Crystalate billiard balls

A set of three Crystalate billiard balls comprising two white and one red ball, complete with original box. Compression moulded in cellulose nitrate (CN), they were made in England by the Crystalate Manufacturing Company, founded in 1902 and licensing a material patented by George Henry Burt. Burt had previously worked as a foreman for John Wesley Hyatt at the Albany Billiard Ball Company in the US, manufacturing CN billiard, pool and snooker balls marketed under the name of Bonzoline. He came to the UK in 1900 and began producing his own version of the material as Crystalate with Percy Warnford-Davis. The company was also well-known for producing gramophone records. Carom billiards use three balls on pocketless billiards tables, a white cue ball for player 1, a white cue ball with a spot for player 2 and a red object ball. The object of the game is to score points by caroming (striking) the cue ball off both the opponent's cue ball and the object ball on a single shot.

printed: "Trade Mark. The Crystalate (Regd.) Billiard Ball. Made in England. Quality Guaranteed. These goods have all the merits of Ivory without any of the drawbacks. They do not crack or go out of the true and are the same colour throughout. These balls should be kept clean by washing occasionally with soap and warm water." (label on top of box)

AIBDC : 009285