Some helpful information....
My father passed away 2 days ago. He wanted me to sell his beloved pool cue made by Kenneth Stew Mortson. I tried calling Stew's phone number in my father's file (Stew is in our geographic area in the NW suburbs of Chicago), but the number does not work. My father thought perhaps Stew might want to buy the cue back or know of a buyer. The cue cost $700 in Feb of '99 and the extra shaft was $100 plus $212 for the case for a total of $1012. Someone at my father's sr ctr who played with my father has offered $250 and I feel that is too low. The potential buyer knew I would want more. Details from a note in my father's file in someone else's handwriting (? Stew's): gunstock walnut joint and buttpiece frnt. Brazilian rosc and ebony splars into mora. White ceramic inner pyramid and coral. Butt bloodwood silver rings ebony coral pyramids. And the note has Stew's signature. Also says Mr Pendis ??? Anyone who can help tell me how to reach Stew or translate what this all means or suggest how much I should sell it for or who wants to buy, please contact me. I am his daughter. He loved his cue.
Mr. Pendis was in reference to himself. In other words, substitue "stu" for "Mr."
I spoke with a friend, who made a call to stu. Stu was playing golf, but returned his call quickly and said he remembered the cue.
I would say that stu wouldn't be interested in purchasing the cue back, but I don't speak for him, just a guess...
The case that is pictured isn't the original case that was sold with the cue.
Stu typically sold cases that had the name american vinyl, with his cues.
The cues that stu made were built the old school way with a pantograph machine that probably dated back to WWII. His designs are very different and certainly original. The shafts will most likely have a schuler pool cue taper to them and the joint is certainly schuler as well.
Stu was a VERY good friend of the late Ray Schuler's. Stu had access to just about anything and everything he wanted at the schuler shop and was able to turn out a few cues from there that weren't Schuler's per say, but were his own using all of the same fundamental construction techniques that ray used while incorporating his own aesthetics. From what I understand, if you were to ask stu of the value, he'd say $5,000 if he thought he could get it. Not because he's a scammer or anything. He's simply very proud of his work... Stu said he remembered the cue after the description was read to him and he said, "Today, the cue is worth every bit of what was originally paid for it." Not that his opinion is in touch with today's cue market, but his opinion is now available to all potential buyers. Do with it what you will. The cues he "made" were shuler cues, with mortson inlays and designs. Each of them typically had a name much like an artist names a painting. Some examples were the Michael Jordon cue, the tiger woods cue, and there were some other real strange names. I was mistaken laura when I told you the cue was made for michael jordan, it was that something about the cue made Stu think hmmmmmmmmmmm........ michael Jordan!
Hope some of this info helps.
