Ash Dufferin Snooker Cue Identification and Info

11/13/2018 10:49:13 AM

Ash Dufferin Snooker Cue Identification and Info

I am looking to identify this ash Dufferin snooker cue and looking for any other information about the cue you might have.

user1542134358

Ash Dufferin Snooker Cue Identification and Info

Replies & Comments

jbabcock12 on 2/5/2019 8:06:50 PM
I have the exact same Dufferin snooker cue in my collection. It is a silver leaf Dufferin snooker cue with butterfly inlays. The silver-leaf Dufferin cue are the more rare, special edition cues.

I paid around $65 plus shipping from Canada for this same cue which put me at around $100 in it. I've seen these go anywhere from $50 - $150.

This particular model is the British style snooker cue. The butt is tapered off where the silver leaf is and the ferrule is metal. This is common on the British snooker cues. It is a lovely ash cue with butterfly inlays and probably between 16-18oz with a 9-10mm tip.

This cue was made in the mid to late 1980's and they continued them until the early 1990's when Dufferin went under and the brand name was sold to the overseas market. If guessing though I'd say it was mid to late 1980's from the length of the butterfly inlays and also the color pattern.

It is a very nice cue and if you ever want to part with it please let me know.

Thanks for sharing and if there is anything else you would like to know about this cue please ask away. If I don't have you an answer I will definitely try to get you one.

user1542134358 on 2/7/2019 9:53:50 AM
Thank you, I appreciate the info!

Dufferin on 12/16/2019 5:19:39 PM
I have some Dufferin 1-piece maple versions, can I assume your comments above would match these as well in terms of determining their age?

I think mine might be new old stock as a couple are still in plastic sleeves and look like they have never been tipped. Unfortunately, I suspect they got wet or hot near the butts as the enamel or varnish coat on the outside is peeling off (unless they're fakes or something), but the top 4/5 of the cues are still straight and unblemished.

See the last two images to get a look at the clear coat flaking.

jbabcock12 on 12/17/2019 9:56:35 AM
I think I've died and went to heaven.

This is a very nice collection of Dufferin silver leafs. I have 2 cues identical to these. This model or style was made for several years as far as I have seen.

As for the exact year they were made, I couldn't tell you. They were definitely made in Canada, before the brand was bought by overseas competition.

As for the clear coat varnish flaking off, unfortunately this was, and is, a common problem with the older Dufferin cues. I bought several new cues with this same issue. I simply remove the old clear coat and reapply a new coating. Over time this happens, especially with a regularly used Dufferin cue.

I'd love to take these Dufferin cues off your hands if you're ever interested in selling them. I highly doubt these are fakes. They are inexpensive compared to other cues so making an impostor is highly unlikely.

Thanks for sharing these and let me know if you ever wanna part ways with one, some, or all of them.

Dufferin on 12/17/2019 5:04:14 PM
Thanks, but at this point I'll probably keep them just for now as I've only acquired them recently in my search for different Dufferin cues. I'm a player who is a fan of Dufferin cues but not a collector as such. I have a few Dufferin sneaky petes that I actually play with set up slightly different for the different formats of pool and snooker I play. I am considering using at least one of these to see how it performs, and if I like it, I may consider getting a conversion done on just one of them but only as I intend it to be used.

At a glance they look like they have a slightly different taper than my sneaky petes, but I haven't run a micrometer over it to check.

I doubt I will keep them all into the future as I don't really have the display for them and can't give them the attention they deserve. I will definitely give you first notice if I decide to part with any, as I know your appreciation for vintage Dufferin cues.

Another issue is that the flaking in the images I showed prior was only a small defect compared to some of the others butts are lot more affected.

Also I live in Australia, and I am not sure if the postage would negate the value to a point where it may not be worth it for you. I would perhaps consider a trade. I am not sure if you part with any of your Dufferin cues, but no harm in asking.

My two dream Dufferin cues for playing would be as follows: (I don't even know if they exist with the parameters I want)

Dufferin ETERNA House Cue (Vintage Canadian)
- one piece cue, converted
- 16 ounce
- 58 inch
- 9 mm - 10 mm tip
- ferrule: any
- Converted to a 2 piece (hidden target joint) but the joint where the maple meets the cherry wood base, so it is more like a 2/3 than a full piece, 1/2 or 3/4
Dufferin PHANTOM Cue (Vintage Canadian)
- 58 inch (green leaf)
- 16 to 17 ounce
- 9 mm - 10 mm tip (I've only ever seen them with 12 mm - 14 mm)
Also, while I have your attention. I think I have an older Dufferin sneaky pete cue, and I'm curious of your thoughts.

The reason I suspect it is older is mostly based of the weight of the embossing. It looks to have been metal stamped (not embossed like the usual ones). It is also a 57 1/2 inch cue. But the thing that strikes me the most about it is the grain of the wood. I'm sure its maple, but the grain is a lot more pronounced and nearly has an ash feel due to the grain. It is probably a bit hard to see the finish in the photos for comparison.

The rubber bumper looks slightly lower as well, but may have just been worn down by use. The butt and shape also have just a slightly different feel when playing, but that could just be my own perception.

billiardsforum on 12/29/2019 11:51:02 AM
@Dufferin - I am curious; how and/or where did you find those new-old-stock Dufferin cues? Nice find!

jbabcock12 on 12/29/2019 7:33:04 PM
@Dufferin - The top shaft in your photos above is definitely older than the others.

The "made in Canada" print (vs physical stamping it into the wood) came later on.

All my vintage Dufferin cues do not have the made in Canada printed on them. Yes, it is stamped in the shaft also. I guess they did this as when sanding down the shaft it will still show in the grain. I guess it was cheaper and faster to print the weight and made in Canada vs. stamping it into the wood.

This is a first for me, as in I haven't paid much attention to this detail before.

Thanks for sharing.