hunt o'byrne cue

[mattyshinobi22]

Jeez, is that you janie?.......Long time no see, or hear for that matter.

Hope you are well.

Hont and o'byrne cues were very good from my memory, about the most pricey cues you could get built back in the eighties. I can recall a friend of mine getting a quote for a one piece cue with a maple shaft and four lower tulipwood splices.

The quote was for £540 and an eight month wait.......YES AN 8 MONTH WAIT.

Madness really.

It was when they went that Mr John Parris became the foremost maker in the UK, many years ago. Now of course there are numerous makers capable of producing the highest quality cues money can buy, though it has to be said, the prices of these cues has not changed too dramatically from that time.

Will Hunt, half the original Hunt and O'byrne double act, is last known to be working with Robert Osborne in London, and, from what I've seen, still makes very fine cues.

As a guide to those of you who are interested, I recently built a cue for someone who enquired about having an ash shafted cue with plain ebony butt made to measure by Osborne/Hunt.

He was quoted £550.........

Ouch.

does it pot ball on its own accord for that price trev

[JanieWatkins]

Jeez, is that you janie?.......Long time no see, or hear for that matter.

Hope you are well.

Hont and o'byrne cues were very good from my memory, about the most pricey cues you could get built back in the eighties. I can recall a friend of mine getting a quote for a one piece cue with a maple shaft and four lower tulipwood splices.

The quote was for £540 and an eight month wait.......YES AN 8 MONTH WAIT.

Madness really.

It was when they went that Mr John Parris became the foremost maker in the UK, many years ago. Now of course there are numerous makers capable of producing the highest quality cues money can buy, though it has to be said, the prices of these cues has not changed too dramatically from that time.

Will Hunt, half the original Hunt and O'byrne double act, is last known to be working with Robert Osborne in London, and, from what I've seen, still makes very fine cues.

As a guide to those of you who are interested, I recently built a cue for someone who enquired about having an ash shafted cue with plain ebony butt made to measure by Osborne/Hunt.

He was quoted £550.........

Ouch.

Hi Trevor - how are you -- don't want to get off-topic!! But I know a certain Welshman who makes superb cues and cases!!!

[trevs1]

Hi Matt,

It is a lot of money for a plain ebony butt cue, that's for sure.

As with anything seen as collectable though, it's worth what people are willing to pay, so although it might appear excessive for a cue with no real age or rarity, I guess there are those who feel it's worth it.

As the old saying goes, "You pay your money and take your choice".

I'd say the 'most' crazy thing about this particular cue however, is the fact that it's on Ebay, which means any buyer can't even verify the condition or overall quality of this particular example.

Good luck to the seller all the same.

[mattyshinobi22]

shame its got a rounded butt, i was tempted

[trevs1]

I think you'll find that can be un-rounded Matt. It's not a big jobby that.

[Wity]

...

.... The quote was for £540 and an eight month wait.......YES AN 8 MONTH WAIT.

Madness really..

I was reading about an American company not long ago (yes company not a sole trader) making a pool cue so desired by the yanks there's an 8 year waiting list. !!

[Oldgit]

I remember back in the early 1980s I was working out in the Middle East and finally when I came back to the UK I decided that I would get a brand new snooker cue. The year was 1985 (I think!!) and there had just been quite a lot of publicity because John Parris (Who noone had heard of at that time) had just changed Steve Davis trusty old Ye Olde Ash cue from a one piece to a 3/4 joined cue.

I telephoned Hunt & Obyrne and asked them to send me their brochure and also telephoned John Parris and discussed buying a new cue from him.

When the Hunt & Obyrne brochure arrived I was staggered to see their prices. There were various options with different colour badged cues but their top of the range, handmade cue was £550!! Back in 1985 that was a fortune....and even today is a huge amount of money for a cue.

I decided to go with John Parris and drove down to London to meet him and discuss what I wanted. I seem to remember that he made me a lovely cue for about £300 but after waiting eight months the Royal Mail managed to break it during delivery! John then made me another cue but this time I only had to wait three months.

Over the last 4 or 5 years I have indulged my passion for buying top of the range snooker cues, both antique and modern and have been lucky enough to own quite a few Hunt & Obyrne cues. When I have sold them on, all of them were sold to buyers in Hong Kong for prices in excess of £400! One of the best 'players' was a humble Green Badged Hunt & Obyrne machine spliced 3/4 cue and my nephew is now the proud owner!

Oldgit

[Semih_Sayginer]

I was reading about an American company not long ago (yes company not a sole trader) making a pool cue so desired by the yanks there's an 8 year waiting list. !!

if what you read is anywhere close to being accurate (the story, not your post), then its about time that company expanded.....IMHO

[Nott]

if what you read is anywhere close to being accurate (the story, not your post), then its about time that company expanded.....IMHO

Its accurate. Theres several american smallshop cuemakers with 1+ year waitlists (I'm close to 3 years now waiting for my Zylr (oneman shop)).

The longest wait I know about (and is probably the one Wity read about) is for Southwest cues. Link to a short biography: http://www.indyq.com/custom/southwes...SouthWest.html

I guess if Parris still made all his cues by himself he would've had a pretty long waitlist aswell.

Although its a pain to have to wait that long for a cue they will only go up in value. When you finally get your southwest its allready worth alot more than you paid for it.

[Wity]

Yeah Southwest Cues that was the name i'd forgot. Knew it was over at billiards digest.com that i'd read about the 8 year list but doing a search without the name resulted in nothing. Search there for Southwest cues and theres a few threads about them.

[mattyshinobi22]

I think you'll find that can be un-rounded Matt. It's not a big jobby that.

seriosuly thinking bout it trev now lol
would it de value the cue, even if the badge was put back well

[ADR147]

seriosuly thinking bout it trev now lol
would it de value the cue, even if the badge was put back well

i would think not.

[jimmymoller]

well thats £650 which is still a bit steep for a plain cue!

yes but there very hard to get because where in aus so people will ofer lots to get one

[mattyshinobi22]

i won it lol

hope it goes up in value if i dont like it, the mrs is gonna go ape

[Wity]

i won it lol

hope it goes up in value if i dont like it, the mrs is gonna go ape

Ah well it nice speaking to you mate.