The Cues n Views Web Site is the only web
site in Britain that focuses on the collecting of English Billiards and Snooker
cues. Co-creator and chief writer for the site is David Smith, a collector of
antique Billiards and Snooker cues. His knowledge of the subject and current
collection are amongst the most complete in the country.
Many of the articles appearing on Cues n
Views relate to David's early collecting experiences and are designed to show
that the hobby, like any other, starts with uncertainty and a little
discovery.
As we move more into the present David
hopes to show that collecting cues can be rewarding and by definition expands
your knowledge, and brings the players of the past and their achievements to
life in a way that the written page alone cannot.
David started collecting cues about
fifteen years ago and since then has amassed a great deal of knowledge and
information along the way. He has put together one of the best cue collections
that you are likely to find for variety, spanning a wide time period.
Highlights of the collection include a
Joseph Bennett cue from about 1885, which is very thick in the butt and has a
splice on the front which contains engraved lettering and a Burroughes and
Watts stamp. David also has an Ash Mannock cue, a dated Peall cue from 1890 and
a Ye Olde Ash cue made of course by Burroughes and Watts.
David also has a large collection of
books, which has become invaluable as reference material for the construction
of this site.
In terms of actual knowledge about the
cues that have been made and by whom over the past hundred-plus years, there
aren’t many people who have accumulated more experience and knowledge over
the years that David Smith.
For example many people contact David by
telephone or e-mail to ask questions about whether a certain cue existed or to
enquire about a cue that someone is offering for sale. He advises on how the
cue should look and who made the cue originally and generally provides
information so that the potential customer can buy with a little more
confidence if they choose to.
We have designed the Cues n Views Web
Site in order that easy reference material would be accessible to anyone with a
PC. We have been positively surprised by the amount of response the site has
generated and since our launch in September 2001 have made new contacts and
created reciprocal links with selected companies that we hope will interest
you.
We hope that you enjoy looking through
the articles and that you will look out for future articles bringing the hobby
of collecting old cues and Billiards and Snooker memorabilia from David's
perspective a little more up to date.
Our main aim is to supply information and
advice on cue collecting, but we are looking for corespondents to cover such
topics as Billiards and Snooker Cigarette card collecting, Book collecting and
other related branches of Billiards and Snooker collecting.
David
Smith
David Smith is a collector of Antique
Billiards and Snooker cues, his knowledge of the subject and current collection
are amongst the most complete in the country. He collects Billiards and Snooker
books and has given advice and support to many would be collectors.
David has a varied interest, which
stretches from the early Billiard players such as Roberts and Peall to the
players of Lindrum’s era such as Tom Newman, Joe Davis and Willie Smith.
He is well read on the subject and can relate many interesting anecdotes from
the days when Billiards was at its peak and the early days of Snooker.
David also keeps an eye on the modern
game and the recent innovations and written material that are being produced
today.
David has built up a network of contacts
in the worlds of Billiards and Snooker so if you pose a question that falls
outside his knowledge, he will endeavour to secure an answer from an expert in
the particular field that takes your fancy.
David has put together a fine collection
so is eminently well equipped to advise on the prerequisites of such a
collection.
Should you be considering making a
purchase, please feel free to draw on his knowledge amassed over the past
fifteen years and appearing in excerpt form, here on the Cues N Views Web
Site.
Thanks
from David Smith
Putting together this web site has been
an interesting and rewarding experience. My brother John is responsible for all
of the computer wizardry and for keeping us on line and up to date. If not for
his foresight and knowledge we would have been wiped out the moment that we
went online due to, what can only be described as vandalistic viruses being
unleashed at our venture without warning.
What has happened since has been
enormously gratifying and positive, interested parties offering advice have
approached us and have even offered to submit contributory articles on a
variety of Billiards and Snooker collecting additional subjects.
Please bear in mind when submitting
materials that we will possibly need to edit them so that they fit within the
Cues n Views style, if you wish us to create a link, (see
Links page), we will need an
information blurb and a link image to act as a trademark of sorts, and to
clearly identify who the contributor is. So that we can create effective images
we will also need your permission to use any images as a teaser that appear
within your site as well.
To our entire regular contributor’s,
thanks for your help and keep sending the stuff.
RSS
News Feed
The following is a Web Page version of
the Cues n Views RSS News Feed, if you have a News Reader you can use the
following RSS link.
