5 Piece Cane, Concealed Pool Cue, Carved Dragon

10/19/2009 8:09:34 AM

5 Piece Cane, Concealed Pool Cue, Carved Dragon

My dad has what I think is a Willie Hoppe five piece pool cue which comes apart and becomes a beautiful cane. It is basically a walking cane with a concealed pool cue.

The Willie Hoppe part is only known to me because one of my friends, when he saw it, got all flustered and excited and exclaimed:

...this is a "7 piece William Hoppe" pool cue.

So today I started my search for answers.

I was informed that it is a rare piece. It has a brass weight at the end that comes apart and holds a cube of pool cue chalk. This is connected to the main piece which is hollowed out to hold the front part of the cue stick.

It screws together with a brass connector and the tip is a replaceable tip.

The stick has a Dragon pattern burned into it spiraling around the stick with either a star of david above it at the top or a flower as well as one at the bottom semi-behind the dragon pattern.

It is a beautiful pool cue stick / cane combo and I was wondering if this is authentic as my friend claims it is?

How can I authenticate it and learn what would be the estimated value of this pool cue?

Casey Wilson

5 Piece Cane, Concealed Pool Cue, Carved Dragon

Replies & Comments

Seastan on 9/25/2010 2:24:48 PM
@Casey Wilson - One of your legs should be getting much longer as hard as some one is pulling it.

These were made in Taiwan or somewhere near there. I have 3 or 4 of those and some spare parts. I bought 2 last tear on eBay for $25 each for wall decorations and have a couple that are much older.

I'll email you some pics if you wish. Just let me know.

billiardsforum on 1/16/2017 9:41:41 AM
We were looking into this item for someone and came across your post. Here is what else we found.

According to a comment on the net, they are from Vietnam from the late 1960s and early 1970s:

I got mine in Vietnam in 1972 for $10.00 USD, maybe not even that much.

And bamacues from AZB said:

I have a carved one with large brass ball handle. I picked it up in Yokosuka on R&R back in 1971. They were made for the tourist market and did not sell for much. I have seen several sell on Ebay over the years for less than $50.

Most of these 5 piece cues were circa Vietnam war, brought back as souvenirs. I had one myself, at one time. Most of them were built of ramin wood. I still have my carved walking stick/pool cue from back then. It isn't worth much either, but it brings back memories. Some good, some not so good.

There are lots of these around and most are not worth much. Every so often you find one that has ivory joints. In the end, most 5 piece cues were made in Asia and brought back to the USA, so they only have sentimental value. The adhesives and materials used were of low quality and the craftsmanship is poor quality which means that they are junk. Many of them were brought back by men from Japan during their service in the Korean War.

I came across five eBay listings for the same antique vintage walking cane with concealed pool cue and a dragon carved into it, and it sounds like the one you described.

The first one is the only one to give more info on the history and I'm afraid they don't have anything to do with Willie Hoppe.

I don't know the maker. Nor do I know it's age, except that it is old. The brass pin screws into the threaded wood of the shaft which seems , after a lot of use, to be a bit sloppy but when tightened up the stick is tolerably straight.

I spiffed it up a bit so it looks pretty good but I don't think you would want to play $500.00 sets with it. It is a beautiful novelty or collectors item that I don't think was ever made for real competition. It is a hollow walking stick that contains a pool cue shaft and can be turned into a suitable billiard cue. Coloured maps of Japan and Korea are engraved on the walking stick (the butt). This " Pool Cue/Cane" was made as a souvenir for American soldiers stationed in those countries in the 1950s.

Another cane, about 40 years old, also made in Vietnam I believe, with a billiard shaft enclosed in it. Its knob and tip both unscrew and a dragon is engraved on it. It is noteworthy that a billiard chalk can be stored in the knob.

Next one is in the best shape of all of them, and it is the cheapest. $20.50.

Vintage Carved Dragon Wood & Brass Concealed Pool Cue Walking Stick

Walking stick is in nice used condition with some small scuffs on the brass tip at the bottom. Walking stick measures 33 3/4" long. Pool cue is in good condition with no dents or dings along the shaft and the tip is good. Pool cue weighs 18oz when assembled.

ebay.com/itm/Vintage-Carved-Dragon-Wood-Brass-Concealed-Pool-Cue-Walking-Stick/252719207380

Antique cane with a dragon etched on it. The top brass knob unscrews to expose a black rubber ball with a hole cutout which is the pool cue tip for the bottom and some space to hold chalk. The lower end of the cane unscrews. It is 36" in length. I am thinking it could be as old as the early 1900's but it is just a guess.

ebay.com/itm/Antique-Cane-Walking-Stick-Pool-Cue/282322153964

It is from an eBay sale, and the seller doesn't know anything about it and seems ignorant to any history. His selling price is $79.99 but has no bids and it probably won't sell. There is no reference to Willie Hoppe in the listing either.

The next listing is the identical concealed pool cue cane. Again no details in this listing. It is much more beat up than the first one, and the price is $39.45 again with no bids.

Vintage billiards pool cue, walking stick, cane combo. Both ends are brass (tarnished and scratched) and the carving is of a dragon. The felt is missing from the cue tip and needs to be replaced. The wood also has scuffs and scratches.

ebay.com/itm/Vintage-Carved-Wood-Dragon-Concealed-Pool-Cue-Stick-Walking-Cane-Brass-Billiards-/272522173056

Next another listing for the same cue cane combo, but with darker wood color. Selling for $74.99 with no bids as of yet.

