|
|
The Pro Shop | |
NEW: Buy 2 items (or
more) and get a free
upgrade to 1st Class
UK postage.
Lucasi
4x8 Soft Case
Fury
Stinger 4
Aramith Snooker
Super Pro 1G
Viking
Cue Towel
Cuetec Bowtie
Now in Colour!
Cuetec Glove
New NOIR Colour
Black Ingot
Break Cue Tip
Pechauer Naked
Black Ice
Triple 60
Billiard Chalk
Cuetec Pro Line 4x8
Noir Limited Edition
Cuetec Pro Line 2x4
Noir Limited Edition
Aramith
Camouflage
Cue Cube
Dime Radius
Cue Cube
Nickel Radius
Mosconi Cup
Team Europe Lag Ball
Aramith BLACK
Single 9 Ball
Predator P3 REVO
Purple Racer
Predator SP2
Limited Edition Nova
Mezz Sneaky Pete
Purple Heart 2
Kamui
Tip Protectors
Bear
DB-8 / UniLoc Shaft
Hans Delta
Shaft & Ferrule Care
Cuetec HI-TECH
Graphite cue cleaner
Predator Urbain
Black & Yellow 3x5
Predator Urbain
Black & Yellow 2x4
Taom MaxRack
Coming Soon!
Predator P3
Red Tiger
Table Cover
9ft Leatherette
Lucasi
Limited Edition LUX63
Lucasi
Limited Edition LUX58
Viking Two Feather
White Wolf
Cuetec AVID
Opt-X FK Blue
Pechauer
Rogue Carbon Shaft
Aramith BLACK
Orange 5 & 13 Ball
Predator
Pro Billiard Series
Sure Shot
Joint Protector Holder
Predator Air Rush
Red Revenge
Cuetec Pro Line 4x8
New GREY Colour
Cuetec Pro Line 4x8
New NAVY Colour
Cuetec Glove
New GREY Colour
Cuetec Glove
New NAVY Colour
Mezz
ASTR Series
Felt Saver
by Cue Candy
8pt Sneaky Pete
Maple and Rosewood
Last 4 Ever
Combo Tip-Tool
Desk Clock
Ideal Gift
BMC Meucci
Custom Casino 3
4pt Sneaky Pete
Leather emboss wrap
Predator Aspire
Weight Bolts
8pt Sneaky Pete
Leather emboss wrap
High End JPs
Engraved Aluminium
Predator K Series
Iconic Classics 2-3
Predator BK4
No Wrap/Linen/Sports
Kielwood Shafts
11.75mm Torrified
Taom Pro Tips
Back in stock
2 1/4" Table Bowls
Made in England
Mezz
Wavy Joint Protectors
Zan Premium
14mm Soft
Magic Ball Rack
Matchroom Grey
Predator
Black Shadow Hoodie
Predator
White Shadow Hoodie
BMC Meucci
Glass Rose - White
Predator
Crest Billiard Chalk
In Stock Now
Simonis 860
Cuetec AVID Proof
Brown - NW
Cuetec AVID
Low Deflection Shafts
Cuetec AVID Proof
Black - LTW
Predator Pure
3-pc Chalk Sampler
PRO
Inspection Machine
TAOM
Leather Chalk Pouch
HOW
Premium Chalk
Predator P3 Nova
British Racing Green
Moori
Billiard Glove
Predator
Pool Ball Carrier Case
Cuetec Cynergy
SVB Gen 1 Series
BRAD
Cue Scuffer
Aramith BLACK
Back in stock!
Aramith BLACK
Individual cue ball
Cuetec Pro Line
2x4 Hard Case
Cuetec
Alcohol Wipes
Cuetec
Acueweight Kit
Cuetec DUO®
Smart Extension
Cuetec AVID Era
6pt Sneaky Pete
Cuetec AVID Era
Florian Kohler
Cuetec Truewood
Cynergy Walnut
Cuetec Truewood
Cynergy Walnut
Cuetec AVID
11.75 & 12.75mm
Cuetec Truewood
Cynergy Leopard
Cuetec Truewood
Cynergy Leopard
Cuetec Billiard
Microfiber Towel
Cuetec Gloves
All sizes in stock!
Cuetec AVID
Surge Break Cue
Cuetec
Bullet Jump Cue
Pocket Lathe
Portable shaft rollers
Predator
Shorty + Sport Grip
Tiger
Silicone Grip
Longoni
Bohemia
Longoni
No Blue
Predator Throne
Series 3-1
Predator Throne
Series 3-2
Predator Throne
Series 3-3
Predator Throne
Series 3-4
Predator Throne
Series 3-5
Lucasi Rival
3x4 Soft Case
Back In Stock!!!
