Long Time Voyeur - First Time Poster - Cue ID??
- Thread starter JAMSGOLF
- Start date
Welcome and I don't have a clue about the Cue.
I know nothing about Balabushkas either. Nice looking though and old. Looks like it suffered through a bad refinishing job. Is the ferrule ivory? Looks like Cortland wrap.
On the signature, try going over it with a NON-permanent black marking pen
and gently wipe it off. It might pick up some depressions not apparently visible. Oh sh!t !!! I just realized what it says.
Joe Balsis
You might want to lock this one up.
On the signature, try going over it with a NON-permanent black marking pen
and gently wipe it off. It might pick up some depressions not apparently visible. Oh sh!t !!! I just realized what it says.
Joe Balsis
You might want to lock this one up.
I did a google on Joe Balsis and found a couple of websites. I emailed someone who seemed to have some info on Joe (no response yet). I couldn't find any example of his "signature" anywhere.
I didn't want to look like too much of an idiot by stating that the joint looks like ivory...but since you brought up ivory...the joint looks like ivory to me. I'm not convinced on the ferrule, but the joint really does (to me at least).
Yeah, the wrap does appear to be Cortland. Again, I know very very very little, but that was the first thought that came to me.
I didn't want to look like too much of an idiot by stating that the joint looks like ivory...but since you brought up ivory...the joint looks like ivory to me. I'm not convinced on the ferrule, but the joint really does (to me at least).
Yeah, the wrap does appear to be Cortland. Again, I know very very very little, but that was the first thought that came to me.
I had to get out my special reading glasses for this one, but I believe your cue is signed Flo Harless.
Flo was one of the girls who worked in "Two Tooth" Sally's hot pillow joint down in Galveston, back in the 70's. I used to stop by from time to time back when I was selling table cloth for Irvin Sarmonis. No, not pool table cloth. I sold that checkered cloth you see in fine Italian restaurants.
Anyway, Flo was quite the trooper. She had lost an eye fighting over half a ham and onion sandwich, as a teenager, but had refused to allow the disability to come between her and her customers. I'll never forget her standing there in the doorway, waving as I would leave. "Ya'll come back now." She would say. "I'll keep an eye out for you." :wink:
Flo was one of the girls who worked in "Two Tooth" Sally's hot pillow joint down in Galveston, back in the 70's. I used to stop by from time to time back when I was selling table cloth for Irvin Sarmonis. No, not pool table cloth. I sold that checkered cloth you see in fine Italian restaurants.
Anyway, Flo was quite the trooper. She had lost an eye fighting over half a ham and onion sandwich, as a teenager, but had refused to allow the disability to come between her and her customers. I'll never forget her standing there in the doorway, waving as I would leave. "Ya'll come back now." She would say. "I'll keep an eye out for you." :wink:
I know that Balabushka made cues for Joe Balsis. Here's is proof of that.
http://www.susiecuebilliards.com/Balsis1/balabushka_cue__owned_by__joe_ba.htm
If you look closely at the 'Plastic' at the joint does it appear to have a pattern of threads going through it?
Here's some more exampes of Balabushka cues.
http://www.thisisamesmister.com/george_balabushka.html
http://www.susiecuebilliards.com/Balsis1/balabushka_cue__owned_by__joe_ba.htm
If you look closely at the 'Plastic' at the joint does it appear to have a pattern of threads going through it?
Here's some more exampes of Balabushka cues.
http://www.thisisamesmister.com/george_balabushka.html
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Damn, that's funny...Glad you're back! :grin-square:
Gosh , I missed that stuff. You're in great form.
Just playing a little catch-up here. I should be done around a week from Tuesday. 
The website "susiecuebilliards" is the site I found (and emailed). Yes, the top of the joint on the butt does have a pattern of threads going through it (even more so on the shaft).
Yeah, I started reading this one and I was taken in big time...good job...I will wear a nametag of "Sucker" for the rest of the day... :smile:
put it up
put it up on the ask a cue builder section. they can tell you all about it prolly
put it up on the ask a cue builder section. they can tell you all about it prolly
Well im no cue expert but that sticker says joe balsis, wierdest looking "j" i have ever seen but there is "oe" after it. So unless there was a "toe balsis" It has to be joe. Maybe joe had a cue line back in the day? But i don't understand why someone would make a cue that nice and the slap a sticker on it. Im amazed the sticker is even still there!
The fun thing about researching a cue is that you can learn so much of pool history and characters even though it may not be 'The Holy Grail'.
FYI read this link.
https://store.bluebookinc.com/InstantAccess/Category.aspx?product=7&id=22
Is the signature on the sticker itself or was a transparent adhesive tape placed over the sticker to protect it?
Keep us posted. The real experts will be commenting soon. Keep an open mind.
FYI read this link.
https://store.bluebookinc.com/InstantAccess/Category.aspx?product=7&id=22
Is the signature on the sticker itself or was a transparent adhesive tape placed over the sticker to protect it?
Keep us posted. The real experts will be commenting soon. Keep an open mind.
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Thanks to all who have chimed in so far. Okay I received the following email from Rich Sluzalis (from susiecuebilliards) which unfortunately stated the following:
"The cue you have was distributed by Brunswick however is just a cheap import
With a world champions name on it. Just like the K-Mart Miz cues.
Yes it certainly does read Joe Balsis on the butt cap but Joe did not sign it.
It was a factory printed signature from a copy of Joe’s signature on
A line of inexpensive cues for the rail beaters
I sold about a 10 of the exact same cue. I even had the original cardboard store display that these cues were showcased in.
After Joe passed away, Eleanor Balsis, Joe’s widow, asked me to sell all of Joe’s billiard items, including the tangerine GC-1 in her living room that she absolutely hated and all the items that he accumulated throughout his professional pool career on. I had only 5 weeks to sell it all as she was moving out of state. She had no clue of the value of his billiard items.
The cue is not worth much even in good condition. The only reason the ones I sold on Ebay brought good money was because they were from the Balsis household and still in the plastic sleeves.
I wish I could have had a financially better answer for you but I only call them as I see em.
Best of rolls!
Rich Sluzalis"
"The cue you have was distributed by Brunswick however is just a cheap import
With a world champions name on it. Just like the K-Mart Miz cues.
Yes it certainly does read Joe Balsis on the butt cap but Joe did not sign it.
It was a factory printed signature from a copy of Joe’s signature on
A line of inexpensive cues for the rail beaters
I sold about a 10 of the exact same cue. I even had the original cardboard store display that these cues were showcased in.
After Joe passed away, Eleanor Balsis, Joe’s widow, asked me to sell all of Joe’s billiard items, including the tangerine GC-1 in her living room that she absolutely hated and all the items that he accumulated throughout his professional pool career on. I had only 5 weeks to sell it all as she was moving out of state. She had no clue of the value of his billiard items.
The cue is not worth much even in good condition. The only reason the ones I sold on Ebay brought good money was because they were from the Balsis household and still in the plastic sleeves.
I wish I could have had a financially better answer for you but I only call them as I see em.
Best of rolls!
Rich Sluzalis"
Jason, whenever I respond to a post with a bit of sardonic humor, it is never with the intention of showing up or embarrassing the author. Rather, it is meant to liven up, or perhaps offer a sightly different look at the subject matter. Kind of like salt and pepper on mashed potatos.
Aiming systems are the exception to that rule, of course. :smile: