1979 Rich-q Series Brochure

10/23/2018 6:55:16 PM

1979 Rich-q Series Brochure

Wanted to share this full-page 1979 Rich Cue Company Rich-Q brochure advertisement I found while looking through a March-April 1979 issue of Billiards Digest magazine.

Text of the brochure is as follows:

The famous American made Rich-Q 2-piece pool cues come on with high-quality throughout. Rich-Cues are guaranteed straight and sound in workmanship and materials. Careful attention is devoted to every component. Rich-Cues must pass our vigorous specifications and inspection standards. We'll replace any cue received in unsatisfactory condition if unused.

Rich-Cues look as great as they play; a wide assortment of decorative and exotic hardwoods from around the world with pearl inlays, pearl dots, hand-carved and diamond hand inlays are all designed and crafted in the U.S.A.

Phone or write for information on Rich-Cues and the complete line of Imperial Billiard supplies and accessories.

THE MOST POPULAR PRICED 2-PIECE CUSTOM CUE MADE IN THE USA!

28-135 COBRA II - Ebony, pearl inlays, ebony and maple inlays on base, black and linen-look wrap. Willie Hoppe joint.

28-136 ROYALE - Hand carved ebony, unwrapped, pearl inlays, 4 prongs of ebony and maple, positive action metal implex joint.

28-137 MONARCH - Birdseye maple, pearl inlays on fancy 4 prong wood inlay. Unwrapped, positive action metal implex joint.

28-138 MONARCH ROSE - Birdseye maple and rosewood, pearl Inlays on fancy 4-prong wood inlay. Unwrapped, positive action metal implex joint.

25-140 CHEOUEMATE - Design of ebony & maple, black or linen look wrap. 4 prongs of color ebony & maple with pearl diamond & dot inlays. Pearlized stainless steel Willie Hoppe joint.

26-141 EL CID - 8 prong ebony & maple. 4 color inlays with pearl inlays, blue or green wrap coordinating rings of marbolette, stainless steel pearlized joint.

28-142 ROYAL KNIGHT - Ebony, 8 prong with 4 color inlays, ebony & maple throughout, diamond and dot inlays, pearI rings, black wrap. Statniess steel pearlized Willie Hoppe joints.

28-143 EL TORO - 8 prong with 4 color inlays, ebony & maple throughout, pearlized inlays, black or linen look wrap, pearlized stainless steel Willie Hoppe joint.

RICH CUSTOM CUES
IMPERIAL BILLIARD INDUSTRIES. A Division of H. BETTI INDUSTRIES.

Factory: 83 Wood Ave, Secaucus, N J 01094 • (201) 935.1364
East Coast Showroom: 550 Industrial Road, Carlstadt, N J 07072 • (201) 935-9330
West Coast Showroom: 8620 Tamarack, Sun Valley, Cal. 91352 • (213) 767-3304

billiardsforum

1979 Rich-q Series Brochure

Replies & Comments

Chopdoc on 10/23/2018 10:16:20 PM
Very cool. Thank you. I am always looking for old catalogs and ads.

I have a model 5-M, not in that catalog. It's here: https://bluebookofpoolcuevalues.com/Pool_Cue_Values/Pool_Cue_Manufacturer_Models.aspx?id=RICH_CUE_DISCONTINUED_CUES

Red sparkle rings above and below the wrap, 8 points with veneers.

I have a couple or three others as well, but this one is really cool I think.

billiardsforum on 10/24/2018 3:31:21 AM
What a great looking and unique cue! Those points!

RUSTY on 10/24/2018 4:57:49 AM
I have model #28-138, leather wrapped and converted to 3/8-10 pin. Model #'s 137 and 138 were made from Schmelke blanks. As for the rest I don't know.

Here is Schmelke's version, minus the inlays, which you could order however you wanted. The Schmelke cues were identical for the most part on most of these cues. So maybe they were Rich Cue blanks as the Schmelke naturals were made 1987-1991.

Mine is A-spliced. I had it re-finished when converted several years ago or about 2-inches from the wrap start, then rosewood. It hits a ton, and I love radial pin cues. So one will never know who's using who's stuff.

Chopdoc on 10/24/2018 5:48:37 AM
I believe all the points on these cues are Schmelke. Mine certainly seem to be.

RUSTY on 10/24/2018 6:27:38 AM
Here is mine. They are very crisp points, very clean. I love the conversion because I prefer 3/10 pin being naturally weighted. It gives it a very solid hit.

Traditional brown leather wrap. Sorry about the poor lighting in the photos, but I sold my pool table as it's just me and my daughter and she doesn't play pool sadly.

Chopdoc on 10/24/2018 6:51:35 AM
Cool.

Not sure if you have ever seen Tom Reed's work.

You can see a couple of his Schmelke conversions here, scroll down, you can click on the pics to enlarge:

billiardcue.com/tom_reed.htm

RUSTY on 10/28/2018 7:42:04 PM
Yes I've seen those many times. They're very nice. Schmelke provided a lot of blanks for a lot of companies and cue makers. Their blanks can be seen in a lot of vintage cues marked as "unknown" on eBay if you take the time to research the pictures and compare.

I was bidding on an Adam the guy had marked as "Unknown Vintage". It turned out to be an Adam A/H 37, and I see he changed the listing due to the eBay police / cue expert telling the seller what it was.

