:: Norman Clare THE COLLECTION

Part of the Norman Clare Billiard & Snooker Heritage Museum at Thurston's Liverpool offices is a significant Billiard / Snooker cue collection and given that there are specialist collectors interest in cues, in the UK and USA, it was decided not only to catalogue the collection but also photograph them and add the information to the web site.

The collection was started by Norman Clare and ranges from fine examples of early maces and French marquetry cues through endorsed players cues and Billiard Company models. Andy Hunter has visited the cue collection on several occasions as he is so impressed with it. There are a number of cues with 'Past Master' players names on and you will find that a number of these players have articles about them in the Norman's Articles section.

The Cue Collection is quite extensive and doesn't just have antique cues but also covers some of the more modern cue and cues that were selected for their design and style.

With Peradon (see Peradon history in Other Articles) being part of our group we also have a collection of some of the cue butt plates from their own range of cues as well as from models of cues that they made exclusively for particular customers.

The Peradon Cue Butt Plate Collection, as these pictures are taken from the display boards some of the plates will be seen more than once :-

Plates for both UK clients such as Lupton's of Manchester and E. A. Clare of Liverpool as well as oversea such as Union Billiards in South Africa.

Plates for cues for Heiron & Smith of Australia, Greenwood of New New Zealand, Pro-Way Singapore, Chaiyant Sahabhong of Thailand as well as Riley Burwat., Regal (to promote their brand) in the UK

Butt plates from some of Peradon's own range as well other UK snooker firms such as Raper & Sons Manchester

As you will see from this and the other boards Peradon have made cues for some of the top Snooker and Billiard players

Endorsed cue butt plates as well as promotional /prize butt plates from the Peradon range

Peradon also made promotional prize cues for clients as shown by the W.D. & H.O. Wills, Daily Express, Pontin and News of The World plates above

As you will have seen from the collection of plates Peradon made cues for a wide range of clients both home and overseas and still offers this service to the Trade.

Possibly the most interesting cues in the collection are the cues described as being French marquetry cues. The collection has some fine examples of these rare cues as illustrated below. ( Note - these pictures are large files to allow you to fully appreciate the detail and they might therefore take sometime to load).

............pic......317 ........................pic......318..........................pic......319......

The above picture show the inlay work and the colours of the in-lay from different views of the same cue. Some of the intricate veneers used can just be seen where the butt and shaft are joined.

pic 325 ....................................................... pic 333........................................................... pic 335

The cue shown in 'pic 325' not only has wood inlaid but also thin brass wire around the wood inlay as well as other shaped brass pieces and shapes, again it has a fancy series of splices joining the shaft to the butt which can just be seen at the top of the picture.

The inlay work on the cue 'pic 333' is very fine with details finishing in delicate swirls.

We think that the more simple inlay on cue in 'pic 335' is probably ivory but it could also be bone.

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pic 328 ..................................................pic 338.......................................................... ..pic 343........

Pics 341-342 illustrate how the cue maker used different splices at the end of the butt, meaning that the cue had two flats!

The rest of the collection does contain some interesting examples of the cue makers recognition of the famous players of the day and the production of cues celebrating major land marks in the better known players achievements. As well as some of the famous trade names who promoted cues of their own designs. Some of the early cues will have been made by Billiard firms of the day but from about the late 1940's until the late 1980's one firm dominated the U. K. and Commonwealth cue manufacture - Peradon sold to the trade in the trade in the U. K. and used their Weilding name for exports, they did also keep the MacMorran name alive as well. The Peradon history can be found at -Peradon in 'Other Articles'.

Part of the Peradon made Joe Davis range of cues - The two cues show the change in the plate from the 'Red' 600 to a 'Black' version. Our examples of the Joe Davis Club cue.

