The Brunswick-Balke-Collender Co. Catalog 1923 & 1924

Bavafongoul

Bavafongoul

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A dear friend just gave me a photocopy of The Brunswick-Balke-Collender Co. catalog for 1923 & 1924.

I wonder what an original would look like because this catalog is like taking a trip back in history. The
details it contained, and historical information is amazing. There were so many different tables available
in every size imaginable with detailed drawings of the table construction and descriptions. The 5x10
tables weighed well over 2000 lbs. & the 6x12 offered weighed almost 3000 lbs. It contains illustrations
galore of the Lightning Tubular Pocket Ball Return, table construction and all the different products that
we’re available for rent or purchase. They sold everything imaginable from cue sticks, chairs, racks,
fancy, wood carved glass showcases, cigar and tobacco breakfronts, soda fountains and back bars,
fancy cue cabinets, shuffle boards......it is just a treasure chest of nostalgic information to browse.

Heck, they also made and sold bowling alleys on a easy installment plan. It was a huge company
operating nine factories with one in Paris, France, four main offices coast to coast, 26 branch offices
and showrooms coast to coast and five offices in Canada and also offices in Bruno’s Aires, Honolulu,
Mexico City & Monterey Mexico, and Paris, France. Browsing through this B&W copy is just a kick in
the pants for anyone that is interested in Billiards history. It is a delight to browse and read about the
elegant manufacture and array of pool tables and other merchandise that distinguished Brunswick.
 

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Billiards, Baseball, and Boxing were the Big 3 in the U.S. back then and forward for a few more decades. I remember visiting the General Electric facility in Bridgeport, Ct. in the early 1980s and they had a photo in the lobby of the massive factory setting back in the 40s and the GE factory billiard room for employees' recreation was just huge- like 18 or so tables! Some of the old churches in Bridgeport, Ct. even had small bowling alleys in the basements.
 
Bavafongoul said:
A dear friend just gave me a photocopy of The Brunswick-Balke-Collender Co. catalog for 1923 & 1924.

I wonder what an original would look like because this catalog is like taking a trip back in history. ...
Click to expand...
That catalog was reprinted in 1973, apparently by Brunswick. (I had heard that it was the Billiard Archives that had done the reprint, but the 1973 copyright seems to be by Brunswick.)

The reproduction looks like an original, not like a copy. I assume they used a high-end photographic process. You can find it occasionally on Ebay. There is one there now for about $60.

Here are the front and back covers of the reproduction. It measures about 9 1/2 by 13 inches.

Scan20210603.jpg


Scan20210603_0001.jpg
 
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Ghosst said:
Bob, do you have a scan of the 1932 and 1939 covers? I haven't been able to find a good one of either.
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I have nothing from the 1930s and most of the Brunswick catalogs I have are marginal photocopies. I think your best chance is one of mechanics who does a lot of high-end antique restoration, like Joe Newell.
 
That is one of THE coolest billiard pics ever!
Sly humor everywhere, little girl practicing on the chair to be just like her mom/aunts/big sisters 'til she's big enough to reach the table. Executive Board of BBC looking on approvingly. etc.

smt
 
The sheer size and enormity of the operations back at that time is startling.
The craftsmanship that went into those tables was absolutely top shelf.

I just have to think when properly set up, the tables played magnificent.
A 2500 lb. 5x10 table was like a piece of granite.....rock solid....to own
such a table.....with six legs......is better than one can ever hope to have.
 
In one of the pics here I saw the tables were available as "Carom, Pocket, or Combination", does that mean they sold tables that converted from pocket to carom back then?
 
Lawnboy77 said:
Yes they had convertible rails back in the day. Check out page 31 of the BBC catalogue link below.

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In the copy of the catalog I have, Brunswick had a patent on convertible cushion rails (The Eureka Patent).
It was quick and simple to convert a table into Carom or Pocket Table at will. Even old tables could be
converted by replacing the original table rails with Brunswick newly patented convertible rails. Thereafter,
the table could switch back & forth from Carom to Pocket Billiards. Brunswick was the leader in pool tables.
 

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Bob Jewett said:
As recently as about 2000, Gabriels was selling a table with sets of rails that you could switch out in a few minutes -- pool, carom and maybe snooker.
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A friend gave me this nifty key ring that is still in the original sealed wrapper. The tables
made by Gabriel are truly magnificent. It’s great to see the quality of their craftsmanship.
 

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