Unusual Burwat Champion

[willtyson]

Hi guys, I've got some pictures of a more unusual Burwat Champion cue and was wondering if anyone could tell me anymore about it? It's got 2 badges one being someones initials and one being the Burwat Plate, it's stamped at 17oz and is about 58" long with a 10mm tip. It also has a very unusual ferrule which I'm unsure of what it's made from, it's not plastic and has a small metal ring where the cue and the ferrule separate. It was given to its current owner by Ronnie O'sullivan and I can assure it's 100% true, don't believe it if you don't wish to, but please don't turn the thread into an interrogation about how it came about that Ronnie gave it to him. The cue has a matching metal tube case which also has the initials on, the cues in unbelievable condition. If anyone could tell me if Burroughes and Watts made this cue custom to order as that's what I believe it is. I would also be interested in what it could be worth. It's a really stunning cue and is in near to mint condition. If anyone could also find out who's initials they are that would be appreciated, although I imagine the chances of that are low.

Here's some links to the pictures:
http://i1170.photobucket.com/albums/...5-17204623.jpg
http://i1170.photobucket.com/albums/...5-17204633.jpg
http://i1170.photobucket.com/albums/...n/DSC00425.jpg
http://i1170.photobucket.com/albums/...n/DSC00427.jpg

Thanks, Will :snooker:

[narl]

Seen a few old burwat cues with an additional circular badge above the main badge, from the looks of it it was just what they done for custom orders.

[willtyson]

O right, was it common to custom order one?

[narl]

O right, was it common to custom order one?

From what i can recall they did offer the service, the mannock for example could be ordered totally hand spliced instead of machine spliced at the top. Only ever seen one like that though but it didn't have the circular badge on it, might just be personalised if the customer asked for it to be.

[100-uper]

The fact that the same initials appear on the case, indicates to me that it represents the name of the original owner. Somebody could probably pin down the date better than me from the style of the logo on the case, but I would have said post-war.

Can't say that I can recall any famous amateur with these initials so you could be out of luck on that score. Interestingly, there was a chap called W. G. West (Mitcham) who was a member of the B.A. & C.C. Red Cross Committee and did a lot of charity work during the war. He would be just the sort of person I could see being the recipient of a presentation cue from Burroughes & Watts when he stood down in the mid-50's. Maybe a bit fanciful, but might be a line worth investigating, although I doubt it would add much to the value.

Can't really see the ferrule from the photo, but Burroughes & Watts did use goat's horn ferrules quite extensively at this time. If it looks like grey plastic, it might be this.

[willtyson]

Thanks for that 100- uper. The only other initials I could think of would be the great Wally West but I wouldn't know if he had a middle name, the cues probably a bit old as well bearing in mind he made his 151 in 76 if I'm not mistaken? I think someone had said the ferrule may have been whale bone although I haven't ever really heard of it. Thanks again I'll look into the W. G. West guy :snooker:

[louise sheldon]

I think Dominic Dales Eureka cue had a disc like that at the world snooker championships, they showed a close up of it on tv so perhaps he might know.

[jim evans]

doms eureka was a tony glover rep so not sure of the disc

[perpetualboredom]

doms eureka was a tony glover rep so not sure of the disc

My mannock has a similar disc, I've seen them on many other cues too. The b&w club cues was advertised as available with one of these as standard, you can view the trade catalogues on thecuecollector.com for examples. Its a fair assumption to assumed these disc were available to anyone who asked.