Original JP Mannock Cue

[Mike P]

Quick post before hitting the sack. I have been taking pictures of my collection for insurance reasons and came across a book by J.P. Mannock titled Billiards Expounded. With the interest in Mannock original and replica cues I thought I would post a picture of JP with his cue.

Mike

[KeithinFrance]

Nice one, Mike, it's the first time I've seen Jack in a photo, it's interesting to see how he holds his cue and the straight bridge arm of yesteryear! I'm surprised by how far up the butt he holds the cue, almost like one of the Phillipino pool players with their pool cues that are almost as tall as they are!

Thanks for that,
Keith

[Mike P]

Keith,

I flipped through the book trying to find the best picture showing his cue. Perhaps he is holding it in that manner because according to the caption, it is a “Delicate Screw”. I like the description of his bridge hand “Buckled” instead of today's term “Looped”. In a couple of other plates it shows him using an extreme side arm stroke. Usually that is a sign of someone that has picked the game up at a young age and obviously short in stature. Having said that, you could very well be right about his height. I’ll take a closer look at some of the other plates and perhaps post another pic.

Mike

[KeithinFrance]

That'd be great if you could. I don't know about anyone else, but Mannock's such a mythical name in billiards and yet I know almost next to nothing about HIM, but so much about his cues (!) that any info you have would be great.

Keith

[Mike P]

Keith,

I didn’t get a chance to get into my basement yesterday. Working for a living leaves a lot to be desired.

I’ll take pictures of some of the plates and post them under a new thread. I believe one of the plates shows him recommending a pool stance as compared to a snooker stance at the table.

Mike

[100-uper]

That'd be great if you could. I don't know about anyone else, but Mannock's such a mythical name in billiards and yet I know almost next to nothing about HIM, but so much about his cues (!) that any info you have would be great.

Keith

If you are based in France you will probably be interested to know that Mannock's father was a journalist and at one time was editor of Galignani's Messenger in Paris. During his time in France young Jack became fluent in the language and kept business interests in this country until WW1 disrupted his life somewhat. One of these ventures was a billiard room in Boulogne which was maintained by one of his brothers until the mid-1890's.

Mannock was also well known for his stories, and one of my favourites which he use to relate is this one:

Amongst his many distinguished pupils was the late Sir Thomas Lipton. One day Mannock called at the house at Southgate to give a lesson, and it being his first appearance there he informed Sir Thomas's "man" who he was. "Oh," said the valet, "you are the Mr. Mannock who wrote a book, on 'Billiards ' I suppose." Jack admitted that he had been to an extent responsible for the production and was flattered by the remark "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.

[KeithinFrance]

Cool! I'd like to see that.

Yes, working for a living does indeed leave a lot to be desired. It'd be so much easier if we could just win the lottery, eh?

[KeithinFrance]

If you are based in France you will probably be interested to know that Mannock's father was a journalist and at one time was editor of Galignani's Messenger in Paris. During his time in France young Jack became fluent in the language and kept business interests in this country until WW1 disrupted his life somewhat. One of these ventures was a billiard room in Boulogne which was maintained by one of his brothers until the mid-1890's.

Mannock was also well known for his stories, and one of my favourites which he use to relate is this one:

Amongst his many distinguished pupils was the late Sir Thomas Lipton. One day Mannock called at the house at Southgate to give a lesson, and it being his first appearance there he informed Sir Thomas's "man" who he was. "Oh," said the valet, "you are the Mr. Mannock who wrote a book, on 'Billiards ' I suppose." Jack admitted that he had been to an extent responsible for the production and was flattered by the remark "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.

Lmao!! That's great! I love this story - thank you so much!

[Mike P]

Ok here goes, instead of starting a new thread I’ll just start posting some pics in a number of posts.

First off 100-uper, thanks for the story, great!!

Keith the lottery would be great right about now, but I think I stand more of a chance beating Ronnie O in a race to 10. I guess us crazy Canucks are known for “eh” on that side of the pond also.

I stand corrected by the master, John Patrick himself. In another post I said that he used a side arm delivery. When I first looked at the plates in the book, I did not read the captions below them. I was amazed at how awkward and unorthodox his stance was. After reading the captions, he is illustrating how not to address the cue ball. From the look of some of those pictures, addressing the ball in that manner would be quite painful.

I do like the look of the Mannock cues, but I am wondering what makes them so collectible? From what Andrew stated in another thread, they do not play as well as the replicas. Is that due to their age?

One of these days when I have more time (yeah right) I will read some of the old books I have in my collection. I just skimmed a few pages of JP’s book and here are some of his thoughts. It is amusing that his recommendations are still vital close to a 100 years later, for all cue sports.

A secure position of the feet, the bridge hand, the body, and the upper part of the wielding forearm, with the head so lowered that the eyes may glance along the line of the cue to the point you are aiming at, are absolutely vital necessities; without them playing billiards is a sort of “ploughing the sands,” a mere waste of effort and time.

A second or third rate professional can give the best amateur a third of a game

Nine out of ten amateurs have started out on the wrong tack, and steadily pursued it.

The greatest fault is in the position taken at the table prior to the stroke.

Billiards should be an exercise of the mind as much as the body.

Good billiard playing demands a control over the emotions. Irritability and excitability will infallibly depreciate a players effectiveness.

Billiards can not be learnt from a book.

Also he states that a professional makes the game look so easy. This is only accomplished through years of practise and paying attention to every minute detail.

This last statement reminds me of something Thorburn said after winning the world title. It had only taken him 25 years to become an overnight sensation.

Well I think I will follow JP’s advice an stop reading and head downstairs to practice. That is after posting all the pics.

Mike

[Mike P]

Plate 1 ( I wanted to just put Plate 1 but I need 10 caricatures )

[Mike P]

Plate 2222222

[Mike P]

Plate 333333

[Mike P]

Plate 444444

[KeithinFrance]

Thanks, Mike, I appreciate your taking the time to post the words of the old master, and yes, you are right, it's quite something to read that what was written so long ago is still so relevant nowadays.

The Mannock cues are so collectible because of their beauty, that's really it, but when you see one of them you really do understand why. It's that simple, eh?

I don't know if the Canadian "eh" is really so famous over here, but I know because I'm lucky enough to have sojourned in your beautiful country, in Vancouver, so I've perhaps a little more local knowledge. Who knows, eh? Lol!

Anyway, if anything else strikes you as interesting, before or after practice, then don't hesitate!

Keith

[Mike P]

Plate 55555