Historic Pool Tables At National Arts Club

New York City

:Historic pool tables are cradled in an historic setting as Blatt Billiards presents an exhibition of rare antique pool tables, artistic cues and billiard memorabilia at the National Arts Club in Gramercy Park. The historic exhibition begins a year-long celebration of Blatt Billiards' 85th anniversary in New York City; it will be on view through March 30.

This first-of-its-kind exhibition will feature some of the oldest, most elegantly constructed pool tables in the world. Some are valued at $175,000. Most were made between 1880 and 1920. Blatt's oldest find is a Charles X-style table made in Paris in 1820. Ornamented with inlays, marquetry and floral designs, the table is a delight to see. Other custom models are made from scratch.

The exhibit will also include never-before-seen cues from the best works of the top cue artists in America today. With exotic woods — and diamonds and gold inlaid — these cues are often valued at $20,000 and beyond. Curator and billiard historian Victor Stein, author of The Billiard Encyclopedia, will ease viewers through the exhibition, telling the story of the development of pool tables, cue sticks and rare memorabilia.

All items will be displayed in the billiard room and galleries of the National Arts Club in the historic Tilden Mansion, 15 Gramercy Park South (on 20th Street between Park Avenue South and Irving Place). Built in the 1840s, the Tilden Mansion is renowned for its stained glass dome, black walnut-paneled rooms and Gothic ornamentation. Architect Philip Johnson called the mansion "among the most beautiful in New York." No wonder the National Arts Club is both a designated New York landmark and a National Historic Landmark.

The two-week billiards exhibition is open to the public daily from noon to 6 pm. For information, 212-477-2389.