Please help me appraise this cue.

cheapcues.com

cheapcues.com

Cue Dealer
Silver Member
A substitute UPS driver picked up today. He asked if I could help him determine what his dad's old cue was worth. I told him I was no expert but that he could bring it in and I would do what I could. He proceeded to tell me that it breaks into two pieces. I reiterated that I would have to see it, or at the very least know what kind of cue it was to help determine its worth. So he told me it has a metal thread where the cue goes together. He also informed me that it has string (or did he say twine?) around the handle. Also the top was made of hickory or balsa wood or something- he wasn't sure on the species. I told him that it could literally be worth nothing, or tens of thousands of dollars, but without seeing it...he interrupted to say that it was at least 30 years old, and his dad used to get mad at him when he would play with it. I told him I wasn't sure what is was worth, but that if he was going to be picking up tomorrow I could probably tell him difinitively after consulting with my expert colleagues. That's where you guys come in. What kind of cue does my friend from UPS have and what is it worth? Please be specific with the exact make, model if possible, date of manufacture and value within $2.

Thanks!

-Mike
 
It's a Malamushka from 1972. It was finished at 3:47 in the afternoon on September the 5th. It's a Sonic 347 Model. Exact value is $3.14 USD. If your substitute UPS driver is interested in selling it, I have $1.13 burning a hole in my pocket...
 
cheapcues.com said:
A substitute UPS driver picked up today. He asked if I could help him determine what his dad's old cue was worth. I told him I was no expert but that he could bring it in and I would do what I could. He proceeded to tell me that it breaks into two pieces. I reiterated that I would have to see it, or at the very least know what kind of cue it was to help determine its worth. So he told me it has a metal thread where the cue goes together. He also informed me that it has string (or did he say twine?) around the handle. Also the top was made of hickory or balsa wood or something- he wasn't sure on the species. I told him that it could literally be worth nothing, or tens of thousands of dollars, but without seeing it...he interrupted to say that it was at least 30 years old, and his dad used to get mad at him when he would play with it. I told him I wasn't sure what is was worth, but that if he was going to be picking up tomorrow I could probably tell him difinitively after consulting with my expert colleagues. That's where you guys come in. What kind of cue does my friend from UPS have and what is it worth? Please be specific with the exact make, model if possible, date of manufacture and value within $2.

Thanks!

-Mike
Click to expand...

Most twine wrapped-metal threaded-balsa wood cues that are 30+ years old are not worth much in todays market but the part that intrigued me is he would get in trouble when hid dad caught him using it. It defiantly sounds like a Harvey Martin.
 
I think I have the same exact cue. Mine has a shaft made out of ramin wood. I looked at my other cues, and they all have shafts made of maple. I bet ramin wood is too expensive, so that's why everyone is making the shafts from maple.

Check the butt, it should have the maker's name on a small gold label; Ta iwan. I think the name is cut off, and it meant to say Ta Iwan Simonis. Simonis is such world famous, he can go by just one name, like Madonna, Efren, or Fergie.

I contacted the Simonis people, and they kept repeatedly telling me that they don't make pool cues. I think I gotten hold of a proto-type, so thats they they're denying it. I bet your UPS man also has one of the proto-types. There are some unscrupulous people out-there, they're going to use facts to try and convince you that you're cue is worthless. Its a lowball tactic, be patient list it on ebay for $20K. You may have to re-list it a few times, but I'm sure the right buyer wil come along.
 
Well... much easier to get a look at it than try to explain what it looks like haha... plus your input after that would be much more useful. Even a cameraphone image would suffice really..
 
It's not a Malamushka That's for sure. They never used twine. They used an extruded plastic from Simoanius. And they always used a plastic pin. Easier to replace when they broke.

I'll bet it's a very early Zlambody. He used twine and metal pins. You could pick them up cheap at WWF meets all over the east coast. Worth at least a buck two ninety eight, minimum.

