Auction

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Dominic Dale Collection Sale

In October 2005 an auction took place which included lots from the collection of Dominic Dale. there was a range of collectable cues that would surely inspire the more serious collector who wished to add to, or start a cue collection of historical significance.

The items ranged from the era of Roberts to a cue that I feel would suit many a player and more than a few collectors, including cues from the famous manufacturers such as Burroughres & Watts and Riley as well as cues that commemorate the break making achievements of the best specialist Billiard players ever to grace the green baise.

below is a key to the terms used in the desriptions and a number of illustrations.

  • H/S hand-spliced
  • M/S Machine spliced
  • All cues are single piece unless otherwise stated.

Details of the auction were as follows:

Printed Books, Maps & Ephemera Sports Books & Memorabilia
Wednesday 5 & Thursday 6 October 2005 commencing each day at 11am
Viewing
Tuesday 4 October 10am-7pm and morning of sales from 9am
Lots 1-817 to be sold Wednesday 5 October commencing at 11am
Lots 818-1139 to be sold Thursday 6 October commencing at 11am

Dominic Winter Auctions
The Old School
Maxwell Street
Swindon
Wiltshire
SN1 5DR
ENGLAND

David Smith
Cues n Views

Left to Right

A very rare mace/cue by Thurstons, 14 Catherine Street, London, c. 1825, pearwood shaft, bog oak front splice (143 cm long), with orig. conical mahogany case with brass safety catch

A fine and rare unnamed billiards mace, c. 1790’s, orig. softwood shaft with mahogany head and ebony sightline, (150 cm long) 

A rare billiards mace by Thurstons, 14 Catherine Street, London, c. 1790’s, orig. mahogany shaft with mahogany head and ebony sightline (150 cm long) 

An exceptionally rare billiards mace by Gillow, c. 1790, original softwood shaft with rosewood head and satinwood sightline, (146.5 cm long) Thurston himself was a cabinet maker with Gillow until setting up his own company in 1799

A handsome solid ebony transitional mace/cue, c. 1820, with satinwood sightline (144 cm long) Almost certainly made by Thurston

A rare transitional mace/cue by Thurston, 14 Catherine Street, London, c. 1820, ash shaft, two ebony front splices, ivory sightline and leather endpiece, (146.5 cm long) 

An unusual solid mahogany mace/cue by Thurston, 14 Catherine Street, London, c. 1825, leather endpiece, small repair to top of shaft, (approx. 153 cm long) 

An elegant 15.5 oz. billiards cue by J.P. Mannock, c. 1895, orig. horn ferrule, pearwood shaft, ebony, tulipwood and snakewood splices, inset mother-of-pearl label ‘The Anti-Grip J.P. Mannock patent’, (144 cm long) This cue was made by J.P. Mannock prior to him selling the patent to Burroughs & Watts in 1903

A very rare experimental two-dimensional billiards cue, c. 1920s, mahogany shaft, rosewood and maple front splices, (147.5 cm long) 

An uncommon ‘Joseph Bennett’ billiards cue by Thurston & Co., c. 1890s, ash shaft, ebony and satinwood front splice, with manufacturer’s circular nameplate

Left to Right

A ‘Cecil Harverson’ 13.5 oz. billiard cue by Burroughes & Watts, c. 1890’s, ash shaft, ebony and maplewood splices, ivory nameplate with facsimile signature (145 cm long) 

A ‘Inman’ billiard cue, c. 1910, ash shaft, hand-spliced ebony handle with ivory nameplate bearing the legend ‘World’s Record 300 off the red ball. Fac-simile of the one used by M. Inman’, (146.5 cm long) 

A handsome billiard cue by Orme & Sons, Manchester, c. 1860, ash shaft, hand-spliced walnut and fruitwood veneers with canvas and tooled leather grip (canvas now perished), (143 cm long) 

A ‘W. Cook’ 16 oz. billiard cue by Thurston & Co., London, ash shaft, mahogany hand-spliced handle with manufacturer’s circular ivory label, (144 cm long) 

A ‘Stephenson’ 16 oz. billiard cue by Burroughes & Watts Ltd., London, c. 1910. ash shaft, hand spliced Macassor ebony handle with mahogany front splice, manufacturer’s ivory nameplate, (145.5 cm long) 

A ‘John Roberts Junior’ 16.5 oz. billiard cue by Burroughes & Watts, c. 1890’s, ash shaft, hand-spliced ebony handle with manufacturer’s ivory nameplate, (146 cm long) 

A 16.5 oz. billiard cue by John Bennett, London, S.E.1., c. 1930’s, ash shaft with ebony veneers, (145 cm long) 

A ‘Perfectus’ billiard cue by Burroughes & Watts Ltd., London, mid 20th c., ash shaft, hand-spliced rosewood handle with ebony and fruitwood front splice, (147 cm long) 

