Cues n Views collection book: “Billiards Expounded”
This book first appeared as a series of articles in the World of Billiards magazine which ran from 1901. It’s interesting to have one of each colour.
The first edition of the book was published in two volumes in 1904 and was produced with both green and red cloth bindings. The red cloth used to be considered more collectable, but I don’t think it makes much difference to the value these days, although Volume two, the advanced side of the game, always seems to be much more desirable of the two. There was also a second edition published in 1908.
J P Mannock told a good self deprecating story about this book which ran something like this: Mannock had many distinguished pupils and one day he called at the house of Sir Thomas Lipton at Southgate to give a lesson, and it being his first appearance there he informed Sir Thomas’ servant who he was. “Oh,” said the valet, “you are the Mr Mannock who wrote the book on ‘billiards’ I suppose. It’s the finest thing that ever happened for the guv’nor. He keeps it in his bedroom and reads it every night for a few minutes when he drops off to sleep. Before he had this book he suffered dreadfully from insomnia and now he seems to be quite cured.”
Peter Ainsworth
Originally posted to the Cues n Views facebook page 27th October 2020
J P Mannock posts
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J P Mannock
J P as he was frequently called. was born in London. Very little is recorded of his boyhood but we know he spent many years as a billiard coach with Messers Burroughes and Watts Limited. and played in the B…
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J P Mannock Cues
Burroughes & Watts bought the patent design from Mannock and took over the production of the cues. These cues were also manufactured with “patented” and “registered” badges
