Charles Parker & Sons – Barnsley
by Andy Hunter & David Smith
We have recently been asked about cues by Parker and Son. These are not particularly common, but neither are they the rarest of cues; all examples in the range being worth between £80 and £150.
Charles Parker established his company in Barnsley, South Yorkshire in 1879 and operated from various addresses in that town until they were taken over by E A Clare (now Thurston) in the 1950’s, continuing to trade under the Parker name for several years after this.
To our knowledge there are three types of badge seen on the butts of Parker cues, two round badges and a third that is rectangular with four screws, one at each corner. This rectangular badge should include the words, “the Parker match cue”.
The earliest were made from bone/ivory with plastic used for the later editions. The company may have made their own cues or had subcontractors supplying them. They all have ash or maple shafts with various types of butts, the later editions with the plastic badges often have fancy splicing into the butt.
Andy Hunter & David Smith