VINTAGE JOSS WEST
EBONY & IVORY EIGHT POINT
WITH BLUE AND SILVER DENIM RINGS
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Here is an absolutely gorgeous old Josswest from Bill Stroud when he was at the top of his game. You'll be hard pressed to find one more "loaded up", and the amount of ivory in it is stunning.
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This is a pre-owned cue that has been well-cared for, but has seen some use. It is made from deep black Gabon ebony with eight points of warm, creamy ivory. The butt sleeve is a bit of a mystery to me, and so well built that I can't tell if it's a solid ivory butt with ebony inlay, or an ebony butt with lots and lots of ivory. Either way, it's a terrific design.
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He adds fine silver spearheads on the tips of the points and very classy rings made from ebony, silver and blue denim lapis, all coming together into a vibrant and sophisticated cue.
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Everything you see in this cue that is white is ivory - luscious, rich creamy ivory. A luxurious stick that is as classy as it gets.
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Bill was always careful to make sure his butt sleeves matched the work in the forearm. This cue is a good example, demonstrating his artistic mastery.
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The closeups below show some of the bold detail in this stick and the skill that Bill had at that time. He was well ahead of his time and his competitors, with the exception of just a few.
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The forearm is also beautifully crafted, consisting of eight points of ivory, four long and four short, all tipped with pure silver spearhead tips.
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This cue has his "sideways" logo engraved in the butt (which reads JW whether viewed right-side up or upside-down), indicating it was built sometime after 1995. Bill passed away in 2020, cutting a long career somewhat short. He is known for many innovations in cue building that advanced the industry. And, he assembled a huge body of work during his life making him one of the world's most recognized cue builders. I can't imagine the advanced and innovative work he would be doing today if he were still alive. But I'm sure he would have imagined it ... and built it.
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A closer look at the silver spearheads, sitting atop a crown of ivory.
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The combination of the white, silver and blue details in this stick pull it all together.
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And the large, pure white ivory points just glow against the deep black ebony background.
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Nice, sharp inlays - again, somewhat ahead of his time, and indicating a trend that would be sought-after by other cue makers in years to come.
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The attention to every detail of the design is obvious in this stick. It is a magnificent example of the best work being done at the time. And it has never paled in comparison to much of the best work being done today.
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As mentioned earlier, this cue is pre-owned. It came from a private collection, and was well-cared for with one exception. It has a few surface chips in the finish around the bottom of the ivory butt cap. I have tried to show these clearly in pictures here. I think this cue was very lightly played, based on the nearly mint condition of the shafts, but likely used in a room with a tile floor - always hard on butt caps.
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Aside from the finish chips in the butt cap, this cue is in excellent condition. The finish on the rest of the cue is in exceptional condition for a cue of its age, with no significant scratches or dings and the shafts are outstanding - one looks unused, the other shows very light use that can only be seen if you really look hard. One tip has been replaced. Everything is straight. I considered having the cue refinished, but only because of the dings on the butt cap. Howeverm, because it is in such good condition overall, I decided to leave it all original.
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He finished the handle with a black ringtail lizard wrap that is elegant and complements the rest of the cue.
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A closer look at the engraved JW logo.
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And of course, the beautiful ring used at all traditional locations - here, just below the sleeved ivory joint. (His best hitting joint, in my opinion.)
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It is built with a stainless steel bolt with a radial thread, in a flat-faced joint. It weighs 19.3 inches (15.5, 3.8, 3.8) and is 58 inches long. I believe the tips are LePros. It comes with two of Bill's premium maple shafts with long ivory ferrules.
This is a monster cue, in original and excellent condition. It is a rare example of the exceptional work Stroud was doing at the time, and one of his most beautiful designs.
PRICE: SOLD!
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