Spain Cues - BS34GB

Burton Spain 1978 - Model 34, 6 pt. Ebony, Bird's-Eye (#BS34-GB)

Burton Spain is perhaps best known as the maker of high-quality blanks used in the majority of the cues made by George Balabushka. He was also a fine cue maker in his own right. Since his passing in 1994, his work has been increasingly sought after by collectors.

This was Burton's “top-of-the-line” cue model, number 34, always made with one of his special 6-point ebony blanks. Spain used different veneers and varied the inlays to create unique versions.

This cue was done in a predominantly black and white palette. The three long points have four veneers (black-white-black-white) with an ivory diamond inlay in each, and overlap the three shorter points. The short points have two veneers, black and white. The forearm is a fancy bird's-eye maple. The butt sleeve is figured Macassar ebony; inset in the butt sleeve are four veneered windows, each with an ivory diamond. Above and below are double black and white rings with a nickel silver bordered black ring in-between each pair. A thin black butt cap and black rubber bumper finishes the butt. The joint is Burton's typical reverse-piloted with the pins in the shafts; however, he rarely used stainless steel for the joint sleeve as he did here. The joint and shaft collars are black linen phenolic with white and black checkered rings set in nickel silver. The cue comes with 2 shafts; one is original and one was made later by Burton.

The butt length is 29 inches. The original 12 mm shaft is 28 inches; the second 13.75mm shaft is 29 inches. Therefore the overall length is 57 or 58 inches depending on the shaft used.

The cue has the original Irish linen wrap, and is in superb original 95% condition. It is a one-owner cue, which I recently purchased from a Spain collector in Chicago.

Included with the cue are copies of the cue order in Burton's handwriting, a “Burton Spain Cue Guarantee” for the cue from the Spain shop archives (courtesy of Joel Hercek), and a Letter of Authenticity from Joel, who learned cue making from Burton Spain and purchased his shop just before Burton's passing.

PRICE: $5595. BUY / Contact Us