Lassiters Balabushka

Red Ferrule

Luther and Butera did a match at a San Diego pool hall in 72' . He was in great form and killed Lou. He had a 1 inch 4 sided red ferrule on the shaft. I was just thrilled to watch up close and have a short conversation before they left for Vegas with some hard core suits. I never looked at the cue to see who made it...

3 years ago i mentioned the ferrule story to Danny James, he said Luther asked him to make it for him because he was worried he was loosing his game.

There was always something to worry about with Luther.



macguy said:
I was at the US Open in the early 70's in Chicago and Lassiter had a cue with the ferrule painted with red nail polish. He said it helped him see better. You may have a better version of what he was experimenting with back then. He was always thinking, he actually invented the Tip Tapper that Butera later sold.

You saw Lassiter taking it in and out of his pocket and doing something to his tip with it. Of course being the pest I was sometimes I wanted to see it. He showed it to me and it was a piece of a file he had broken off and ground down the edges smooth so it didn't cut his pants pocket. I didn't find it to be much of a coincidence to see Lou Butera come out with an improved copy of it very shortly after that was called "The Tip Tapper".
I haven't seen it mentioned but Lassiter played with a Martin cue quite often.
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macguy said:
That cue in the picture does not look like a Balabushka with the segmented collars. Has a Szamboti or Joss look. Also did you ever see the Lassiter cue with the Gold piece inlaid in the butt? I remember he had a cue stolen at one time.
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Later on I found a pic of the letter from Tasc on this cue. So it was made for Lassiter by Bushka...

And it was not lighting of the pic, in the letter Tasc says it had fiber trim rings instead of the usual nickel.
 
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When Luther passed, his brother said something about his "Cherished Balabushka". Forget what it pertained to, but, remembering reading it in an artical about Luther. :confused:
 
flyvirginiaguy said:
If it is a Bushka I probably have pics of it. If it has been on the net, or I have come across in person. This was from ebay. Plain 4 pointer.

wvecyp.jpg


29zs8w1.jpg
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Those photos aren't from eBay. I posted them on az a while ago for my friend who actually owns the cue.


macguy said:
...Also did you ever see the Lassiter cue with the Gold piece inlaid in the butt? I remember he had a cue stolen at one time.
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I know of the cue you're talking about. I pretty much grew up in Wimpy's hometown poolroom here in Elizabeth City. I heard about the cue when I was maybe about 14 years old from one of his good friends and sometimes traveling partner Ed Tarkington. He died some time ago but I remember him telling me about the cue and how Wimpy had not had it very long and only let it out of his sight for a minute before someone stole it. I can't remember the cue maker but I'm sure I can go talk to one of the old timers... Possibly Norman Forbes, Cotton Elliot, or Even Jim Todd if he's still alive. The owner of Wimpy's Balabushka pictured above (Jr Jones) might know as well.

I know quite a few guys around here that have some of Wimpy's old stuff...
 
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flyvirginiaguy said:
Later on I found a pic of the letter from Tasc on this cue. So it was made for Lassiter by Bushka...

And it was not lighting of the pic, in the letter Tasc says it had fiber trim rings instead of the usual nickel.
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Fiber ring like this?

85a5896c.jpg
 
Still a Mystery

I am amazed that there still no photo's of the "Mystery" $45,000 Lassiter Cue that was for sale on Ebay in 2008! I doubt that the plain 4 pointer referenced in this thread would have been the one on EBay for $45,000. Just my Opinion. This cue is really a mystery!!!

Wedge

Wedge
 
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Wedge said:
It was the one that sold for $45,000 and was on numerous AZ threads...it might have been on EBay.

Thanks for your help...I appreciate the effort!

