My Balabushka

yep all i can say is beautiful and historical work of art, not to mention the original box and case, 3 szam shafts and 3 buska!!! and the forearm szam, WTF, this cue should be in a museum along with all that it came with.


Truly amazing,
Grey Ghost
 
Paul, You hang out at Gold Crown billiards? I came through there about 6 years ago and the owner {Pat I believe} showed me an original box from George with his address on it. Didn't get to see the cue. I think he was more proud of the box than the cue! I thought it might be you untill I looked up my notes. Don
 
Paul Schofield said:
On three different occasions I have nearly lost this cue. The last time was around 1977.

I was in a bar 20 or 30 miles south of Paducah KY called "Tuney's Seabreeze". This place was out in the country in the middle of nowhere. I never did understand the name of this place. I carefully parked my car by the glass front door underneath the entry light so I could keep an eye on it (Balabushka in the trunk, Szamboti "Sneaky Paul" in the bar).

Two o'clock rolled around and the owner turned off the entry light and the result was that I could only see a reflection from the door and could not see outside. Sure enough, ten minutes passes and it was plenty of time for thieves to shatter a window to get into the car. They attempted to punch the trunk lock but failed. I had a power trunk so it may have had something to do with it being so difficult. They then pried one side of the trunk deck up, hoping to reach down in and get any valuables.

I must have spooked them when I came out the door. I am sure they were in the act although I never saw them. The owner and the patrons all came outside and they were all very concerned and the owner apologized up and down. I had the patrons lift the side of the trunk deck that had been bent where the thieves tried to get in while I reached down in the trunk to feel for the Balabushka (to heck with the money). I felt it there! Usually it is three strikes and your out. This cue was destined to stay in my possession. The Balabushka never took another trip with me again.
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Wow man talk about being lucky even though your car was screwed up. I dont think I'd be taking it for anymore rides:grin: I'd invest in a huge safe ASAP!:grin-square:

Awesome stick and wow what a set you have!!!!! (stick, box and all before the dirty minded people catch on)
 
What a great thread I stumbled upon! Thanks again Paul, (if you're still following up on this) for sharing the pictures and stories. Get one more shaft made and you've got one for every day of the week!.....if I could only take one shot with this smithsonian I'd be a happy camper.....
 
Joint Protector

I have a question for everyone. When did joint protectors come into existance? The first one I ever saw was when my cue showed up in the mail. I did not know what it was and I equated it to "packing foam" meant to protect the threads during shipping. I was ready to throw it away. After I thought about it, I just threw it in the bottom of the shipping box and stored it with the third shaft. When was the first time any of you saw one?
 
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Bushka?

Paul Schofield said:
The first one I ever saw was when my cue showed up in the mail. I did not know what it was and I equated it to "packing foam" meant to protect the threads during shipping. I was ready to throw it away. After I thought about it, I just threw it in the bottom of the shipping box and stored it with the third shaft.
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Are you talking about your Balabushka? I've never seen one that came with a Bushka.

If it is, can you post a pic?
 
Paul, I hope you don't mind but another forum I belong to(twoplustwo) just recently got a pool/snooker/billiards section and I just had to post a link to this thread(w/pics).

Simply incredible. Congratulations on owning such an amazing piece of work. You're a genius for saving the box obv.
 
Paul, absolutely stunning. I am humbled by that beautiful cue and envy you owning it. Thanks for all the info.....

Fatboy, if you ever buy it I'm going to have to come to Vegas.......:wink:
 
Picture of a Balabushka Joint Protector

Cuaba said:
Are you talking about your Balabushka? I've never seen one that came with a Bushka.

If it is, can you post a pic?
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When was the first time any of you saw a joint protector? Here is the picture you requested. This joint protector is 35 years old.
 

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I have a funny thing to tell about a Gus cue. My friend here in town got his Gus, and by the post date on the box, it was a one or two days AFTER Gus had died.

Some "collectors" have said they have the last Gus cue he ever made, but if it was done later than this one, Gus must have done it from the grave...:rolleyes:

They must have better marketing skills.

Ken
 
Paul Schofield said:
I have a question for everyone. When did joint protectors come into existance? The first one I ever saw was when my cue showed up in the mail. I did not know what it was and I equated it to "packing foam" meant to protect the threads during shipping. I was ready to throw it away. After I thought about it, I just threw it in the bottom of the shipping box and stored it with the third shaft. When was the first time any of you saw one?
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With no responses, the only thing I can say is "I must be the oldest guy in the room".
 
Paul Schofield said:
With no responses, the only thing I can say is "I must be the oldest guy in the room".
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Mr.Schofield,

I have 2 bushkas that came with JP's. One of them was not played with very much the other has hit several million balls and only had 1 JP for a shaft(i think, may have been the butt-i will check). on bothe cues the JPS were shaped like the one in a pic seceral posts up from this post but milled from solid alumin(the metal foilis made from that I cant spell-LOL), I dont know if they were after market and its just a councidence that 2 of my Bushkas have them and NO other cues I have ever seen have them. I will photograph them later this week and email them to you-I dont know how to post pics here.

best
Eric :)
 
after market

Fatboy said:
Mr.Schofield,

I have 2 bushkas that came with JP's. One of them was not played with very much the other has hit several million balls and only had 1 JP for a shaft(i think, may have been the butt-i will check). on bothe cues the JPS were shaped like the one in a pic seceral posts up from this post but milled from solid alumin(the metal foilis made from that I cant spell-LOL), I dont know if they were after market and its just a councidence that 2 of my Bushkas have them and NO other cues I have ever seen have them. I will photograph them later this week and email them to you-I dont know how to post pics here.

best
Eric :)
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Eric- thanks for the response and the info. I know George made joint protectors because I have one. I was hoping that there might be someone else with first hand information. For history's sake, it would be nice to know which cue maker was first to make a joint protector and what year it was and maybe even what cue it was for. This is a long shot.
 
I thought I've seen some Harvey Martin's with joint protectors but don't know from what era they are.
 
Before My Time

Paul Schofield said:
When was the first time any of you saw a joint protector? Here is the picture you requested. This joint protector is 35 years old.
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Ernie was making fancy joint protectors for Ginacues in the sixties. There are pics of a couple of them in his 1967 brochure.

I can believe that George made em, I've just never seen one before.
 
Gina

Cuaba said:
Ernie was making fancy joint protectors for Ginacues in the sixties. There are pics of a couple of them in his 1967 brochure.

I can believe that George made em, I've just never seen one before.
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Thank you. Good info. I think everyone here would jump at a chance to see a picture from that 67 brochure.
 
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