GINACUE
"ONE OF TWO"
MODEL 14D SPECIAL
RED AMBOYNA BURL & EBONY
WITH THREE PIECE HANDLE
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Here is a rare, one of only two, Ginacue in beautiful red amboyna burl and Gabon ebony, with a three part handle finished in a very unique way. In Ernie's words this is a "very special cue", and it doesn't take long to see why.
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I saw this cue and its twin appear at the Super Expo a couple of years ago and I never forgot them. They were such unusual designs, executed in such a gorgeous fashion, that they burned an indelible image in my mind. When I got the chance to buy one of them recently, I jumped at the chance.
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For a number of years Ernie has been making variations on this bridged and blocked point design in several different woods and configurations. He calls it his "14D Special." But he only made two with the kind of handle this one has - a three piece segmented handle with the center segment finished with veneered boxes matching the rest of the cue.
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To begin, he builds a four point cue with razor sharp red amboyna burl points against a black Gabon ebony nose, outlined with with four veneers of white, tan, reddish-brown and black.
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As your eye travels down the cue you are quickly drawn to the unusual handle. It is a three-piece affair, with the upper and lower sections wrapped in black textured leather, and the middle section finished with a large sleeve of red amboyna burl with veneered ebony boxes. I've seen lots of different handles on cues, but had never seen this configuration until I saw this cue and its twin.
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| He uses an unusual ring pattern throughout this stick. They're made up of a series of red amboyna and ebony blocks, each on outlined individually in silver, and then finally wrapped between two silver rings and finally, two ebony rings. And, he uses this beautiful (and expensive) ring pattern generously, nine times, including the two shaft ring collars and the butt joint protector. These rings alone probably add over $2,000 to the price of this stick.
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I've always liked the look of bridged points, and have been willing to pay for the extra work in building them. This cue not only has bridged points, but also has the ends of the points blocked going into the butt sleeve, so the overall effect is stunning.
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Going the other way, the points into the nose are traditionally sharp and very even, as you would expect on a Gina. And the red amboyna is simply gorgeous, with the burl yielding a marvelous marbled effect.
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The three piece handle in this cue is a real piece of work - two sections wrapped in leather and framed with fancy rings, and the middle section in red amboyna burl with large veneered ebony boxes. There is a LOT of work in the handle of this cue alone.
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As usual, and as you would expect in a Ginacue, the work is all meticulous and about as close to perfect as a handmade item can be.
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Being a new Ginacue, it is built without ivory, as are all his cues in recent years. The butt cap, joint and ferrules are made from elforyn.
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Meticulous, finely detailed work every step of the way...
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He builds this with an elforyn piloted joint with his standard 5/16X18 stainless steel pin. The ferrules are also elforyn.
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Just above the butt cap he has added his fine silver medallion with his engraved logo. The silver medallion is a significant add-on to Gina cues and a lot of people don't opt to get them, but I think they always add to the overall look of the cue and are well worth the price.
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| Although it's difficult to see in a picture, it is shadow signed under the finish the way Ernie has been identifying all his cues in recent years.
And of course, it comes with custom made Gina-logo joint protectors, and a Gina/Whitten custom case in black leather.
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This cue comes with two 13mm shafts with extra fine nearly white wood. It weighs 19.8 ounces. This is a rare original custom cue, one of only two made, by one of the greatest cuemakers of all time. Very, very collectible. By the way, it plays extremely well - I had to try it (unchalked, of course!).
NOT FOR SALE.
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