Identifying Rare Cues

billiardhistory

Billiard History Buff
issue-11-small.jpg


I thought some of you might be interested in seeing the image above and hearing about the webpage from which it came. The image shows the cover of Volume 2, Number 5 (March/April,1991) of The Snap Magazine. Depicted is one of the rarest cue/case combinations in the world from the Glenn Family Collection, featuring a 1977 Gus Szamboti cue and its matching case built by famed case maker, Fellini. This combination was essentially priceless at the time the issue was published, since it was not for sale, though some collectors placed a value on it at upwards of $40,000.

This comes from a webpage cue lovers, builders and collectors should be interested in checking out. The page is on The Snap Magazine Tribute Website, and it tells the story behind this issue, which was and is one of the most sought after of all thirteen issues published. In addition to the cover, there are scanned copies of articles on collectible cues, including a feature on the Glenn Collection (then recognized as the largest rare cue collection in the world); an article on how to identify rare cues by Balabushka, Szamboti, Tad and Rambo, which were regularly being faked at the time; and an article on the subject of collecting rare cues and assessing their value as investments.

For those not privy to a copy of the actual magazine, this page offers an interesting and valuable synopsis of that issue. Also, if you click on the image of the cover, a larger, higher resolution version of the same image comes up. And, because the website is not copyrighted, you can download it, or any of the scanned articles and text to save in your own collection or share with friends.

The page is located at:

http://www.thesnapmagazine.com/pages/issues/11.htm
 
I have this issue in a million percent sealed condition and it really is a special one - generally and for me especially.
This is a very good website as those can read some articles who don't have the issue physically. It is fun to see how much more that pair would bring today than "just" $40,000.

It is fantastic and thanks for the link.
 
Thanks for the link, very interesting, I have never met Denny but have met Steve and Del Glenn, both really nice guys and true gentleman. :)
 
that Gus box cue on the cover there is worth a pile more than $40,000. At that price I would buy all of them I could find(assuming they arnt counterfit)

great thread thanks

eric:)
 
I used to go to the Texas State Open at More Your's in Austin Texas and buy Fellini cases from Bob Hempel at his house . Got a python once for $75 . I probably bought a dozen and a half over the years . Never had the foresight to know people would get stupid over them . Dan Whitten makes the best case in the universe ...;)
 
Is there anywhere we can read the articles that were published in it?

Other than finding a copy of the magazine itself, the only place I know of to see some of the articles is on the Snap Magazine Tribute site, on the page dedicated to that issue. These are scans of articles, and some of them are not complete because they were continued on other pages of the magazine, but they will give you a good idea of the content. Here is a link to that page:

http://www.thesnapmagazine.com/pages/issues/11.htm
 
Just curious how valuable the magazine is worth? I have every issue of "The Snap" including this issue, Almost all the P&B mags from 1989-2000, and BD from that era too. They are all in excellent condition. Is my collection worth selling?? I read the Collectible Cues issue of the Snap at least 20 times when I got it and referred to it for many years, its been a while since I've pulled it out but its still here.
 
issue-11-small.jpg


I thought some of you might be interested in seeing the image above and hearing about the webpage from which it came. The image shows the cover of Volume 2, Number 5 (March/April,1991) of The Snap Magazine. Depicted is one of the rarest cue/case combinations in the world from the Glenn Family Collection, featuring a 1977 Gus Szamboti cue and its matching case built by famed case maker, Fellini. This combination was essentially priceless at the time the issue was published, since it was not for sale, though some collectors placed a value on it at upwards of $40,000.

This comes from a webpage cue lovers, builders and collectors should be interested in checking out. The page is on The Snap Magazine Tribute Website, and it tells the story behind this issue, which was and is one of the most sought after of all thirteen issues published. In addition to the cover, there are scanned copies of articles on collectible cues, including a feature on the Glenn Collection (then recognized as the largest rare cue collection in the world); an article on how to identify rare cues by Balabushka, Szamboti, Tad and Rambo, which were regularly being faked at the time; and an article on the subject of collecting rare cues and assessing their value as investments.

For those not privy to a copy of the actual magazine, this page offers an interesting and valuable synopsis of that issue. Also, if you click on the image of the cover, a larger, higher resolution version of the same image comes up. And, because the website is not copyrighted, you can download it, or any of the scanned articles and text to save in your own collection or share with friends.

The page is located at:

http://www.thesnapmagazine.com/pages/issues/11.htm



Thanks very much for the links to this information, I think this should ne book marked in everyones favorites,

Great Thread
 
Just curious how valuable the magazine is worth? I have every issue of "The Snap" including this issue, Almost all the P&B mags from 1989-2000, and BD from that era too. They are all in excellent condition. Is my collection worth selling?? I read the Collectible Cues issue of the Snap at least 20 times when I got it and referred to it for many years, its been a while since I've pulled it out but its still here.

Check out the link below. It is to a billiard memorabilia website, where a complete set of 13 Snaps (with the original first issue, not the reprint) is selling for $1,500, and some of the early issues are selling for $150 each.

http://www.billiardmemorabilia.com/publications1.html

You can also often find some of the less rare copies on eBay selling for $40 and up, with groups of six or seven selling for $200 or more.
 
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