I’m circling back to an unmarked cue I picked up some time ago and have recently started researching more seriously. I initially didn’t give it a great deal of thought, but the more closely I look at the construction, the more interesting it becomes.
The cue appears to be an older American custom. I don’t have a firm date for it. The original owner’s daughter believed it may have been more than 30 years old, but she was clear that this was only her best recollection, so I wouldn’t put much weight on that for dating purposes.
Here are the relevant construction details:
Does anyone recognize the construction or have experience with Chris Drew’s earliest work? In particular, I’d be interested to know whether Chris ever used a flat-faced 5/16x14 joint like this, or whether the pin, .810” joint diameter, cup-style butt cap/bumper attachment, ringwork or other details point toward another maker.
Any thoughts are appreciated.
The cue appears to be an older American custom. I don’t have a firm date for it. The original owner’s daughter believed it may have been more than 30 years old, but she was clear that this was only her best recollection, so I wouldn’t put much weight on that for dating purposes.
Here are the relevant construction details:
- Four long, sharp dark points into highly figured maple
- Matching figured maple in the butt sleeve
- Black/white speck linen wrap
- Flat-faced 5/16x14 joint
- Pin measures approximately .300” diameter
- Exposed pin length is approximately 1.17”, with a rounded/bullet nose
- Joint diameter is approximately .810”
- Black joint collars with a single very thin metallic ring
- Presumed original shaft has a brass insert and matching collar/ringwork
- Shaft measures approximately 29.75” from joint face to end of ferrule, excluding tip
- Ferrule is 1.25” long
- Butt is just under 29” from joint face to the bottom of the butt cap, excluding bumper
- Very short white cup-style butt cap
- The cup has a central opening with a fixed threaded receiver behind it. The bumper is retained by an Allen-head bolt that passes through the bumper and threads into that receiver. There is no weight-bolt access through the butt cap.
Does anyone recognize the construction or have experience with Chris Drew’s earliest work? In particular, I’d be interested to know whether Chris ever used a flat-faced 5/16x14 joint like this, or whether the pin, .810” joint diameter, cup-style butt cap/bumper attachment, ringwork or other details point toward another maker.
Any thoughts are appreciated.
