Pool Ball Collecting.

[Rubik's Cube]

Secretive Collectors.

Good morning, gentlemen. I trust you are all in rude health and fine spirits.

As I grow older and with rather too much time to ponder such things, the subject of secretive pool ball hoarders often crosses my mind. Via this wonderful thread, a dedicated Facebook group, and one or two personal acquaintances in the United Kingdom, I am in sporadic contact with about seventy like-minded collectors across the globe.

These esteemed fellows, for they are all men, harbour varying degrees of obsession… from the occasional buyer of billiard-related tchotchkes at local yard sales, to passionate fanatics like me who voraciously haunt obscure corners of cyberspace in mortal fear of missing out on a pristine Romanique or unknown Raschig. We are a broad church.

But, dear reader, what about elusive pool ball collectors… clandestine magpies who furtively gather the rarest of spherical gems but never share anything with the wider world? How many of those shadowy figures exist and, moreover, what are they hiding?

 

[Rubik's Cube]

I stumbled upon one such gentleman last week, my friends. Here is what I discovered, now relocated to my own collection with sincere gratitude.

 

[xX-Wizard-Xx]

FatBoy might freak out ... a green 5 ball?

 

[rexus31]

Secretive Collectors.

Good morning, gentlemen. I trust you are all in rude health and fine spirits.

As I grow older and with rather too much time to ponder such things, the subject of secretive pool ball hoarders often crosses my mind. Via this wonderful thread, a dedicated Facebook group, and one or two personal acquaintances in the United Kingdom, I am in sporadic contact with about seventy like-minded collectors across the globe.

These esteemed fellows, for they are all men, harbour varying degrees of obsession… from the occasional buyer of billiard-related tchotchkes at local yard sales, to passionate fanatics like me who voraciously haunt obscure corners of cyberspace in mortal fear of missing out on a pristine Romanique or unknown Raschig. We are a broad church.

But, dear reader, what about elusive pool ball collectors… clandestine magpies who furtively gather the rarest of spherical gems but never share anything with the wider world? How many of those shadowy figures exist and, moreover, what are they hiding?

Facebook Group? Do tell…

 

[cjr3559]

I stumbled upon one such gentleman last week, my friends. Here is what I discovered, now relocated to my own collection with sincere gratitude.

These are ultra cool. What game/application are they used? And was there a CB?

 

[Rubik's Cube]

xX Wizard Xx… it is indeed a green 5 ball, dear fellow, plus a host of other weird and wonderful colours and designs.

Rexus… a few of the forum regulars on here are also members of a private Facebook collectors’ group moderated by a Dutch gentleman called Hans.

Do you still have my personal email on file, sir? As it’s not my place to publicly advertise the group I had better not post the link here, old chap, but if you drop me a line I will send an invitation.

crj3559… all I can tell you, sir, is that this exceedingly rare set was believed to have been cast by Aramith in 1996 and the last time one appeared anywhere online was way back in 2003.

Although unsuccessful in acquiring an example until last week, this particular design has been known to me for twenty-five years… a salesman for BCE told me about it in the late 1990s.

These striking balls were at number one on my TWELVE MOST WANTED list in the very early days of this thread. There is no cueball, dear chap, but I am led to understand that we’re possibly looking at some kind of prototype for a Four Player set.

Best wishes,

RC.

 

[Rubik's Cube]

Here’s another angle, gentlemen.

 

[xX-Wizard-Xx]

Here’s another angle, gentlemen.

Wow that is really interesting

 

[Albo-Gator]

Funny how the 10 ball looks out of place??

 

[Rubik's Cube]

Great spot, sir!

I hadn’t noticed that the 10 ball is the only one to retain its standard design. Thank you, dear chap.

 

[Bob Jewett]

Here’s another angle, gentlemen.

I assume that the idea of the game is that you win by getting a group of four as either colors or patterns. I wonder what the numbers are for. They could have instead had the four suits spread out to form a separate kind of group.

 

[PhilosopherKing]

Nice mixed lot that I picked-up.

Anybody have an extra matching 20-ball for sale?

The red/white/blue ball was a mystery early in this thread: Does it seem to go with this Baseball set?

Does anyone know what the solid green ball is?

 

[PhilosopherKing]

Raschig Billiard/Carom set

Unknown numberless 9-ball set

British Crystalate

 

[Rubik's Cube]

Sincere thanks for sharing, Mr P.

Given the generic box and slightly muted colours, my best guess on the numberless set would be one of the counterfeit Raschigs out of China, dear chap, but it’s tough to tell from a photograph.

Some unscrupulous fellows have even been known to match a genuine Bumblebee ball (old Raschig stock) with other mismatched colours.

 

[Rubik's Cube]

Could you weigh the Bumblebee ball in grams and measure the width of the stripe, please, sir?

 

[Bob Jewett]

Nice mixed lot that I picked-up.

Anybody have an extra matching 20-ball for sale?

The red/white/blue ball was a mystery early in this thread: Does it seem to go with this Baseball set?

Does anyone know what the solid green ball is?

I don't have a 20 ball but I do have spare 1,2,5,7 and 8 balls if you want to complete the 15-ball set.

The 2 ball you have is a Directsite ball that's worth about $50 to collectors.

 

[kobyp]

I've recently acquired 2 of these sets (with original boxes but they're in poor condition), I'm led to believe they are Vigma brand.
Can anyone tell me anthing else about them?
I'd imagine that they're not quite as sought after as the zigzags.

 

[kling&allen]

View attachment 663395
I've recently acquired 2 of these sets (with original boxes but they're in poor condition), I'm led to believe they are Vigma brand.
Can anyone tell me anthing else about them?
I'd imagine that they're not quite as sought after as the zigzags.

Are those the same as this set?

New! 2 1/4 inch Vigma Silver Ring Billiard Pool Ball Set ~ Super Cool ~ | eBay

Find many great new & used options and get the best deals for New! 2 1/4 inch Vigma Silver Ring Billiard Pool Ball Set ~ Super Cool ~ at the best online prices at eBay! Free shipping for many products!

www.ebay.com

How well do they play? I've thought about picking up some of these sets before.

 

[mrpiper]

Are those the same as this set?

New! 2 1/4 inch Vigma Silver Ring Billiard Pool Ball Set ~ Super Cool ~ | eBay

Find many great new & used options and get the best deals for New! 2 1/4 inch Vigma Silver Ring Billiard Pool Ball Set ~ Super Cool ~ at the best online prices at eBay! Free shipping for many products!

www.ebay.com

How well do they play? I've thought about picking up some of these sets before.

While I can not speak to this exact set, I do own several Vigma sets andd they are among the best I own. They stay clean and role true. I have also found the sets I own to all be in close consistency of weight across the set. I do not know why Vigma shut down, but they certainly made consistently very good sets in a remarkably wide variety of fun styles. This silver ring set looks very nice.

 

[rexus31]

Are those the same as this set?

New! 2 1/4 inch Vigma Silver Ring Billiard Pool Ball Set ~ Super Cool ~ | eBay

Find many great new & used options and get the best deals for New! 2 1/4 inch Vigma Silver Ring Billiard Pool Ball Set ~ Super Cool ~ at the best online prices at eBay! Free shipping for many products!

www.ebay.com

How well do they play? I've thought about picking up some of these sets before.

The set @kobyp posted is not a Vigma Silver Ring set. The numbers in the Silver Ring set are glittered. The set posted may or may not be phenolic. Any chance we can get a weight on the balls? A phenolic pool ball should weight in the 167g-172g range.