MIKE BENDER
EIGHT POINT UP AND DOWN
IN EBONY, IVORY AND ABALONE
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Here is a rare find. Cues by Mike Bender on the secondary market are always difficult to find, but super fancy ones like this are unique. This one is all original, in good condition, and beautiful.
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One of the good things about finding an older, original cue by Bender is that it is done in ivory. And this is a BIG cue - lots of ivory, abalone and brass, and tons of work on Mike's part.
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This cue came out of a private collection. It is in excellent condition, has no major dings or scratches, is dead straight, but one shaft does show signs of light play. I can only make an educated guess as to the age, but think it was made in the 90s or thereabout.
Mike builds his cues with lots of help from his wife, Tracy Dunham. Tracy is a an artist in her own right, and does most of the scrimshaw work that is seen on many of Mike's most elaborate cues, as well as design and inlay work.
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Everything white in this cue is ivory, including the butt cap, joint and ferrules - all pure white, luscious ivory. This cue is sheer class.
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It is a palindrome design, with the same pattern going up and down from the handle - a favorite Bender design. It has four long points and four shadow points going up into the ebony nose, and four not-so-long points and four shadow points going down into the butt sleeve.
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Mike inlays a large spearhead of abalone into the base of each of the four points going both up and down. It's a bold design, adding to the overall ornamentation of the cue and showcasing the stunning abalone.
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The long ivory points make this cue special. They are bold and striking, and are the strongest feature of the cue. The large abalone inlays are strong features as well.
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Mike didn't spare the work on this one. The rings are complicated and intricate - brass rings interlaced with brass dots, ebony dots and finally abalone diamonds wrapped in brass. He uses them throughout the cue in all locations - at the butt cap, above and below the wrap, at the joint, on the ring collars of the shafts and on the butt joint protector. Lots of work in this cue!
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As always, his points are long, even and sharp. His cues are known for, and easily recognized by, his long, bold point work - almost always a strong feature of his cues.
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I would be remiss if I didn't mention the playability of Mike's cues. They are known for their great hit and solid strike. This one is no exception.
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For the handle, he wraps it with an exquisite piece of black ringtail lizard. It looks beautiful on the cue and has a very nice feel to it.
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This abalone has beautiful tones within it, and as the cue moves, it picks up the light nicely.
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The ivory throughout this cue has aged nicely and is magnificent. Cues like this are one of a kind, and cannot be duplicated these days.
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He builds his cues with a 3/8X14 steel pin, and this one has an ivory sleeve joint over wood. Near the end of the pin he engraves "BENDER - DUNHAM" with the word "ALASKA" underneath. This identifies it as a Bender cue with significant contribution by his wife Tracy, and also the location of Mike's shop.
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It comes with the two original shafts with matching ringwork. Both measure just over 12.9mm in diameter. They have ivory ferrules. The cue is 58-1/4 inches long, and weighs 18.8 ounces (15.0, 3.8. 3.8), surprisingly light for an older cue.
PRICE: $10,500 plus shipping
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