I am not really sure why a person needs to inform sellers what they are selling as most buyers already know what they're looking at. All it does is drive up the price. Clearly this person is either making sure that since they can't get the cue, that no one will, or, he has an obsessive compulsive disorder of always being right and making sure sellers are as well. He must just sit and stare at the blue book of cues and correct people all day.

But anyway there have been several cues going up for auction from the same seller nice old stuff, including a nice looking AH/26 cue in very good condition.

Chopdoc on 10/28/2018 8:26:52 PM
If buyers already know what they are looking at, then how does informing the seller drive up the price?

Honestly, many don't know. But you are right, a lot of people sit there staring at the Blue Book of Pool Cues while they surf eBay. And they often get it wrong anyway. Both buyers and sellers. I don't own a Blue Book. Much of what I look for isn't in there anyway.

Personally, my phone often blows up with texts when a cue hits eBay. I got five texts about that Adam, beautiful condition, and two about the Rambow cue.

I generally don't care what people say or do unless they lie or steal.

Anyway, yes, Schmelke sold a lot of blanks. Mostly to production makers. It's unusual to find a custom made from one. There just aren't too many.

RUSTY on 10/28/2018 9:08:47 PM
If you're spending your time informing buyers what they're selling in cases where they don't know, then you may as well just shill bid for them because you're basically helping them earn more for the sale. This is because the minute you type in a cue's name, it pops up on 20 different websites in the search engine. It also detracts from what you may be actually looking for because it turns into click bait leading to the eBay sale.

Take, for example, a a low-end Adam cue that is for sale on eBay (of which there are a few right now). Well in my opinion now you've also hurt another seller by informing the seller who doesn't know what he's selling. The newly informed seller now updates their listing and may have the more desirable cue of the two, and now buyers may abandon one listing for the other. Because of this, people that aren't selling really should mind their business and just move along. They should worry about themselves instead of correcting sellers listings for them when they aren't even participating in the auction. Why even get involved at all if you're not buying it or bidding? It just doesn't make any sense to me.

I am not really sure where your going with the lying and stealing comment? There is a stolen cue list out there and so obviously and sadly, people do steal. If people improperly list an item usually they truly don't know what they have. Not everyone compiles 100 years worth of documents on certain topics. To imply someone is stealing because they buy something at a good price because a seller doesn't do the research on what they are selling is about as far fetched a statement as they come.

The listing was pulled so I'm assuming they made a deal with someone or possibly will now go to a professional cue appraiser and have the items looked at for true value, as the Rambo cue is a rare piece to say the least.

Not everyone is as dumb as they lead to believe. Cues on eBay sometimes sell for way over value, and some way under value. Everyone is looking for a deal and always will be.

Chopdoc on 10/29/2018 5:05:16 PM
I didn't imply what you are saying at all. A bargain is a bargain. Theft by deception is another matter. False claims. That's what I was talking about. That is what bothers me. I was comparing that to you, who seem bothered by many things.

Are you suggesting that someone is taking an Adam to a professional cue collector? What professional? Mark K. will do an email appraisal for $30. When is the last time you saw an Adam cue for sale on eBay with one of his appraisals?

I would assume they sold it to someone "on the side". That may be in violation of eBay rules, which I am very much against and it ticks me off when I see it or hear about it. Some others seem to think it is perfectly fine. But to each his own. I don't bother people about it since there is no lying or stealing involved. A very good friend snagged a cue out from under me in such a way. We now make sure we are aware of each other's pursuits before we move on something so we don't step on each other's toes. But I didn't accuse him of doing anything wrong.

I was contacted about those two cues to see if I was interested in them. I said no, and that was it. I have nothing else to do with them. I have my eye on another Rambow that I may move on soon. But it isn't for sale publicly.

I am wondering why you are going on about all this stuff in a thread about a Rich Cue brochure.

RUSTY on 10/29/2018 6:07:23 PM
Well I was going to see if you'd take a $100, shipped, for your Rich Cue?

I accept PayPal "family and friends". If you're interested, let me know.

Chopdoc on 10/29/2018 7:16:02 PM
You want to buy the cue? And you "accept Paypal"? Seems a bit backwards. Wouldn't you be paying me?

I recently sold a Rich Starfire Jet cue to a friend for about $70. I generally don't sell but I do sell to friends. I prefer to trade, but selling is possible.

The Rich Q model 5-M was bought on eBay, so you probably know I paid about $150 for it. One of the dots wash "pushed in" but that was easily fixed and it is now flush with the surface of the butt sleeve. The cue is in really nice shape. I think it was a good deal. I don't "flip" cues, and I am not generally interested in doing that.

Cues such as this aren't worth a lot and I am not concerned about making a little money or losing a little money. There is a saying in business that I adhere to: "Never step over dollars to pick up dimes."

If you are seriously interested in buying the then let's talk. Do you have my email and/or text number?

I'll tell you now that I love to talk cues and cue history if you haven't figured that out. So I love to hear from people to discuss a cue, and I love the "hunt", even if it isn't me that is getting the cue. I really dig seeing people land a cue, and if I can help them, so much the better.

1979 Rich-q Series Brochure

Title: 1979 Rich-q Series Brochure
Author: billiardsforum (Billiards Forum)
Published: 10/23/2018 6:55:16 PM