Framed or unframed, desk size to sofa size, printed by us in Arizona and Alabama since 2007. Explore now.
Shorpy is funded by you. Patreon contributors get an ad-free experience.
Learn more.
March 1909. "One way to control the street boys. A common scene in the Bancroft-Foote Boys Club, New Haven, Connecticut." View full size. Photograph and caption by Lewis Wickes Hine.
This table was most likely made by the H.W. Collender Company of New York, NY during the 1870's or early 1880's. I have restored one very, very similar in the past---which, incidentally, came from the New Haven area. Check out the results on my web site.
I'm 66. When I was a kid growing up in Rockwood, Michigan, we used to play pool just like that in the back room of the barbershop, where the owner had these 10-foot antique Brunswick tables. He'd charge us kids a penny a minute to play, so we would all pool our money and play for at least an hour. Thanks for the great picture.
From the decorations on that table, which look very Eastlake to me, I would bet that pool table was 20 years old or older even back then. Tres cool.
It still amazes me that the world was so formal back then. A jacket and tie was standard wear for males of all age and income. I'll bet they slept in a tie too !
That pool table is amazing. Notice how ornate all the woodwork/decoration is. Inlays, carvings, turned legs. It may be a bit much for my taste, but there's some great craftsmanship there. And it has seen plenty of play too as you can tell by the worn floor around it.
A table like that, if you could find it today, would cost $15,000 or more.
Great shot. I vote for more pool hall/billiards shots. Love it.
Notice that the kid shooting pool is very well dressed compared to the others, all of whom appear penniless. Coincidence?
Next they'll want Midnight Basketball.
Just an elementary Physics class in Elastic Collision Theory!
Right here in River City!
Trouble with a capital "T"
That rhymes with "P"
And that stands for Pool!
Love that song.
On Shorpy:
Today’s Top 5