jkmarshall_cues said:
Thanks Chris, I was under the impression the Z-100 built in 1978 was a 4 point forearm where this one is a 3 point. I'm sure you are right. Are the WICO points rare??
John
John,
You don't see too many of these. You might want to contact Viking about this too. I am not well briefed on Viking's history, just bits and pieces.
I overlooked that it was a 3 point blank. It might not be WICO but actually a Viking built blank. I believe that Viking built their own with plastic veneers too mostly with 3 points.
Well, it's a long story, but my understanding is that WICO was/is a billiards distributor establised in the 1940 in Chicago. They started a cue making operation. Bob Meucci worked there. Thery were among the first to make the milled points "short splice". Bob Meucci is often credited with creating this design with plastics.
WICO made these forearms and sold them to Doc Fry, palmer, Gus Szamboti, and others. When Meucci left WICO in the early 1970's, I think they gave up the cue operation, and Bob showed Gordon Hart how to make these forearms. Thsi time period makes sense because your cue has features of the Vikings built in the later 1970's.
My Palmer is made in the mid 1960's with 4 points with a very early WICO blank. The WICO blanks are not very common, especially 3 points.
Anyway, maybe Viking can shed some light on this. If you fnd out, can you let me know?
Chris
