Bar billiards is a historic game, widely thought to be based on bagatelle, the same game that spawned modern pinball tables. This particular antique table was originally produced by Sams Brothers, one of the first companies to begin selling the tables, and now widely recognised as one of the finest Bar Billiards manufacturers in the world. Since its manufacture in the 1930s, this table has been painstakingly restored by our craftsmen here in Weybridge

Sams tables are recognised by their characteristic square legs and are justly renowned for their quality and strength. A Sams Bar Billiards table is an icon; a historic game from one of the most significant portions of British history. Its great age and peerless quality make this bar billiards table a fascinating snapshot in the history of gaming.

All our Bar Billiards tables are comprehensively refurbished before being offered for sale. It’s a painstaking process carried out by our own master craftsmen and technicians, commencing with a complete strip-down of the table. The cabinet and legs are taken back to the bare wood before being filled and repaired as necessary, and then re-finished by our French polisher. Even the timer is also completely stripped down and is then given a sonic bath to remove any grime before reassembly.

The slates will always be original unless we’ve had to replace them due to damage but the cushions are invariably re-rubbered because the originals will have perished over time. The table is, of course, re-clothed, and we usually do this in the traditional green but other colours can be specified.  

The leatherette is also replaced because this is often badly worn on older tables, and where necessary we swap out the number counters and rings with vintage style replicas. 

In short, we do absolutely everything possible to create a table that not only plays superbly but also looks as good as it did when it left the factory all those decades ago. 

A full-length competition table, the Sams Bar Billiards is six feet long, outfitted with its original thick Welsh slate and a mahogany finish. It is sold with its original timer clock, wooden scoreboard, wooden skittles and a set of bar billiards balls, along with two premium cues. According to bar billiards rules, all shots are taken from one end of the table, making the game ideal for small locations. Its game-play considerations make size less of an obstacle for its installation, and it’s a perfect complement to any environment, be it a public house or private residence.

The game involves scoring points by potting balls in holes on the playing surface of the table rather than in pockets and was originally developed from the French billiard, providing a less expensive option for those who were unable to afford the very costly tables used by the French aristocracy in the 15th century. The game was transformed into Billiard Russe during the 16th century for the Russian Tsars.

Bar billiards were first imported into the UK in the early 1930s when David Gill, an Englishman witnessed a game of Billiard Russe taking place in Belgium. It immediately found favour in the pubs because it required far less space than a game of pool, which needed a much larger cueing area on all sides. With bar billiards, all the shots are taken from one end of the table so it could often be squeezed into the nooks and snugs of country taverns.

Its name derives not from its association with bars, but because a wooden bar drops after a timed limit, preventing any more balls becoming available for use. After the balls remaining on the table are potted, the game is over. In England, games are allowed to last up to nineteen minutes and it’s possible for a skilled starting player to play for the entirety of the time available without allowing his opponent a shot. This is called running the clock out and can result in some large breaks.

Our founder, Reginald Waldersmith, was attracted to Bar Billiards for its quintessential Britishness. Although he himself admitted he was far from skilled, he became a keen player after he was introduced to it in 1958, and ran the clock out for the first time in 1980, a feat he contentedly described as ‘my own personal Crucible.’ We’ve been selling tables since 1962, so know a thing or two about our products! Our showroom will gladly assist you with any questions you may have before or after you purchase any Games Room Company equipment.