at the pictures in Mosconi's famous 'little red book', the table used
is a Centennial.

Structurally, the Anniversary is almost identical to the Centennial.

Concurrent with these tables, they also offered the Sport King, and the
Sportsman - only slightly lesser quality.

As to the names - they were released to coinside with Brunswick's

Centennial Anniversary.

Dale
 
pdcue said:
Hardly - there were no 'home' tables in those days.
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These pictures from the 1952 catalog make me wonder if Brunswick felt otherwise; or at least wanted to suggest the possibility. I don't imagine many women in the pool halls those days, but I could be very wrong.
 

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I have a Centennial thats been recovered one time(its almost brand new), It has the origonal backer boards on the slates and there is evidence of only it being stapled into 2 times, I bought it 4-5 years ago I never set it up. someday I will. Its beatiful in mint condition. someday i'd love to have a collection of tables, from all different era's. All the GC's 1-5 lined up in mint condition in their factory colors, and especially the piano black/chrome 3 or 4, thats a sharp looking table.
 
home tables?

Remeber too that during that era most homes were alot smaller than today and players went to the pool halls to socalize. Not like the basement monsters that are scattered around nowadays.
 
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pdcue said:
Hardly - there were no 'home' tables in those days.
Click to expand...


There were many 'home' tables in those days. Undersized and convertable tables had been around for decades, marketed specifically for home use.
 
Cuebuddy said:
I think a man named Donald Deskey had something to do with it.
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Both the Anniversary and Centennial models were designed by the same two men: Robert I. Anderson and Bert Hoeker of Grand Haven and Muskegon, Michigan respectively
 
It is hard to find a negative comment about these tables, with the possible exception of current price and availability for a nice one.

Do they have any known flaws?
 
Mr. Bond said:
Both the Anniversary and Centennial models were designed by the same two men: Robert I. Anderson and Bert Hoeker of Grand Haven and Muskegon, Michigan respectively
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Having read your posts on the historical side of these forums (and trusting your expertise) I was careful not to give DD absolute credit Like I used to.

It is curious though how many references there are on the web that give him credit for this. A quick question for you if you are still out there.... Was Deskey the designer of the Paramount?
 
The Centennial had cast aluminum skirts and rosewood construction. The Aniversary had some aluminum and walnut construction. The cost had to be significantly less for the Aniversary.

I love my Centennial.
 
luckylager said:
Does anyone know Brunswick's rationale for having both of these tables sharing the spotlight from 1946 to 1961?

Was one considered the commercial model while the other was marketed as a home table?
Click to expand...

I looked at some of my old catalogs, and it appears that the Centennial Table was the top of the line table that Brunswick offed in the 1949 Brunswick Catalog. The Anniversary table was designed to give the customer a similar quality table that was more moderately priced.

I think that it all comes down to the quality of the materials used to build these tables. The Centennial for designed for those who had a bigger wallet and could afford to spend more, and the Anniversary filled the gap for those who wanted a great looking and playable table that was built with lower quality material.

I suspect there was really nothing more to it than that.

Hope this helps
 
Cuebuddy said:
Having read your posts on the historical side of these forums (and trusting your expertise) I was careful not to give DD absolute credit Like I used to.

It is curious though how many references there are on the web that give him credit for this. A quick question for you if you are still out there.... Was Deskey the designer of the Paramount?
Click to expand...


Yes he was. Patent # D115,647
 
chevybob20 said:
The Centennial had cast aluminum skirts and rosewood construction. The Aniversary had some aluminum and walnut construction. The cost had to be significantly less for the Aniversary.

I love my Centennial.
Click to expand...

While it says walnut in the catalog, I believe they meant walnut stained. I have an Anniversary, all original, the rails are oak (stained walnut) and the skirts are poplar (also stained walnut).

Brian in VA
 
Brian in VA said:
While it says walnut in the catalog, I believe they meant walnut stained. I have an Anniversary, all original, the rails are oak (stained walnut) and the skirts are poplar (also stained walnut).

Brian in VA
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That's interesting. I have never seen an Aniversary in person. I know they used poplar for the sub rails and framing to cut cost. I wouldn't have guessed that they would have done that.
 
oak rails on annivedrsary?

Brian in VA said:
While it says walnut in the catalog, I believe they meant walnut stained. I have an Anniversary, all original, the rails are oak (stained walnut) and the skirts are poplar (also stained walnut).

Brian in VA
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i am surprised to hear of an anniversary with oak rails. i have played on lots of original ones. most had walnut for the exposed surface of he rail, but some had formica. since oak is very open grained, it could use a lot of pore filler to be a smooth as walnut or rosewood. i do see oak used on diamond tables and it seems to look good and feel nice to the touch the way they have finished it. oak is not too expensive as nice hardwoods go.
Brazilian rosewood used in the centennial rails would cost a fortune today, maybe almost as much as a centennial table brings today in average condition.

i plan on getting sport king, or maybe a sportsman soon. i can not justify the cost of the centennial or anniversary. GC seem to be going cheap but i hate the elevated pocket castings, which seem to me to be a step on the wrong direction compared with the 1940s 1950s era tables. the centennials i practice on have the castings flush with the wood and the anniversary is nearly flush. i am assuming that the sportsman/sport king are similar although i do not have one to compare.
j
 
luckylager said:
These pictures from the 1952 catalog make me wonder if Brunswick felt otherwise; or at least wanted to suggest the possibility. I don't imagine many women in the pool halls those days, but I could be very wrong.
Click to expand...

Both were (are) obviously commercial quality tables though in the ad you cited the description of the Centennial seems more directed towards room owners with phrases like:

"...a surface that will give your players championship conditions every time they play..."

and

"add distinction and player appeal to your room...give your customers the table champions use - Brunswick Centennial."

But I think they were both directed at the commercial market, just at somewhat different price points.

----
In the Brunswick archives it is the Anniversary that is credited as having been "Built to commemorate Brunswick's first one hundred years of pool table manufacturing."
 
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