How to Identify a Brunswick Model Pool Table

Brunswick pool tables are thought to be among the most finely made and most costly, but knowing whether a table is an authentic Brunswick can be challenging. You have to inspect several elements of the table, many of which are hidden from plain sight and difficult to access, and know what to look for specifically. By checking these elements that are unique to the Brunswick line you can successfully identify a Brunswick model pool table.

Check for the Brunswick name printed in large letters directly on the wood, or on a metal plate affixed to the outer rail or side of the pool table. This will sometimes be the entire name or a monogram incorporating the letter "B" stamped onto a metal plate affixed to the table. The "B" will be generally be a serif font with the top left serif extending up and over the "B."

Look for a metal plate that runs along the underside of the rails and attaches the cushioned rail to the slate with metal bolts. This High Performance Nut Plate is a proprietary element of Brunswick tables and features special washers only used in Brunswick pool tables.

Look for dome-shaped washers with pointed edges holding the nut plate in place. These hardened dome washers cling to the underside of the slate and their design is unique to Brunswick pool tables.

Check beneath the felt covering of the rail cushions for labels that will identify the cushions as genuine Brunswick "SuperSpeed" cushions. This method will not be an option if the rails are intact.

Check to see if the rails are solid hardwood. Brunswick pool tables were only made with that material. If the rail is made of joined pieces of wood, it is not authentic.

Check for a recessed area on the underside of the cushions. Brunswick tables are made with a machined recessed area on the underside of the cushions where the felt may be stapled down. This allows the rail to attach evenly to the slate surface.

Check the table and slate joints. Brunswick tables have strong joints that utilized furniture-making techniques like gluing two pieces of wood with alternating grain. On an authentic table, the joints that support the slate table surface will be "dovetail" joints.

Check the legs for the galvanized steel leg plates that Brunswick used to attach the legs to the table. They sit on top of the legs in the corners of the underside of the table and are held in place with nuts and bolts.

Check for the"Brunswick Certified" slate sticker. It has black print on a white background with the Brunswick logo and can be found on the underside of the slate.

Tips

The Brunswick website has a thorough list of construction elements specific to Brunswick tables, as well as an archive with diagrams and photographs of its models.