Folding Cue Holder
Willards Tool
Nickel and Dime
Taom
Midas Gloves
Mid-Cue Extension
1¾ Inch UniLoc
Predator
REVO Wipes
Jacoby BlackOut
Brown - No Wrap
Jacoby BlackOut
Grey - Sport Grip
Rasson Method
Last chance to buy!
5/16x18
Mid-Cue Extension
Predator REVO
SP2 Zebra 1
Fury
Telescopic Extension
Predator 2x4
Special Edition Case
Predator 3x5
Special Edition Case
Taom
Soft Chalk
Predator - Appleton
2x4 Hard Case
Predator Glove
Bold New Colours
Predator Strike
Red Jersey
Predator Strike
Yellow Jersey
Brunswick K55
Cushion Rubber
Predator Air 2
Replacement Bumper
Tiger
Bridge Head
HOW Titan
Japanese Pig Skin
Predator 8 Inch
Exotic Extensions
P3 Bocote Radial
Leather Luxe Wrap
Magic Ball Rack
They are back!
Taom Magnetite
Round Chalk Holder
Predator K-Series
Classics 1-4
Predator K-Series
Classics 1-4
Kamui Athlete
Tip for Carbon Shafts
Predator Aspire
Predator ONE Shaft
Fury Stinger
X-Series Cues
Lucasi Air Hog 2
3-piece jump cue
Magic Rack
Tournament Edition
REVO BK RUSH
Break Cue Shaft
Mezz EC9 Cues
Buy NOW!
Kamui Kageki
Extreme Chalk
Predator TrueSplice
LE Gen 2 Ebony
Predator TrueSplice
LE Gen 2 Curly
Hans Delta
SK-BK1 Break Cue
Jim Rempe
Special Training Ball
Kamui - Training
Diamond Slicer
Exceed
Chalk Holder
Turtle Racks
10 Packs
ProPockets
Free post worldwide!
Pocket Lathe
Free post worldwide!
Predator
AeroRack
Great White Chalk
Thresher Blue
Predator 8-Point
Black/Green Veneers
Predator ARCOS II
Reserve Cue Ball
Predator APEX
9ft Pro Table
Tiger
Sniper Tip
Predator
Ikon4-1
Predator
Ikon4-2
Predator
Ikon4-3
Predator
Ikon4-4
Predator
Ikon4-5
Kamui
Chalk Shark
Speed 2
Affordable UniLoc
Mezz ZC-23
2 butt/3 shaft
Master Pro
K55 Cushion Rubber
Rare Predator
Matt Black BK-2
Lucasi Custom
UniLoc Joint
Lucasi Custom
UniLoc Joint
Lucasi Custom
3/8x10 Joint
Lucasi Custom
3/8x10 Joint
UniLoc Weights
Cartridge System
Mezz Avant
Dual Loading System
Magic Ball Rack
All-In-One
Kamui SAI
Control Break
Ignite 12.2 Shaft
Pre-order NOW!
Accu-Rack
Complete SET
Accu-Rack
DIAMOND 9
Accu-Rack
PRO 10
Predator Roadline
3x5 Black/Yellow
Predator ARCOS
Back in stock!
Aramith Pro Cup
Back in stock!
Taom
V10 Chalk
Tiger Corona
Leather Bridge
Taom
Pool Chalk 2.0
Taom
Pyro Chalk
Longoni
Cuetip Razor
Bulletproof
Break Cue Tip
Meucci Shaft
Carbon Fiber Pro
Predator REVO
11.8, 12.4, & 12.9mm
McDermott
6x6 Sport Case
Nicks Edge
Burnishing Papers
Pechauer
Jump Cue Natural
Pechauer
Jump Cue Black
Predator
Metro Cue Cases
Thor Hammer
Break Cue by Joss
Poison Armor3
2x4 Hard Case
Poison Armor3
2x4 Hard Case
Mezz Glove
Grey / Ambidextrous
BIG BALLS!
2¼" English Pool Balls
HXT-P1 PureX
Multi-Jump/Break
Tiger Icebreaker+
High Density Microcell
BK2 Re-Issue!
In Stock Now!
Arcadia Reserve
Tournament Blue
Predator Exclusive
Best value!
"Super Bat Wing"
The best got better!
Billiards 2021/22
Official Rules/Records
Predator SL 1
Valour Cue by Jacoby
NEW Improved
Magnetic Clip Chalker
TheProShop.biz
Free Post in Europe!
Order now! |
| | Main Menu | |
| |
| Pro9's Simon D'Vali manages to collect a mythical cue |
Posted on Thursday, December 28 2006 @ 08:45:47 UTC By admin |
Cue Corner
Presented by Simon "The Diamond" D'Vali The UK's foremost authority on collectable cues
A cue collecting article about a mythical cue?
