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In January of 2011 Paul Fanelli passed away. Whenever I take the time and go through my library, the cues still amaze me.
It's taken me 4 years to write this page because it is still very hard to talk about a guy who was so much of an influence and a friend. To me, he was almost like another uncle.
Some things you don't know about Paul, unless you were around him.
1. He loved crossword puzzles and word games.
2. His favorite pool games were one pocket and point rotation, known to us as Chicago.
3. I never heard him say a bad word about anyone, ever.
4. He was a devoted family man, who loved his wife and kids. He was the consumate father.
Paul had a great passion to innovate, his creativity was unbound. He enjoyed it when people would look at his cues with perplextion, and as if they were a Rubiks cube with 18 squares per side. I remember bringing him around at the SBE and introducing him around. He loved meeting people. He even spoke candidly to other cuemakers about his splicing.
Paul, you would see him at the pool room for 4-5 nights a week. Then he wouldn't be seen for a week or so. I knew what was up.. he was working on some diabolical splice and the next cue design.
Because of Paul's tinkering mentality, I would roughly estimate that he made less than 300-350 cues. Of all the butterfly cues, I would say there are not more than 100-150. He simply didn't have the time, and he did a lot of wraps and tips for the pool rooms that were around.
I am posting these pics please enjoy them as much as I enjoyed having Paul as a friend. I remember him always telling me, if someone wants a cue you and I did, sell it, well make another.
Sadly we ran out of time on the last cue....
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Ebony, curly maple, and snakewood.
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The cue that would earn the name "Firefly". All ebony with flame butterfy accents, rings, the works. My second and favorite Fanelli collaboration.
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This cue was probably my second favorite collaboration or I should say 1A. I loved the colors in this cue, the celtic ring, the detail in this cue is amazing, and to get the accurate bridge veneers.
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Mark had Paul do a very colorful rosewood / rosewood cue.
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