Wedge
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when i saw the thread I remembered the 45K instantly-I thought about buying it at the time. I cant help beyond that, I was contacted before it sold with a price and I cant find that email, I'll keep searching, idk how I could have lost that info. I had piles of things going on at the time, and might have mistakenly deleted it. Like I said ill keep looking.

best
eric:smile:
 
I Believe

Fatboy said:
when i saw the thread I remembered the 45K instantly-I thought about buying it at the time. I cant help beyond that, I was contacted before it sold with a price and I cant find that email, I'll keep searching, idk how I could have lost that info. I had piles of things going on at the time, and might have mistakenly deleted it. Like I said ill keep looking.

best
eric:smile:
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I believe if anyone can find the photo it will be Fatboy!!!
 
flyvirginiaguy said:
wow you read so much into things ehhh? I found it in my folder of pics later on is what was meant.....:rolleyes:

And I have thousands of pics bushkas and thought ebay since not many post watermarks all over their stuff here on AZ. Good GOD...:rolleyes:
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Whoa relax buddy, it's not that big of a deal. I was asking you because it sounded like you were saying you found them somewhere else on the web... Especially since you first said you found them on eBay. Also "thousands" of Bushka pics sounds like a lot. I'm impressed... that's at least a couple pics for every cue he ever made. :rolleyes:
 
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branpureza said:
Whoa relax buddy, it's not that big of a deal. I was asking you because it sounded like you were saying you found them somewhere else on the web... Especially since you first said you found them on eBay. Also "thousands" of Bushka pics sounds like a lot. I'm impressed.
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No problem... Maybe I should have said from a forgotten source, but ebay come to mind when I looked em up in my folder and seen the watermarks. It is done on ebay a lot for some odd reason.
And yes, pics from Bushka cues from photos I have taken or the web from back to the time of John Wright and his mailings of pictures... Not to say thousands of individual cues though, as he did not make that many ;).
 
That is funny. Whippy and a Balabushka.

flyvirginiaguy said:
Later on I found a pic of the letter from Tasc on this cue. So it was made for Lassiter by Bushka...

And it was not lighting of the pic, in the letter Tasc says it had fiber trim rings instead of the usual nickel.
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The Whip played with a Gina.
Nick :)
 
flyvirginiaguy said:
No problem... Maybe I should have said from a forgotten source, but ebay come to mind when I looked em up in my folder and seen the watermarks. It is done on ebay a lot for some odd reason.
And yes, pics from Bushka cues from photos I have taken or the web from back to the time of John Wright and his mailings of pictures... Not to say thousands of individual cues though, as he did not make that many ;).
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Yeah.. I have over a thousand pictures of Ginacues I've collected over the years. Anytime I come across one I just save it and add it to the collection. You could say I'm a fan. ;)
 
The pictures on this thread IS the cue you are looking for

Wedge said:
I believe if anyone can find the photo it will be Fatboy!!!
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I personally watched that cue listed on ebay and immediately saved pics and the letter from Pete describing the cue because I was going to have a custom made exactly like it. It may not look like it to you in the pics here but it IS the same cue you are referring to. The engraving shown on the cue that gold part was in fact shown in the pics and its on the joint cap as stated here already. If I am not mistaken the auction originally started at 60k. I remember posting a link of it on here when I saw it on ebay back then.
 
Here are some pics of the Lassiter Cue

Lassiter 1.jpg

Lassiter 2.jpg

macguy said:
i just looked at it and blew it up. There looks to be a silver ring at the top of the butt cap and below the butt sleeve with and mop inlays. It looks out of proportion to the cue design and may be something added. Post those pictures for sure.
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PistolPat said:
I personally watched that cue listed on ebay and immediately saved pics and the letter from Pete describing the cue because I was going to have a custom made exactly like it. It may not look like it to you in the pics here but it IS the same cue you are referring to. The engraving shown on the cue that gold part was in fact shown in the pics and its on the joint cap as stated here already. If I am not mistaken the auction originally started at 60k. I remember posting a link of it on here when I saw it on ebay back then.
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Well the only pics of a Bushka posted were the ones I put up. And if you saw it on ebay to, then maybe it shows my memory is not shot when I thought I had saved them from what I thought was ebay :grin: Even though branpureza had posted them here for his friend as well.
 
BTW I am not sure if Lassiter had a more fancy Bushka than the one already posted, but someone ought to find us some pics of Irving Crane's Bushka. Now that was what seems like an awesome Bushka from the distant pics I have seen of it, inlayed quite a bit... Here is one pic I had saved of that one with him holding it.

2n74nef.jpg
 
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