*Walking Stick with concealed pool cue *Wooden cane is a carved dragon *Top is a brass handle that screws off *Inside the cane is the pool cue *It screws together to become a full length pool cue *Wooden cane - 32" *Pool cue - 25 3/4" *The cane and pool cue have some scratches, brass needs polishing, no nib for bottom of cane

ebay.com/itm/Vintage-Concealed-Pool-Cue-Walking-Cane-Carved-Dragon-Brass-Wood-Cane-billiards/252600091722

user1491328627 on 4/4/2017 1:57:07 PM
I have a similar pool cue cane walking stick combo.

Why do my pool stick have a white handle?

billiardsforum on 8/9/2017 5:46:58 AM
Folks, also see here for another variation of the carved dragon pool cue walking cane combo.

lalabugu on 12/14/2017 8:08:04 PM
I have a walking cane/pool cue combo as well. But mine is a little different. It’s a carved peacock and flowers painted in vibrant colors. And my handle is made of ivory. Anyone maybe know anything about that type. I have never been able to locate one like it in the few years I have looked for it.

Here is a picture of it as the cane. It measure 57.5 inches when assembled. It’s two tone from top half to lower half assembly. Bright blue and green peacock with white blossoms around it. Ivory handle with brass attachment fixtures at the mid section and cane point. Weighs about a size 20. Any help would be appreciated even if it is a Korean War souvenirs. Thanks in advance. I’ll post another pick of it fully assembled.

Here it is fully assembled. Notice the darker wood on the bottom half. Pretty blue and green peacock. Thanks for your time.

billiardsforum on 12/15/2017 8:32:04 PM
I've never seen this one before, but it is obviously very similar to the one immediately above it. Identical white handle. No idea what the company is though.

lalabugu on 12/21/2017 12:19:49 PM
Here are two videos for a closer look if that helps at all. https://www.facebook.com/kapatrick.patrick/videos/10156855891240830/ https://www.facebook.com/kapatrick.patrick/videos/10156855910540830/

user1514146354 on 12/24/2017 3:05:59 PM
I am trying to find out information about this pool cue walking cane with the brass round head and the dragon is called planet.

Can you tell me the price, and a bit on the age if possible? Also looking for some type of origin concerning.

billiardsforum on 12/29/2017 6:55:13 AM
Not sure what information you are looking for regarding the carved pool cue canes that has not already been answered here.

Be a little more specific perhaps.

Also, what do you mean by "the dragon is called planet"? Is that a typo?

user1528563371 on 6/9/2018 12:55:27 PM
Thanks for this information. Grandma gave me one (the dragon one). I didn't know the knob opened.

user1554057793 on 3/31/2019 11:43:14 AM
Mine cane pool stick combo is a little different. I don’t have much information on it, other than the fact it was my great uncle's cue.

It is hand-carved in mahogany wood with a dragon head and brass tip for when it is being used as a cane. It screws apart into 5 pieces.

The pool stick part is separate doesn’t hide in the cane.

user1555797791 on 4/20/2019 3:03:12 PM
I have one of these and need the cane foot piece.

Does anyone know where to buy one of those?

billiardsforum on 4/25/2019 6:29:21 PM
These cues are always on eBay, and they are cheap. I'd just buy one and raid it for parts.

lalabugu on 5/14/2020 1:58:20 AM
I am aware of the many cheaply made designs mass produced in Korea and their value. But I have yet to find one like mine.

I must state that my cue stick is in fact hand painted. You can see the actual hairs in the brush strokes. The pictures don’t show clearly enough what I’m trying to say.

Either way, has anyone seen one of these pool cue-cane combos with a peacock with cherry tree blossoms? It has very vibrant blue and white tones. I am just looking for a match.

user1629098872 on 8/16/2021 12:27:53 AM
I had one of these five-piece cues back in the early 1990s that my father picked it up at a household auction.

I spent hours on that cue trying to make it into a usable pool cue. I even had a new shaft made out of birdseye maple. The thing is an absolute cheap piece of shit pool cue.

After I destroyed the one I had, I decided to get another one. They were readily available for about $25.

Poolenthusiast on 3/21/2022 2:29:45 PM
Do any of you know what the joint pin size is on these walking cane-pool cue combos?

I just got one and it doesn’t fit any of the other pool cue shafts I have.

user1682290348 on 4/23/2023 6:52:29 PM
I have a 1940s "Willie Hoppe" dragon pool cue-walking stick combo, and I'm looking for a replacement cane tip.

Does anyone know where I can I buy one?

I want to find a replacement tip to complete this antique walking stick - pool cue combo.

user1684555312 on 5/20/2023 12:01:53 AM
When I was younger I had one of these pool cue canes, but it was stolen.

I just now found your page and would like to know where I could buy one. I'm 6'1 inches tall and live in Texas, USA.

Keep up the good work!

billiardsforum on 6/1/2023 11:38:48 AM
I don't believe they're made anymore, but as you can see here, there are lots of them around.

eBay will have them from time to time. Just set up an alert for yourself.