A 17 oz. billiard cue by Orme & Sons, Manchester, c. 1900, ash shaft, machine-spliced ebony handle, stamped with the Prince of Wales feathers motif, (147 cm long) 

A 14.5 oz. ‘John Roberts Junior’ billiard cue by Burroughes & Watts, c. 1890’s, ash shaft, hand-spliced ebony handle with manufacturer’s ivory nameplate, (145.5 cm long)

Left to Right

A 16.5 oz. signature billiard cue by E.J. Riley Ltd., Accrington, c. 1930’s, maplewood shaft with hand-spliced snakewood handle and manufacturer’s dome-top ivorine nameplate, (148 cm long) 

A good quality billiard cue by Stevens & Sons, London, mid 20th c., ash shaft, machine-spliced ebony handle with satinwood front splice, leather butt, manufacturer’s circular ivory nameplate, (144 cm long)

A 15 oz. billiard cue by E.J. Riley Ltd., Accrington, c. 1915, beechwood shaft, hand-spliced mahogany handle, manufacturer’s oval ivorine nameplate, (144 cm long) 

A 15 oz. ‘George Gray’ billiard cue by G.W. Briggs, Harrogate, c. 1912, ash shaft, hand-spliced ebony handle with manufacturer’s ivory nameplate bearing the legend ‘World’s Record Break 2196’, (143 cm long)

A handsome 16 oz. ‘Riley Prize’ billiard cue by E.J. Riley Ltd., Accrington, c. 1930’s, beechwood shaft, hand-spliced ebony handle with manufacturer’s dome-top ivorine nameplate, (148 cm long) 

A ‘Club’ billiard cue by Burroughes & Watts, c. 1920’s, ash shaft, hand-spliced Macassor ebony handle with manufacturer’s circular ivorine nameplate and secondary inset ivory disc, (148 cm long) 

A 16 oz. billiard cue by Thurston & Co. Ltd., c. 1900, pearwood shaft, hand-spliced ebony handle with gold transfer-print royal crest and Prince of Wales feathers, (143 cm long) 

An uncommon 16 oz. ‘Match’ billiard cue by Orme & Sons Ltd., c. 1910, ash shaft, hand-spliced ebony handle with satinwood splice, manufacturer’s ivorine nameplate, (146 cm long) 

An 18 oz. billiard cue by E.J. Riley Ltd., Accrington, c. 1930’s, pearwood shaft, machine-spliced ebony handle with manufacturer’s diamond-shaped nameplate, (146.5 cm long) 

An 18 oz. extra-long billiard cue, c. 1960’s, maple shaft, hand-spliced ebony handle, orig. manufacturer’s transfer-print label ‘Billiards Limited. The Billiard People’, leather butt, (152.5 cm long

Left to Right

An uncommon 16.5 oz. billiard cue by Burroughes & Watts Ltd., 19 Soho Square, London, W1, c. 1950’s, pearwood shaft, machine-spliced ebony handle with amboyna and apple-green front splice, manufacturer’s circular ivorine nameplate, (146 cm long) This cue is known as ‘the Norfolk cue’

A rare 16 oz. ‘Riley Cue’ by E.J. Riley Ltd., Accrington, c. 1900, ash shaft, hand-spliced ebony handle, manufacturer’s dome-top ivorine nameplate, (148 cm long) 

A 16 oz. ‘Peall’ billiard cue, c. 1920’s, beechwood shaft, hand-spliced ebony handle, ivory nameplate bearing the legend ‘The Peall Record Cue, Break 3304’ with facs. signature of W.J. Peall, (146 cm long) 

A 14.5 oz. ‘John Roberts’ billiard cue by Burroughes & Watts, c. 1890’s, ash shaft with orig. horn ferrule, hand-spliced ebony handle, ivorine label bearing the legend ‘John Roberts Champion Cue’, (145 cm long)

A rare and early ‘Match’ billiard cue by Orme & Sons, c. 1880’s, ash shaft, hand-spliced ebony handle with ebony and green veneer front splice, leather butt, manufacturer’s ivorine nameplate, (146.5 cm long)

A 16.5 oz. billiard cue by Murton, Newcastle, ash shaft, hand-spliced ebony and mahogany handle, manufacturer’s circular ivorine nameplate, (145 cm long) 

An early billiard cue by Thurstons Ltd., c. 1900, ash shaft with centre joint, machine-spliced ebony handle with manufacturer’s name inlaid in boxwood, (142 cm long) 

A rare ‘Rigidus’ billiard cue by Burroughes & Watts, c. 1925, orig. screw-in tip, enamelled steel shaft centre-joint, the handle double hand-spliced in ebony and satinwood, manufacturer’s green nameplate bearing the legend ‘Burwat Rigidus Cue’,(147.5 cm long) This rare cue was made for export to India, the metal shaft being designed to eliminate warping in hot temperatures

