How much is my vintage Riley's full size billiards table worth? Please help!

[RileysAntique]

Hi I have a full size billiards table bought antique in 1989 for £4,000 (Approximately 7,000 in todays money). I am anxious not to get ripped off and lose this family heirloom to somebody who knows a lot about tables to make an extortionate profit on.

Could somebody give me a rough estimate? I would really appreciate it.

Steph

[Leo]

Things you have to consider are, has it got a good cloth on it or does it need replacing, has it got steel blocks, and the overall condition. Remember these days delivery and installation can be more then the tables are worth.

[Master Blaster]

I've just seen our antique (+100 years) billiards table reclothed today (one of the tables in my care). Tonnes of history but I'd have to pay someone to take it out. Probably worth £200 max and we'd have to advertise it for ages. Pool tables are worth more.

If you've got a Riley Aristocrat it would be worth something, maybe £3000 in good condition (I think they're 7k new). Imperials are worth something as well. If it's a basic Riley table made in the 80s and in great condition with a good cloth with wear left in it, I'd say about £500-1000. Riley's themselves deliver and fit second hand basic tables (that are in great condition - they installed one for a friend) and that was £2000 with a new cloth, new long stuff, new balls and restretch.

Tables are worth not a lot these days, clubs are closing and there are stacks of slates lying around, being turned into coffee tables, garden tables etc. Snooker is popular on TV as a spectator sport but not as a participation sport, clubs are closing all the time, e.g. the Rileys chain.

[Neil Taperell]

New Riley starts at just below £10K

[Master Blaster]

New Riley starts at just below £10K

Blinkin ink, I've just looked at their price list, which has moved on a bit! Even a club is 7k though these are 'list' prices. I think the one my mate had installed was a pale table with pale legs, natural looking wood and colour. Legs were just plain blocks, not turned. Tight template but I'm guessing it's a Club from the 80s or 90s. I definitely wouldn't buy it new for 7k, better tables second hand for that.

[philip in china]

Anything is worth whatever anyone is willing to pay for it. Second hand tables are worth very little. Supply greatly exceeds demand and this reflects in the price. The costs of moving, storing and assembling them reduce the value even more.

[Byrom]

Sadly most tables are actually worth very little these days - the peak hey days of the 80's are gone sadly - I been offered them free if I arrange to move them.

Lots of people get rid to use the space for something else in UK- clubs shut down here there and everywhere - so market is flooded and not a lot of people have the space or the interest any longer. I bet every table fitter known to man has loads of em stored up to the rafters.

That said a nice B n Watts steel block would probably sell as would a Riley Aristocrat or maybe a Karman and Hillman or a nice BCE but most people wanting a table having 7 -10k to splash about would probably get a Star table - which is a shame because the ones I mentioned and some of the older - antiques - where great tables.