I have the greatest story to tell (for cue freaks anyway).
In 1999, my wife Michelle was working in America for a few months. I went to join her for a couple of weeks, bit of a holiday, shoot some pool...and buy some cues (naturally). Anyway, I went into a cue shop (Why don't we have cue shops over here?) and picked up a catalogue from Cue and Case Sales. Cue and Case Sales are one of the largest distributors of cues and billiard products in the US. Contained within its pages was a section on Meucci Cues. Flicking through, one cue caught my eye.....a 97-30. It looked stunning. I have never described a Meucci like that. Ask Big Dave how I feel about them, lol!
"Read More..." for the details.
So I got on the phone and rang Cue and Case. They didn't have one in stock...but they could get me one. I explained I lived in the UK but was on Holiday in the US. If I ordered it now, could they ship it to the UK for me, of course they could. Jurassic Park and everyone is a winner. Happy days. Got back to the UK and a month went by with nothing. Then after 2 months I got back on the dog and bone to Cue and Case and asked where my cue was. They didn't know. Plus, they couldn't give me a price of the cue...which I found very strange. I wasn't bothered at the cost (well, as long as it was within reason), just wanted the cue. They said they would look into it and get back to me. Another month passed, then another. In the meantime, I contacted other dealers in the US about the cue. They had never heard of it. What???? A Meucci 97-30. I have a picture of it in a catalogue I obtained from Arizona (which I still own to this day). I knew it existed...or did it???
Again, every dealer I spoke to had never heard of it. This was now getting strange. I decided to ring Meucci direct about this matter. The person on the end of the phone told me there was no such cue!! What am I hearing??? I have a picture of it. Anyway, I looked on the Meucci website and the catalogue numbers went 97-28, 97-29....97-31!!!!! No 97-30. I took that as an acknowledgement that there was at some point in the past a 97-30. US Dealers couldn't tell me, MEUCCI couldn't tell me. I placed fake eBay auctions asking to buy a Meucci 97-30, for owners to please get in touch if they wanted to sell. That's when I got my first break. After another year and my third fake auction, I got a reply....one reply in two years! The chap explained to me that he BELIEVED the cue to be a one off. He tried to buy one in 1998 and was told it was a custom cue, only one made. I said I had been trying to get one for years and no one believed me that this cue existed, still I had the evidence that this cue existed in my Cue and Case catalogue. So now I was getting somewhere, it looks like MY cue was unique but it still doesn't explain what it was doing in the line up in the 97 Series if it was a one off. If it was unique, the chances of getting it were slim to none....it would probably reside in a private collection, never again to see the light of day. I thought that was it. I had tried for years and whilst I had not found my quarry, I had established (I wasn't going mad?) that at least one 97-30 existed at some point. More years went by. One night, don't ask me why....I resurrected the thought process on the fabled 97-30. I typed 'Meucci 97-30' into Google and I couldn't believe what I saw.....under the archive section on the Meucci Home Page was a picture of a 97-30.
Underneath it said 'Discontinued'. Was it ever continued I asked myself? So now, Meucci had acknowledged its existence. Were there a few made, was there only one? I still didn't have the answers. The pain and suffering that I had gone through since 1999 was re-awakened. Cut to the present day, last month in fact. By this time, I have bought and sold more cues than would be considered healthy. I was looking at a thread on Meucci cues on AZ Billiards. Someone had asked about the most expensive or collectable Meucci Cues available. I had replied saying I wasn't sure about the most expensive (Meucci Crown Jewels, Meucci Taj Mahal?) but the most desirable for me was my fabled 97-30. I said I had some evidence to say it was unique but I wasn't sure and I ended the post by saying that there was a reward for the location of one. Not long after, a reply came back asking me to look at an eBay auction. I clicked on the link and I couldn't believe it. It was a 97-30 for sale. It looked EXACTLY like the cue in my catalogue, EXACTLY like the cue on the Meucci website. One problem, the cue had sold, the auction had ended. I emailed the buyer and seller in the hope one of them would sell me the cue (whoever had it). Turns out the seller didn't want to sell it at the $1000 the auction reached. Made sense to me. I rang the seller and we spent an hour on the phone. It turned out the cue WAS unique. He had owned it from new. He bought it direct off Bob Meucci himself and he sent me the photograph of him with Bob and the cue when he bought it at a trade show in 1998. Bob had made this cue himself as an addition to the 97 Series and called it the 97-30. On its completion, Bob decided that the cue was too complex in design to make as a production cue, it would cost many thousands of dollars per cue, even more than the Meucci 97-31 and 32 one of which is $2500 already. Cue is hand signed by Bob and says 'Prototype' on the handle. It also comes with a certificate signed by Bob explaining this. It turns out Cue and Case got the pre release photographs of the cue in 1998 and wanted to jump the gun in the assumption that was the complete 97 Series line up. After printing, Bob took the decision to pull the cue from the series. So the reason why this cue looked EXACTLY like the Meucci website photo and the Cue and Case Catalogue photo is that it IS that EXACT cue. Only one made, by Bob.
