My Snooker cabin

[lmf1471]

After looking on here, I built myself a fully insulated log cabin. The table is made by J.ASHCROFT & Co., LIVERPOOL. No idea about the quality of these tables, been told it's about 130 years old. Are they decent tables ? Hopefully Geoff Large can answer this.

Cheers
Lee

[walt jabsco]

Looking good...

[Leo]

The green wall in your pics is that an original wall

[pcb]

nice room , any external pictures ?

[lmf1471]

The green wall in your pics is that an original wall

Paint is from Wickes http://www.wickes.co.uk/Wickes-Vinyl...-2-5L/p/103984

[ste bed]

Hi I see your from bolton I am nesr you in wigan what sort of handicap system do you operate in the league or is it s scratch league

[garysnooker]

nice shed you have there

[Geoff Large]

After looking on here, I built myself a fully insulated log cabin. The table is made by J.ASHCROFT & Co., LIVERPOOL. No idea about the quality of these tables, been told it's about 130 years old. Are they decent tables ? Hopefully Geoff Large can answer this.

Cheers
Lee

Hi Lee

Ashcrofts where a good firm , they where awarded many medals for their tables design and Quality

I would date your table after 1900 so not quite 130 years old maybe 90 to 100 years old would be a more exact time frame although they where still producing tables right upto the `1970s , concealed pockets where used after 1896 all tables before this date had top plate pockets and your table does have the concealed fixing type .

I know a guy who bought all their wood stocks and veneers that where left , many exotic types of woods that where stored for many years and he is still using it , he also got the medal that where awarded to Ashcrofts
although this was one of many and Thurston also have another medal in the The billiard and snooker Heritage collection in liverpool which being as you are up that way is worth a visit , just contact Thurston and ask to have a look around , it is by appointment only through Peter clare.

here is a link to the history of the firm including a letter of when clares of liverpool merged the company into their growing empire later to become Thurstons as we know the group of firms today .

http://www.snookerheritage.co.uk/his...j-ashcroft-co/

[justf]

Very nice cabin lmf like the score board, very classy. In clubs I used to use no lights on score board just lots of squinting. Surely you are missing a selby plaque on the wall? Just a oversight perhaps. Very nice mate.

[gazza147]

Nice looking room i would love to have the spare space as i would have one tomorrow!



Gaz.

[lmf1471]

Hi Lee

Ashcrofts where a good firm , they where awarded many medals for their tables design and Quality

I would date your table after 1900 so not quite 130 years old maybe 90 to 100 years old would be a more exact time frame although they where still producing tables right upto the `1970s , concealed pockets where used after 1896 all tables before this date had top plate pockets and your table does have the concealed fixing type .

I know a guy who bought all their wood stocks and veneers that where left , many exotic types of woods that where stored for many years and he is still using it , he also got the medal that where awarded to Ashcrofts
although this was one of many and Thurston also have another medal in the The billiard and snooker Heritage collection in liverpool which being as you are up that way is worth a visit , just contact Thurston and ask to have a look around , it is by appointment only through Peter clare.

here is a link to the history of the firm including a letter of when clares of liverpool merged the company into their growing empire later to become Thurstons as we know the group of firms today .

http://www.snookerheritage.co.uk/his...j-ashcroft-co/

Cheers Geoff


Regarding the wood, rails on this table are gorgeous. Friend of my who is a joiner & snooker player, stated that you wont see many tables now a days with wood like this.

WP_20140731_005.jpgWP_20140731_006.jpgWP_20140731_007.jpgWP_20140801_006.jpg

Cheers
Lee

[lmf1471]

WP_20140801_003.jpgWP_20140801_004.jpgWP_20140801_011.jpgmy table 3.JPGWP_20140801_009.jpg

[Geoff Large]

Cheers Geoff


Regarding the wood, rails on this table are gorgeous. Friend of my who is a joiner & snooker player, stated that you wont see many tables now a days with wood like this.

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Cheers
Lee

Hi Lee ,

it looks like you had a table that was made from cuban or Santo domingo Mahogany which is highly figured and heavy , sometimes the billiards firms used a good quality heavy mahogany sourced anywhere in the tropical regions of the west indies and south america which did not have good graining but the weight was there and they then glued 1/4 inch capping of this highly figured mahogany on top of each cushion to show the Flamed mahogany pattern sometimes they used this mahogany in thin veneers on the back of Violin's and this is referred to as fiddle back mahogany being highly flamed or striped like some flamed and striped Maple woods from Canada you can get on Electric Guitar bodies.

Sometimes if a client wanted this good flame graining wood construction entirely , they made the cushions out of solid flamed mahogany which was a waste really , you also get the side frames with a thick veneer of this flame mahogany too , and Ashcrofts where well known for their quality of wood used , this is why they won so many medals from trade exhibitions .

Ashcrofts where one of the top 6 billiards firms in their day along with such firms as Thurston , Burroughs and watts , Orme & sons , George Wright And Cox & yeman . and maybe Rapers of Manchester .
you may note I have left out E J riley , this is because they are a relatively new firm originating in the very late 1890s .
Apart from Thurston who was a very early billiards firm the rest where founded from mid 1830 to 1870s period . so these firms where the Pioneering firms of that era.
You can probably back date any proper time served Billiards fitters of today back to these firms if you research it all , in my case I have links back to Burroughs and watts / Orme & son's and John Gent as Billiards fitters who have passed down their learnings to us present day fitters.