Special Exhibitions

Permanent Collection

History of Cue Sticks

Cue Makers

Collecting Guidelines

Cue Preservation

About Us

Exhibit Your Cue

Links

Cue Museum Shop

Custom Cue Dealers

Cue collectors, at some point in their collecting career, are sometimes faced with making a choice to either preserve, refinish, or restore a cue stick that is not in perfect condition. Depending on the cue stick, choosing the wrong path can be detrimental to the long term value and collectibility of the cue. Please consider all of the points herein when making your decision about what to do to a cue stick that you own.

A note on originality- When a cue stick is made and delivered from the cue maker, it is 100% original. Every time you change the tip, ferrule, wrap, bumper, etc., from someone other than the original cue maker, its originality is diminished. Originality is sought after by the most astute collectors in all aspects of collecting. For this reason and for long term preservation of value and historic importance, it should be a priority of the collector to keep cues as original as possible. Since cue collecting is still relatively new, many cue collectors have yet to learn this important point. Many collectors have already learned the hard way. Of course, there are times when a collectible cue needs to have work done to it in order to maintain its condition or to save the cue from deterioration. The guidelines herein are meant to help you make the right decision on what to do with your cue should you ever be faced with having to make such a decision.

PRESERVATION- To preserve a cue stick is to take specific action to ensure that its current condition will stay in tact, without diminishing what originality remains on the cue. For example, Herman Rambow, George Balabushka, and many other cue makers used the Brunswick Titlist cue as the basis for many of their works. The Titlist was a factory-made cue stick with four points and veneers. What that means for collectors of Rambow, Balabushka, and many other cues made from Titlists, is that they are collecting the work these master cue makers performed to the existing blanks. Such work includes joints, shafts, butt assemblies, wraps, and most importantly, the finish of the cue. For such cue makers, it is crucial that the original work of the cue maker remains in tact. A good example is the finish on George Balabushka cues. Balabushka used a special finish that was wiped onto the cue. He did this in the absense of a clean area to finish the cues, so that if dust would settle on a cue being finished, he could simply wipe it off during the drying process; this practice was unique to few cuemakers. A Balabushka that is stripped of the original finish by the original cuemaker, is stripped of a large part of what makes Balabushka such an important cue maker. While this practice may not affect today's value of the cue, it will likely diminish the long term value. The other problem is that the finish is such an important identifier of antique cues (since many used the same blanks), when that finish is stripped from the cue, it can be difficult to identify. As hundreds of cue makers continue to produce work, the number of sought after cue makers will increase, which will diminish the value of restored works. Preserving cues guarantees that a cue's remaining historic value and originality.

The problem is that many of these cues change hands through third-party dealers or other interested parties who sometimes only take a snapshot of the cue's value today. If a complete restoration can be done for $500, which could make a cue sell for $1000 more today than it would in its original condition, the decision to restore seems very clear to someone who is in the business of buying and selling cue sticks. However, this short-term outlook largely discounts the historic value a cue might have had as well as its long-term collectibility and value. Luckily, the collectible cue industry is small and most of the dealers are very ethical about these practices. Collectors who come across someone with a short-term outlook, like the one described here, should exercise caution when dealing with them.

REFINISHING CUES- This practice is quite common because cues are typically used and can start to look ugly. The opinion of this museum is that refinishing is an important decision that should be taken seriously. Considerations that need to be assessed to make an informed decision include: how collectible is the cue now or in the future (some speculation is sometimes needed, so ask many collectors their opinions)? Has the cue been refinished or restored in the past? Can the original finish be lightly polished to restore some beauty without destroying the finish? Does the cue genuinely needs to be refinished, or is the work done simply to make it look pretty? Can the original cue maker can perform the work? Is there any finish on the cue now? What are the reasons for collecting this specific cue? As you can see, there are many variables that can be a pert of the decision-making process. If you decide that a cue should be refinished, the museum suggests that you have the work done by the first available choice to the right: The original cue maker; the original cue maker's apprentice (if any), such as Barry Szamboti for his father's cues (Gus Szamboti); a senior master cue maker who specializes in restoration; a master cue maker who specializes in restoration; a master cue maker. These specialists should also be consulted regarding the decision to refinish a cue.

RESTORING CUES - There are varying degrees of restoration work. If a cue needs only partial restoration and a large percentage of its originality can be maintained, we suggest that the amount of work to be done to the cue should be determined with preservation in mind (above). If the cue is basically junk and the desire is to have the cue resemble its original condition, please do so in a manner not to deceive future owners of the cue. By this we mean have the work very well documented by the cue maker and if the cue is ever sold, please include that documentation in the transaction so that future owners can make informed decisions based on facts and not speculation. If you decide that a cue should be restored, the museum suggests that you have the work done by the first available choice to the right: The original cue maker; the original cue maker's apprentice (if any), such as Joel Hercek for Burton Spain's cues; a senior master cue maker who specializes in restoration; a master cue maker who specializes in restoration; a master cue maker. These specialists should also be consulted regarding the decision to restore a cue.

In closing, it is our hope that these points are considered when making the decision to have work done on a collectible cue stick. Sometimes the long term value and collectibility of a cue is ignored to make a cue more attractive for sale today. We hope that you act responsibly for the future generations who will own cues in your possession today. Should you have any questions about a specific cue and whether or not you should have work done to it, please contact us with your inquiry and we will be happy to offer an opinion.