The Joe Davis '20 years World Champion Cue' was made by the Canadian Cue makers Duffryn and was sold exclusively in the UK by Peradon. The Joe Davis 'Great Player' is a Peradon made cue from the 1980's. The Joe Davis signature cue is a Peradon model from their current range

The Champion Cues are the two examples in our collection. The three snooker 'Champion' cues butts show Joe Davis increasing prowess at Snooker with the first being a re-worked Champion Cue butt plate also recording a 100 World Record break at Snooker. With the next recording his 'almost maximum' record at 146 and the Champion Cue becoming a 'Snooker' Cue. Finally the 147 record - note this cue also has the Clare - Padmore - Thurston disc insert. These three businesses now trade as Thurston but their histories / stories can be read in the 'Other Articles' section of this site.

The Cannon Match Cue shows the Weilding (now Peradon) cannon trade mark. A cue made for the Clare - Padmore - Thurston group using the Thurston trade name STANDFAST. Two example from 150 limited edition cues made for Thos. Padmore & Son by Peradon to celebrate their 150th anniversary. In the late 1980's Peradon offered a bespoke cue making service to the trade and the cue on the left shows the plate used. A more simple Peradon disc insert on a 'club' type cue.

The Peradon cork wrapped butted cue was made Vince Bendon (he started as an apprentice with Peradon later becoming a Director of the business) in about 1993. The next cue on the right is a 'trial pattern' butted cue by Peradon circa 1950. The final cue is again a trial cue and the centre black splice goes the full length of the cue. We believe the idea was for the line to be a sighting line.

Peradon, as can be seen from these cues also made cues for special celebrations and promotions. As well as professional players endorsed cues. It would almost seem that the Sydney Smith Professional Billiard Champion plate was put on up-side down, so to make it easier to read it is shown again.

Four examples of the Horace Lindrum Champion Cue by Peradon - note the saving of two screws in the later versions of the butt plates( See article on the Horace Lindrum Signature Cue ). Two versions of the Walter Lindrum World Champion Cue made by Peradon.

The 'NONPAREIL' Lindrum -McConachy Cue is also made by Peradon. Walter Lindrum -The World Record Break Cue December 7th 1929 - probably made by Peradon.

Examples of both Peradon & Fletcher and Peradon Cues. The Royal with the 'Centenary Year' overprint celebrates Peradon (Peradon & Fletcher as it was in 1985) 100 years of trading. The Consul plate is a Clare - Padmore - Thurston brand cue. The sticker shows the Peradon & Fletcher logo incorporating the MacMorran, Weilding & Fletcher trade marks. The carbon fibre cue shows the Permac trade mark although not made by Peradon it was their branded version of this style of cue, which was tried in the 1990's.

An example from the Terry Giffiths range of Cues made by Peradon shortly after he won the World Championship. They also made a range of cues endorsed by that great Liverpool Professional John Parrott.

Two 'Clubman' quality cue from Peradon. The first with the model name also has stamped on to the shaft 'Clare Billiard & Snooker Hire Service'. The other just has the printed Clare - Padmore - Thurston disc stamp.A disc butt showing the 'Tournament model. Two versions of a Peradon plain maple cue. The first being plated as a 'Popular' model. the other being plated for the NAAFI (Navy, Army, Air Force Institues)

Smith & Nelson, another cue made for the trade,probably by Peradon, the business was based in Leeds and they also had a Snooker Hall.

Three versions of a butt plate recording Tom Newman's 'Worlds Record Break' 1370. I believe these are all made by either Peradon or Weilding.

30155 Lion Snooker Cue . IM193 Powerglide Cue

The three cues on the left were made by Power Glide when both Rex Williams & his brother Ken Williams ran the business. The Lion model 'club' cue on the right is from more recent production. The 'Status' model cue by Power Glide is a more recent style circa 2002.

A' Rex Wiilams' model cue with an aluminum etched plate and a light wood butt plate on the 'Eexcutive' model both by Power Glide. Powerglide for many years had a stand at the Embassy World Snooker Championships at Sheffield and produced a model of cue for the event.