Mark Shuman
 
Well...I spent all day looking this cue up on the internet. I found it to be a Tad-pole. Its a rare combination style cue. The twine is actually an early version of fishing string. The rubber plug in the end was used as a bobber....and your bait was kept inside the hollow butt. The balsa wood shaft was to allow the cue/pole to float in case it was dropped in the pond. These cues have been on record for catching large marlin....then later in the same day, running rack after rack on an unlevel pool table. They were bought out by Ron Popeil....who later shortened the design and made it foldable. He also marketed a turkey deep fryer that could wash and polish several sets of pool balls at one time. The current value of these sought after Tad convertibles is around $63, 000. As a side note...a one off, glow in the dark version, just traded online for an authentic, autographed Big Mouth Billy Bass talking wall mount.
The moral of this story is that the cue you won throwing darts at the local fair may be worth thousands some day.
 
Did he mention if it had a case ?
a 1x1 instrument-style hard case ?
covered in black leather-grain vinyl ?
lined in padded red velvet ?

mmm , 30 years old .... 1980 . . . . the heyday of custom cues . . . .
 
ridinda9 said:
Did he mention if it had a case ?
a 1x1 instrument-style hard case ?
covered in black leather-grain vinyl ?
lined in padded red velvet ?

mmm , 30 years old .... 1980 . . . . the heyday of custom cues . . . .
Click to expand...

Those were some sweet cases... They got better when you broke them in, too. It was pretty cool when the ends and dividers started falling apart and the foam lining deteriorated to that fine stuff that reminded you of sawdust. Duct tape was my favorite way to hold them together.

The only problem with them was that it's tough to stay under the radar when you walk into a poolroom carrying one. It just sorta screamed "hustler". You pull a Malamushka or a Tad-pole out and you've ruined any future action for life...
 
By any chance does the case happen to have Willie Mosconi's autograph on it in gold writing? Does he have the original receipt from the maker with the big blue K logo? I think that was from a maker by the name of Kalvin Marten. They made some of the best of the twine wrapped cues of the day with innovative screw on tips that we have not seen the like of since. They also figured Ramen isn't just for eating in college dorms and made shafts of it. Amazing stuff...Amazing..priceless...:smile: So amazingly so it started my cue obsession right there and I have to say my Kalvin Marten was the best hustler cue I've seen to this very day. I'll never let that cue go unless it warps or falls apart or needs a new innovative tip...DAMN it! all three...Trash time!
 
Last edited:
So is it cool to make fun of someone who doesn't know as much as you do about cues?

How about feeling good that he choose to come to you and ask you what it may be worth as he knows that is what you do and since he knows what you do maybe if one of his friends or someone needs a stick they know where to go.



cheapcues.com said:
A substitute UPS driver picked up today. He asked if I could help him determine what his dad's old cue was worth. I told him I was no expert but that he could bring it in and I would do what I could. He proceeded to tell me that it breaks into two pieces. I reiterated that I would have to see it, or at the very least know what kind of cue it was to help determine its worth. So he told me it has a metal thread where the cue goes together. He also informed me that it has string (or did he say twine?) around the handle. Also the top was made of hickory or balsa wood or something- he wasn't sure on the species. I told him that it could literally be worth nothing, or tens of thousands of dollars, but without seeing it...he interrupted to say that it was at least 30 years old, and his dad used to get mad at him when he would play with it. I told him I wasn't sure what is was worth, but that if he was going to be picking up tomorrow I could probably tell him difinitively after consulting with my expert colleagues. That's where you guys come in. What kind of cue does my friend from UPS have and what is it worth? Please be specific with the exact make, model if possible, date of manufacture and value within $2.

Thanks!

-Mike
Click to expand...
 
u12armresl said:
So is it cool to make fun of someone who doesn't know as much as you do about cues?

How about feeling good that he choose to come to you and ask you what it may be worth as he knows that is what you do and since he knows what you do maybe if one of his friends or someone needs a stick they know where to go.
Click to expand...

Well, since Mike here kept telling the guy he had to see the cue & the dunce just ignored that, continuing to "describe" the cue, I'm gonna go with yes, very cool to make fun of him.

However, this is just my opinion. Can ya tell I'm a fan of "schadenfreude"?
 
I would guess that he figured by adding just little details he could remember it might distinguish the stick he was describing from other sticks. Not knowing that twine would be common, or that metal part screwing the stick together was common.

TimKrazyMon said:
Well, since Mike here kept telling the guy he had to see the cue & the dunce just ignored that, continuing to "describe" the cue, I'm gonna go with yes, very cool to make fun of him.

However, this is just my opinion. Can ya tell I'm a fan of "schadenfreude"?
Click to expand...
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top