A 16.5 oz. billiard cue by E.J. Riley Ltd., Accrington, c. 1940’s, pearwood shaft, machine-spliced Macassor ebony handle with manufacturer’s diamond-shaped nameplate, small repair to handle, (143 cm long)

A modern hand-spliced cue, c. 1990’s, with E.J. Riley Ltd. manufacturer’s nameplate added later, (146 cm long

A handsome pair of 15.5. oz. ‘W. Cook’ billiard cues by Burroughes & Watts
Ash shafts, hand-spliced ebony handles with manufacturer’s circular ivorine nameplates, (146 cm long), contained in orig. mahogany 2-cue carrying case, (probably by Burroughes & Watts), with orig. leather carrying handle and green baize linin

A late Victorian mahogany and stained wood billiard cue stand
Designed to accomodate twelve cues, on a circular platform base, raised on three carved claw feet, approx. 40 in (102 cm) tall

Burwat Billiard View
Vol. 1, No. 1 to Vol. 4, No. 9, February 1930 to January 1934, a complete run (?), black & white photos. and illuststrations, vols. 1 & 4 original. green cloth gilt and vols. 2 & 3 orig. green leather gilt, all with original. printed wrappers retained, and general titles and index leaves bound at front, vols. 1 & 4 rubbed and sl. faded, vol. 2 with spine defective, and vol. 3 sl. worn at extrems., all 8v
p

Kentfield (Edwin, of Brighton).
The Game of Billiards: Scientifically Explained, and Practically Set Forth, in a Series of Novel and Extraordinary Strokes …, 1st ed., 1839, folding hand-col. litho. frontis., cut down and relaid, ninety-three single page diags. and eng. ad. leaf at rear, some spotting throughout, orig. cloth, rebacked with remains of orig. spine relaid, some soiling and wear, folio

L1585 (Riso). Billiards in the 20th Century
1st ed., privately published by the Author, Manchester, n.d., c. 1930, b&w illusts. and diags. to text, author’s signed presentation inscription to Taylor Brown, dated 16th April 1932, to front free endpaper, orig. green cloth gilt in bright condition and with orig. black and white d.j., a little nicked and sl. dust soiled, 8v
o

Mardon (Edward Russell). Billiards: Game, 500 Up
Played at Brighton, on 18th January 1844, an account of the above game, with diagrams …, 1st ed., Brighton, [1844], forty-one b&w plts., red balls hand-col. throughout, upper inner hinge with paper tape repair, a.e.g., orig. cloth, sl. rubbed and soiled, a little fraying to extrems., 4to

Left to Right

A set of three original ivory Billiard balls, c. 1900, contained in period fitted oak case with arts & crafts style copper corner fittings The balls in unused condition. 

A set of three original ivory Billiard balls by Orme & Sons Ltd., c. 1900, contained in orig. fitted cardboard box printed with manufacturer’s name and address Excellent condition.

A full set of twenty-two original ivory Snooker balls
By Orme & Sons Ltd., c. 1915, contained in orig. fitted cardboard box (now somewhat broken), the lid printed with manufacturer’s name and address

A full set of Crystalate snooker balls
c. 1930’s, with metal triangle, contained in orig. fitted mahogany case with carrying handle, overall dimensions approx. 38 x 38 cm

A very fine carved oak billiard scoreboard cabinet
by Thurston & Co. Ltd., London, late 19th c., each side fitted with full-length revolving cue rack, the upper frieze fitted with revolving scoreboard and manufacturer’s nameplate flanked by carved lion-head masks, central cupboards to the upper portion incorporating ‘life pool’ marking board, revolving slate scoreboard and two sliding ball racks, with central drawer and cupboard below, enclosed by a pair of panel doors, the stepped cornice carved with stylised foliage, the whole raised on plinth base, approx. 58 in wide, 71 in tall, (147 x 180 cm) See illustration inside rear cover of this catalogue.

A hand-held mahogany billiards marker
by Geo Wright & Co., Westminster Bridge Road, late 19th c., (40 cm long.

A mahogany-mounted billiards scorer/marker
by Burroughes & Watts, late 19th c., the metal casing engraved with the manufacturer’s name and a small billiards motif incorporating the monogram CD, (17 cm long) Possibly formerly belonging to C. Dawson.

A circular mahogany billiards scorer in the form of a clock
Late 19th c., with painted gilt numbers and brass hands, (24 cm diameter.

A pair of square brass billiards scorers
possibly French, late 19th c., each with three engraved dials and arrow-shaped pointed, (each 20 x 20 cm.

Smoker’s novelty
A most unusual ebonised oval miniature billiards table, late 19th c., fitted with cheroot cutter with ivory handle, match striker, twelve brass-lined circular holes around the perimeter, miniature billiard cue and ivory ball, raised on four turned and tapered legs, (23 cm long).


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