Info on National Fixture Co Pool Table

3/7/2021 5:48:28 AM

Info on National Fixture Co Pool Table

I am looking for information on a National Fixture Co. pool table. The name plate says:

The National Fixture Co.
Cleveland Ohio

I am trying to find information to help identify model name and year of manufacture of this old pool table.

It has been in my family since 1970. It is a 9-foot pool table with 4-piece slate. We believe it is from 1908 but we're not sure where that year came from.

I have not been able to come up with an exact match for this model while trying to browse through antique pool table catalogs.

I am not having much luck searching online to get info on The National Fixture Co. of Cleveland, OH, but I believe they had an office within a block of the Brunswick Balke-Collender Co. showroom in Cleveland back in the day.

Any help identifying this antique National Fixture Co. pool table, or uncovering any associated history would be greatly appreciated.

Tman64

Info on National Fixture Co Pool Table

Replies & Comments

billiardsforum on 3/8/2021 4:09:12 AM
Very cool looking antique pool table. Thanks for sharing.

Unfortunately I don't have much info for you, but hopefully some of this may help.

The National Fixture Co. of Cleveland Ohio was located at 24-26 Frankfort St., and later 631-703 Frankfort St (probably the same physical location with an upgraded street numbering scheme.

Also, there's a good chance the National Fixture Co. might have been a retailer/distributor of pool tables from other firms, and simply affixed their labels to the pool tables they sold. You'll see from a few of their company listings below, they're listed in a separate category from proper pool table manufacturers. For example, this entry from the 1911 Cleveland City Directory:

However, in the 1922 Cleveland City Directory, they took out an ad listing themselves as "Manufacturers of Billiard Tables":

They also had a branch in Chicago, IL, at 189-193 Iowa St. as seen in a 1909 liquor dealers trade magazine:

I also came across another name plate from National Fixture Co. mentioning "Master Cushions" (which yours does not say):

I checked with one St. Cloud, MN antique pool table dealer, 'Antique Billiard Tables and Accessories' and they've not hear of them. You can also try reaching out to Ken Hash at Classic Billiards. He's always willing to help and knows a great deal about the old pool table makers.

For further digging, I'll refer you to two experts. You should reach out to them, in this order:
1. Ken Hash at Classic Billiards in Fallston, MD. He's the guy to talk to for this type of stuff. He is always happy to at least have a look, and if he can he'll give free advice etc.
  
  (410) 256-8388
2. If Ken can't help you, try Joe Newell out of Clay Center, KS. He runs Newell's Antique Billiard Supply, and he is the foremost Brunswick expert in the US.
  
  (785) 632-5955
It's a great antique pool table you have there, whatever it is. I know this doesn't answer your question, but hopefully it's a point in the right direction for further research.

Good luck and let us know what you find out.

Info on National Fixture Co Pool Table

Title: Info on National Fixture Co Pool Table
Author: Tman64 (Tim Miller)
Published: 3/7/2021 5:48:28 AM
Last Updated: 3/7/2021 12:18:54 PM
Last Updated By: billiardsforum (Billiards Forum)