Well...several years ago a nice american living in China contacted me about building cues for the Chinese market, I was intrigued. We talked and exchanged a million emails, I really liked the idea. My new customer/partner made a visit all the way from China to my shop in Florida.

A plan was devised and ideas for the cues were penciled out, with the details largely left up to me.

We had a 4 cue plan with lot's of different themes, there are pictures of a lot of this way back on my Facebook page and some here on this Blog.

Well anyway, we wanted a Lantern cue because that is a popular theme in China The Lantern cue was to be our statement cue. So I sent a lot of hours designing the perfect cue, except that it took three times what I had expected it would take to build, and I had to build 10 of them (or maybe 12 I don't remember right now, but it was a lot of cues).

This first one (Artist Proof) has 5 columns of double cut lanterns, with black borders and orange centers, very detailed ring work, diamonds and dragons and a lot of other stuff. This cue was so over the top that I was shocked at how long it took to build.

This cue was not finished then, I just put in a case that I seldom go into and it was forgotten.

So... I redesigned the cue four rows of columns and some other details changed so that I could make the cue, it still took about twice as as long to make as I had expected....my loss. All the cues were finished and sent to China, that customer/partner and I still talk.

I opened that case the other day and rediscovered this unfinished cue, we stained black and finished it. The 10 that when to China were stained a lovely color of brown. I wanted this one to be different and smoky black stained turned out to be the perfect answer.

I destroyed all of the plans and programs for this these cues when they were delivered, they will never be repeated.

This cue is the only one in America and the only one with 5 columns lanterns and all the other extra's.

Back to the cue here:  http://www.dpcues.com/product/CL

Dale Perry