Some old Thurston billiard cues,showing the simple one piece ash cue with the '14 Catherine St.' address stamped onto it ( circa 1815). An ebony butted cue with the name inserted in a light coloured wood. A Cue with both the Royal and Prince of Wales crests indicating their Royal Warrants. The split can billiard cue is quite a rare cue. The sliver plate on the Joseph Bennett signature cue by Thurston reads - The Billiard handicap 1st. prize. presented by Joseph Bennett 'Ex Champion' won by F. Osborne 1887.

The three Thurston one piece ash cues are all shorter than a standard cue and are stamped with the 14 Catherine St. address so they are probably circa 1810. The inlaid 'Thurston & Co' might well indicate that this cue was made prior to the date when Thurston became a Limited Company about 1815. So the inlaid 'Thurston Ltd' cue is therefore probably later than 1815

Three from the range of cues made for Thurston in 1999 to commorate the establishment of the business in 1799. The range was made by Peradon

W Cook Burroughs & Watts . .

Two versions of the Burroughes & Watts W. Cook signature cue. The second one as can been seen from the additional disc is also a 'patented secret jointed cue'. The joint on this cue is as per the next picture and we also have a copy of the sales leaflet promoting this joint.

Professional players endorsed cue by Burroughes & Watts, London, with another W. Cook signature cue and a Sydney Smith signature cue. With a Diggle record break and a Stevenson Champion Cue. The two Burroughes & Watts 'Club' Cues seem to have additional discs inlaid on which the owner could have their initials engraved.

Burroughes & Watts made 'Presentation Cue', a disc butt cue, a simple stamped butted plain ash cue also two examples of their Eureka model.

The Mannock cue to the left of the catalogue page is an original and the one on the right is a facsimile made by Peradon circa 1990. The page from the catalogue shows that the Mannock cues sold at £2-5-0, the Eureka at £1-17-6 and also shows that the Club cue had two models.

Further examples of Burroughes & Watts players endorsed cues with two of C. Dawson and two of Willie Smith. The Burwat Champion by Burroughes & Watts with the Riley Billiards version which is from the period when the Riley's took over the Billiard / Snooker interests of Burroughes & Watts and for a period traded as Riley Burwat (see the trade history in Other Articles E.J. Riley)

Example of E. J. Riley cues when the business was based in Accrington with a 'George Grey' signature cue by Riley

Two cue showing the Riley logo that was developed after they aquired the businees interests of J.Bennetts which was used until they moved to their Network 65 building, which was their last business address before closure.

Professional Player endorsed cues - Melbourne Inman; Tom Reece; C. Haverson; Sydney Lee and Walter Donaldson.

The cue on the left has a very unusual shaped butt with the name T. Fleming Edinburgh stamped on it. Two more Fleming cues with the same style markings on conventional butts.

Another cue from Edinburgh - a John Taylor 'Special Cue'. Long & Co. are an old establish Billiard business in Cork, Ireland. The 'Match Cue' is a worn out cork wrapped butted cue. An ebony butt cue with The Internation Cue printed on in gold and some signs of possibly a name or crest on the butt. The 'pearl' like in lay on the final cue in the section is matched on the oposite side with another flat and a hardwood insert. Meaning that it is a european style cue.

The ebony butted Ashcroft Cue is clear to read and so is the stamping on the plain maple cue, the next plain ash cue has 'Liverpool' stamped on it and the other wording can not be read so it is either an Ashcroft or an E.A. Clare cue - read the firms histories Ashcroft and E.A. Clare & Son in other Articles. Another plain maple Ashcroft cue finishes the line up.

A range of cues with business names from around the Country. F.H. Ayres probably being recognised as part of the Billiard Trade and a maker of tables.

. 0131 Orme Manchester . J310 Orme Cue

J0328 Orme Billiard Cue . J0385 Orme Cue

Our collection of Orme & Sons cue is quite small considering they were based in Manchester. Orme & Sons business was absorbed into Burroughs & Watts see Orme & Sons in Other Articles.

