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Green Clover Cue Ball
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A Brief History of Billiard Balls(from Wikipedia):
The earliest balls were made of wood and then later clay (the latter remaining in use well into the 20th century). Ivory was favored for a period, but by the mid-1800s, elephants were being slaughtered for their ivory at an alarming rate, just to keep up with the demand for billiard balls. No more than eight balls could be made from a single elephant's tusks. The billiard industry realized that the supply of elephants (their primary source of ivory) was endangered, as well as dangerous to obtain. They challenged inventors to come up with an alternative material that could be manufactured, with a US$10,000 prize from Phelan and Collender of New York City being offered.
In 1869, John Wesley Hyatt invented a composition material called cellulose nitrate for billiard balls (US patent 50359, the first American patent for billiard balls). It is unclear if the cash prize was ever awarded to Hyatt, and there is no evidence suggesting he did in fact win it. By 1870 it was commercially branded Celluloid, the first industrial plastic. Unfortunately, the nature of celluloid made it volatile in production, occasionally exploding, which ultimately made this early plastic impractical.
Subsequently, to avoid the problem of celluloid instability, the industry experimented with various other synthetic materials for billiards balls such as Bakelite, Crystalate and other plastic compounds.
The exacting requirements of the billiard ball are met today with balls cast from plastic materials that are strongly resistant to cracking and chipping. Currently Saluc, under the brand names Aramith and Brunswick Centennial, manufactures phenolic resin balls. Other plastics and resins such as polyester (under various trade names) and clear acrylic are also used, by competing companies such as Elephant Balls Ltd., Frenzy Sports.
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Q: How long does it take my order to ship? When will I get my order? I want it now! When's it coming?
A: Please believe me when I tell you that I want you to get your order as fast as you do! PoolCuesToYou.com offers the latest selection of hundreds of products that our
suppliers have to offer, but it's impossible for us to carry each and every
product that these companies make. Many cues (like "drawer stock" cues) are available in 1 week or
less. Cues that are not immediately available such as Inlay cues, custom engraving, changes in wrap, joint, stain,
paint, or shaft size, transfer work, or any type of customization are
built one at a time, by hand, and come factory-direct from the
manufacturer,
so please expect 2 to
4 weeks shipping on these. We use the latest technology available in expediting your order. However, custom cues are built just for you, and you alone... We
have no doubt you
will find
it well worth the wait!
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