Ebay Balabushka...

Looks very much like one a fellow I know used to own. He sold it to Mike X from New England a good many years ago. It was never verified that it was a Balabushka.
 
I like the thick silver rings, the large white buttcap and the round inlays, all in perfect proportion. Whenever someone tries to make a tribute of cues like this they often screw this up somehow, the size, spacing of inlays etc,making the cue look cheap. A nice looking cue design, would have been a stunner when brand new, I'm sure.

But isn't this a "tribute" of the first catalog Palmer?

Dale
 
Does anyone want to tell Ernie he stole his domino pattern from George? :D

JV (----:eek:

JV

Do you date this Bushka to pre-1964? Owner says early 70s, by then The Master had made about 400 Dominos and George copied, er tributed, him.

And don't be pulling out any Domino Paradises or anything.

Kevin
 
Last edited:
JV

Do you date this Bushka to pre-1964? Owner says early 70s, by then The Master had made about 400 Dominos and George copied, er tributed, him.

And don't be pulling out any Domino Paradises or anything.

Kevin

This Bushka is pre-1964 there are two things on this cue that date it. I think it means they got it 25 years ago (ebay ad, but we know how reliable that is).. but this cue is definitely early. BTW this is the third Domino pattern Bushka I have seen (cornerstone) has one now but fancier over all than this.

JV
 
Last edited:
BTW I am a believer in simultaneous design / invention. Especially 50-60 years ago. Two people in the same field, given the same materials, could possibly come to the same conclusions although totally separated by extreme distances.

JV
 
Last edited:
BTW I am a believer in simultaneous design / invention. Especially 50-60 years ago. Two people in the same field, given the same materials, could possibly come to the same conclusions although totally separated by extreme distances.

JV

JV

I'll leave it to you to bring the design history up with Ernie. As you know from the recent 2 Balabushka fiasco, every time I tell Ernie he is wrong, I'm wrong.

I don't know how Ernie was in the 1960s, but I do know that now he really doesn't want to be looking at other's designs (probably learned it from a lifetime of getting pissed over being copied). I tried to show him some of Tony's Black Boar designs (which really suit my eye) and he didn't want to see them, not so much that he would be tempted to steal them (he wouldn't), but rather wanted to avoid the subconscious artist influence.

By the way, Dominoes was like a national pastime in Columbia.

On the other hand, there may have been more guys walking into Ernie's garage back then with Balabushkas back than vice/versa.

On the other other hand, balance Ernie's 400 Dominos against George's 3 and there's your odds.

Kevin
 
Last edited:
Lucky in Japan has it. Pics of it in the 3rd Billiard Encyclopedia. I don't have a copy of that edition atm though.

Of course Lucky has it. I have a 3rd edition here and I didn't see dice, saw lots of Dominoes though.

Whoops, I was in the BB. I'm looking for my Encyclopedia.
 
Of course Lucky has it. I have a 3rd edition here and I didn't see dice, saw lots of Dominoes though.

Whoops, I was in the BB. I'm looking for my Encyclopedia.

Should be one in there with dice in the points of a Spain blank with the clover etc.... at the tip of the points, and notched diamond, dots, and gold polyester rings at the bottom. possibly page 341?

Schick had done a close tribute of it as well.
 
Should be one in there with dice in the points of a Spain blank with the clover etc.... at the tip of the points, and notched diamond, dots, and gold polyester rings at the bottom. possibly page 341?

Schick had done a close tribute of it as well.

Thanks for the link. You've got some great pics, MANY I have never seen. I guess why George became the legend it pretty clear, EVERY top player of the time used one.

Thanks again

Kevin
 
JV

Do you date this Bushka to pre-1964? Owner says early 70s, by then The Master had made about 400 Dominos and George copied, er tributed, him.

And don't be pulling out any Domino Paradises or anything.

Kevin

Speaking of...

Didn't everyone who put a diamond or dot or groups of in a cue -
COPY the work of Frank Paradise?

And while we're at it - how about nickel silver joints, which predater steel?

Dale
 
Last edited:
Considering the notion that this seller set a HIGH reserve, has no authentication and no one has even nibbled yet, I wonder how many lowball offers they'll get after the auction :D what do you guys think this cues actual value is considering the obvious?
 
Back
Top