I think the challenge is trying to give the OP a reliable answer about the value of the cue but it's entirely based upon photos.
Normally that wouldn't be as difficult when the cue has an identifying trademark or logo of the cue-maker.
I realize there are great counterfeits being made nowadays but that's all the more reason that the cue needs to be physically examined since its authenticity is not yet known.
Personally, I've never seen a Runde made Schon and it's probably a slight to Evan Clarke's cue-making to refer to some Schons as Runde made,
that did not have Schon's logo on the cue butt. Certainly even a logo can be counterfeited but my point is that since there's no identification on the cue that it's indeed a Schon,
one has to be careful. I mean Jerry R. or another equivalent talented cue-maker could have made this cue so it does not have to be a Runde Schon.
Having said all of this, let's talk cue value assuming the cue was a Runde Schon. In my opinion, the estinates thrown around here are too low.
The cue should command a price within the range of $1300 -1750 if it was an early Schon Bob made. However, Bob wasn't active that much making cues the last year or so while
he owned Schon and he sold his interest in late '91 or early '92 as I recall. Anyway, Schons made after 1990 are ones that I would scruntinize carefully to try and confirm it was Bob's workmanship.
There are tales tossed around that Bob produced cues with just CNC cuts while he was at Schon. I can't state one way or the other whether that's true. What I do know is Bob disliked the very
look of CNC cuts and felt the cue looked incomplete. He and I spent a couple of hours back at the inaugural BCA trade show in Fort Worth back in "85 discussing his cue-making and I was very
impressed with him. And so I told him what I wanted for a design and gave him a 50% downpayment ($800 was a lot of money back at that time for any cue).
Anyway, I know firsthand that Bob did not like the overall look of CNC points on a cue and really can't imagine him ever changing his views about cue designs.
It would be a stretch to refer to every Schon cue made as a Runde Schon just because Bob owned the business with Terry R. (God R.I.P.). Bob was a hands on cue-maker and we talked a lot
when he was making my cue. A Schon cue without sharp points is tough to even think of as a Runde but just because a cue has sharp points also doesn't mean it has to be a Runde Schon either.
So the cue needs to be looked at for its construction etc to confirm it is a Schon and if it is, then I say it's a Runde and worth more than what's been written......Just my opinion.
Look, I don't even want your cue but if it's a Schon, then I'd give you a grand right now because Runde probably did make it and the value is worth much more.
your cue but if it's a Runde Schon, I'll give you grand right now and I don't want the cue but the price would be too good to be true to pass up.
Matt
