Viking Five Veneer Window Cue

10/23/2020 2:15:22 PM

Viking Five Veneer Window Cue

I recently purchased this old windowed Viking cue and am hoping someone can offer some information on it.

I can make certain assumptions about it's age but not being all that knowledgeable on Viking cues I would like to hear from people who might have some experience and definitive information.

It was made using a five veneer blank and I believe the cue to be original except for the addition of a non-original bumper.

Thanks in advance.

Type79

Viking Five Veneer Window Cue

Replies & Comments

billiardsforum on 10/28/2020 4:06:21 AM
Nice find! Thank you for sharing. Watching with interest.

Are you thinking it is from the early- to mid-1960s?

You've probably come across all of this info below, but will share it here anyway for anyone else looking.

I read that Viking's founder, Gordon Hart, first ran a pool hall called "The Viking" (in Stoughton, Wisconsin, I think), and experimented with cue making in the basement of that building. Apparently he sold his early cues to players on the tournament circuit of the day. I don't have a reference to when exactly that was.

Does the logo in the window say THE VIKING CUE COMPANY? Apparently that is what was used on their 1960s cues. Apparently they originally had a bumper that was more like a flat plastic "cap" and less like a bumper that protruded.

On a thread from another site, I found these notes. Sorry I can't vouch for their accuracy:

Yes, like most cue makers of that time, Gordon Hart bought blanks from various sources, including Brunswick. He also bought some imports just for the forearms and made cues out of them. All of the four point mitered veneer style Viking cues used blanks made by someone else. Gordon made most of the three point blanks himself, but also used Wico blanks as well.

And...

In the 1960's and early 1970's, Viking used whatever they could get their hands on, then they started building their own. I even have a Viking from the late 1960's, and guess what, it has a Palmer blank! An unmistakable, undeniable Palmer blank - and Palmer didn't sell blanks to other cue makers. To this day it remains a mystery, but Viking will not give me a straight answer on it. It even has writing under the wrap I sent to them that I'm pretty sure is Gordon's - they totally avoided the questions.

He also used Spain blanks. I bought the Viking thinking it was a Spain blank, but once I took the wrap off, it revealed a Palmer shop blank. (The early Spain blanks and the Palmer blanks look pretty much alike except under the wrap where the veneers end and sometimes the way the handle is connected).

Hopefully it's alright with you, I've shared a few of the photos with Viking Cues in hopes that someone at the company has some insight. I'll report back if/when I hear back, though it can be hit and miss with Viking.

Update from the folks at Viking Cue:

This is a Viking W90 cue with white pearl optioned. It was made around 1970. There may have been some variations in the fronts as Gordy was getting them from several places...

I clarified as to whether they meant "fonts" instead of "fronts" (or if by "fronts" they mean the forearm). Their response to that:

Yes, Viking W90 is a 4-point cue. And yes, when I said "front" I meant forearm. There were many suppliers of point veneer forearms early on... including some made by Bob Meucci. Since brochures spanned many years, the appearance of cues changed to some extent as materials changed although they were kept similar in basic design.

Viking Five Veneer Window Cue

Title: Viking Five Veneer Window Cue
Author: Type79 (Jay Fishbein)
Published: 10/23/2020 2:15:22 PM
Last Updated: 10/28/2020 3:29:56 AM
Last Updated By: billiardsforum (Billiards Forum)