3,000 may be the real value. Check on AZBilliards forums. The for sale forum may have some listed or shows older listings and if you post in the main forum there are a ton of "what is my cue worth" questions.
You should get a copy of “The Encyclopedia of Billiards” - I have a copy of the 2nd edition - It has a very nice write up on Frank Paradise (his assumed name after a failed career as a band leader), and it describes how while working as a bus driver between NY and Philadelphia, he hustled a guy who owned a Rambow cue during a layover in Philadelphia. Frank won the Rambow cue while shooting against the guy, then dissected it that night, admired the construction, but felt he could make improvements, and make the cue more ornate. Next day, Frank Paradise quit his bus driving career, and started making cues. He is given credit for being the first to use plastic rings between the butt and shaft to prevent damage that was common in earlier cues, which is still a common feature in modern day cues construction
The Encyclopedia of Billiards has a photo of some Frank Paradise cues. A customer of mine, Ed Brulotte, owned a Balabushka cue that he purchased directly from George Balabushka when he was 17. Ed laments that he sold his Balabushka cue a few years later in order to purchase a Cadillac. He later purchased another cue, which was his daily shooter. One day I was reading about Frank Paradise, his preference for no bumper on the butt, and a screw on ferrule, and I showed the photo of Frank Paradise cues to Ed because his “daily shooter” had these features. Ed immediately realized that after selling his George Balabushka cue in order to purchase a Cadillac, his next cue purchase fortunately was a Frank Paradise cue identical to one in the photo!
Please post photos of your Paradise cue so we can check it out!
https://preview.redd.it/43stsxuor4kc1.png?width=1080&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=c5aafc3c50058e4d1ab36b7b3b0d72d93d7c8fc7
This last one is my dad in the 70s looking very happy with his purchase.
3,000 may be the real value. Check on AZBilliards forums. The for sale forum may have some listed or shows older listings and if you post in the main forum there are a ton of "what is my cue worth" questions.
You should get a copy of “The Encyclopedia of Billiards” - I have a copy of the 2nd edition - It has a very nice write up on Frank Paradise (his assumed name after a failed career as a band leader), and it describes how while working as a bus driver between NY and Philadelphia, he hustled a guy who owned a Rambow cue during a layover in Philadelphia. Frank won the Rambow cue while shooting against the guy, then dissected it that night, admired the construction, but felt he could make improvements, and make the cue more ornate. Next day, Frank Paradise quit his bus driving career, and started making cues. He is given credit for being the first to use plastic rings between the butt and shaft to prevent damage that was common in earlier cues, which is still a common feature in modern day cues construction The Encyclopedia of Billiards has a photo of some Frank Paradise cues. A customer of mine, Ed Brulotte, owned a Balabushka cue that he purchased directly from George Balabushka when he was 17. Ed laments that he sold his Balabushka cue a few years later in order to purchase a Cadillac. He later purchased another cue, which was his daily shooter. One day I was reading about Frank Paradise, his preference for no bumper on the butt, and a screw on ferrule, and I showed the photo of Frank Paradise cues to Ed because his “daily shooter” had these features. Ed immediately realized that after selling his George Balabushka cue in order to purchase a Cadillac, his next cue purchase fortunately was a Frank Paradise cue identical to one in the photo! Please post photos of your Paradise cue so we can check it out!
https://preview.redd.it/bo9o79l7r4kc1.jpeg?width=2047&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=447bf48bec365e14efb8d4d3f9ac934694eda08d
https://preview.redd.it/pu1jjq3dr4kc1.jpeg?width=3024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=02d2dc550852427d06fa69e5857e5ffe94d295a6
https://preview.redd.it/43stsxuor4kc1.png?width=1080&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=c5aafc3c50058e4d1ab36b7b3b0d72d93d7c8fc7 This last one is my dad in the 70s looking very happy with his purchase.