Well, negotiations took place, we agreed a price (I would have gone higher, Brian ) and finally, after 7 years, I have it in my hands. See the pictures. The design is super complicated and you get a feel of what Mr Meucci was thinking after he made it....words to the effect of 'never again' spring to mind. The clear acrylic windows in the forearm and butt sleeve cover 3 dimensional mitred boxes with an intricate design, surrounded by gold leaf foil. The ringwork consists of deep routed boxes with the gold leaf foil also, it must have taken a great deal of time to complete. The butt-sleeve also contains solid gold inlays (like one of the really early Meucci cues). The routing for the windows is extremely deep and would have required careful cutting to avoid damaging the thin curly maple pillars between the windows. One shaft supplied that doesn't even look like it has been chalked. I can't recall ever devoting so much time to the acquisition of one single item. A happy man then but at the same time quite melancholy. No longer will I have to let my supper go cold because I am on the computer. No longer will I run up £20+ phone calls to the U.S. chasing a non-existent cue (hang on....?). No longer will my wife utter the immortal words 'Its me or the cues, you choose!' (love you, babe). It became almost a quest to a) prove its existence and b) acquire it. So I have reached the end of my journey and at last found my quarry. We don't have world peace yet but at least I have found the only 97-30 made, lol! The itch has been scratched. I think and contemplate on the words of those famous scholars...Motorhead.....'The chase is better than the catch'. In this case, the chase probably exceeded the catch but at least I have it. Thank you for reading. I think they call it OCD (Obsessive Compulsive Disorder).
....and just to show Big Dave I don't really hate them, here is a picture of my new acquisition along with two other Meucci cues in my collection. Both have history though, which is what makes them as interesting as the 97-30. The middle cue is a 97-22, just a stock example. This cue was Steve Knight's main shooting cue for many years after he had his custom Bear cue stolen. It has been all over the world and if the cue could talk, it would give some great accounts of tournament matches and money matches over the years. Cue comes with Steve's own Predator 314 with his trademark whittled down ferrule. Another bit of trivia, Steve was the first player to bring Predator to the UK. The bottom cue is equally as interesting. This custom Meucci was made for UK snooker/pool legend, Steve Davis by Bob Meucci shortly before the 1996 Mosconi Cup. Steve, not wanting to switch to a pool cue at the time (or at least a larger tip) continued to use his snooker cue and subsequently gave this Meucci to Andy Richardson (who was also in the Mosconi Cup Team that year). Andy then gave this cue to my dad shortly after. My dad has used this cue for American pool since then.
|
|
|
| Cue Corner | |
|
|
|
PRO9 has established an outstanding reputation as Europes No.1 source for information on American Pool in the UK and Europe.
Upcoming tournament details, prompt match reporting, exclusive images by talented photographers, superb articles by expert pundits, active pool related forums, player profiles and a very sophisticated membership - basically, an incredible information resource for the American style game in Europe.
Since it launched, PRO9 has become compulsory reading, not just for the UKs pool players, but to hundreds and thousands of pool obsessives from around the world every single day.
PRO9s members range from professional pool players, cue-sports enthusiasts, club managers, tournament organisers, pool fans and aficionados, as well as various "movers and shakers" in the cue-sports field, including entrepreneurs in the wholesale and retail sector, as well as magazine editors and television sports promoters.
Growing more and more popular every single year, PRO9 is the best placed vehicle for the promotion of your pool club, billiards brand, associated products, services and opportunities in the truly massive pan-European billiard market.
If you qre reading this, you should check out www.Pro9.co.uk for yourself!
Please use these logos and text in your links to www.Pro9.co.uk - thank you.
Forum rules: No advertising, no links to businesses/shops/eBay, no swearing, respect our sponsors and each other, no hate!
Flag counter installed Monday 11 November 2013
All logos and trademarks in this site are property of their respective owner. The comments are property of their posters, all the rest © 2006-2020 by Big Dave at Pro9.co.uk.
This web site was made with myPHPNuke, a web portal system written in PHP. myPHPNuke is Free Software released under the GNU/GPL license.
Anyone read this bit down here???
You can syndicate our news using the file backend.php or ultramode.txt
|
|
|
|
|
Page took 0.138224 seconds to load.
|
Comments