Two cues from Blackpool Billiard Works. Bayliff was an early Billiard business in Liverpool. The final cue has a stamped butt which reads 'Cox & Yeaman, 184 Brompton Road, London, W.Cook model.

Five examples in our 'Collection' of The Peall Record Cue - the picture butt plate is a nice example.

The first two cue we believe came in with a Billiard table that was bought in from a gentleman's club. They have the light wood insert with the name inlaid. The Professional Cue looks as though it would have been made by either Peradon or Weildings. W. Jelks were well know suppliers of Billiard tables of all sizes.

The three snooker cues (circa 1990) were made by McDermott in the U.S.A. and were marketed in the UK by Matchroom. They had an ususual finger joint as shown in the picture. The Gibney Hawk Eye cue has an ebony splice at the tip, as illustrated, the idea being that it help with cueing / strike accuracy.

Examples of cues that are not conventional Billiard / Snooker cues in the UK - The first is an imported cue with a telescopic butt section the 'B' on the plate is the business initial of 'Biltop'. Two examples of the UK designed tele- Cue which also has a telescopic butt section like the 'Biltop' one.

The Buffalo cue is an import sold in Europe by Joba based in Holland.The 'International has a butt with no 'flat' but otherwise is a conventional simulated butted snooker cue. The bottle shape butt on the machine cut butt with the simulated mother of pearl inlay is a 'Carom' cue.Another machine cue Carom cue but with a more conventional tapered butt section. The next cue is one from the 'Apollo' range of Snooker Cues which were extensively promoted in the 1960's/70's as a cue which would not warp as it was made from tubular aluminium. The glass fibre cue was an early experimental cue.

Three Snooker cues from three U.K. manufactures - Barracuda was based in Kirkham in Lancashire but when manufacture ceased it was merged with Master Cue Makers. Cannon Cue Ltd. were Midlands based cue makers as were Aeon who were based in Coventry. The second Aeon cue shows the brass weight which could be unscrewed and either a heavier or lighter weight could be screwed back in. The last cue in the section is an Askrod 'Harlequin' model - the name can only just be made out as the 'stamped' printing has worn off. Britannia Cue model 'Illustrious' is another cue from a Midlands cue maker.

Some further famous names in the trade BCE based in Bristol, Lewis & Wilson made by master Cue makers in Telford and Glover based in Derby. Stuart Surridge the well know sport suppliers and Cue Craft based in Nottingham. The Gravity cue is made under agreement by Peradon for the Liverpool based inventor.

The disc plate says it is 'Patent Inflexible' and it seems to have a steel star shaped rod down the length of the shaft. The idea being not only to help prevent warping but also to improve the striking of the ball. As you can see the as the shaft would have had a circular hole drilled through it the star shaped metal had to have fillets of wood to take up the gaps. It is quite a feat to bore the hole and then insert the rod and fillets. The next picture with an unusual six pointed butt section is a 'split cane' cue. Hopefully the picture shows the shaft timber sufficiently. The next two pictures are of the same cue which again has an unusual shaft timber - its pine.

A cue nmade by Andy Hunter, an expert on old cues. He presented the cue to the collection on one of his visits. Was someone trying to say they had a Mannock Cue?

As the cue collection is quite extensive it will take some time to photograph them all so this section of the site will be 'under construction' for sometime!

We do not deal in 'old' cue but if you check our 'Links Page' you will find some links to sites who may be able to help with valuations. Those who want good quality cues should visit the Thurston outlets in either Liverpool or Birmingham to see the 'best' selection of cues to suit all 'pockets'. Both outlets have a snooker table on which to try the cues.

Or why not design your own cue to your required specification and then have it made by the UK's leading cue maker. Just log on to - www.cuewizard.co.uk

If you like the design and wish to order it just mention in the comments box that you have been on the Norman Clare Heritage Web Site and claim a 5% discount.