The snooker table baize, cushions, and pockets have been completely refurbished and are in excellent condition, please see the photographs to confirm condition.

E. J. Riley Ltd.

An authoritative history of the E. J. Riley Ltd. business was written by the grandson of one of the founders of the business, which was published in the book - Billiards & Snooker a Trade History complied by Mr. J. R. Mitchell (the retired Managing Director of Thurston) and published by the British Sports & Allied Industries Federation (now called the Federation of Sports and Play Association, who kindly gave their permission to use the article.).

The article was written by the then Chairman of E.J. Riley Mr C. G. Kenyon, and so for the early history it is that article that has been used, which charted the early days up to the early 1980's. Photographs of tables and catalogues have been added which have been taken from the Norman Clare Heritage Collection. Sadly as the later history of the business relates the optimism shown at the end of Mr. Kenyon's article was not to be and the actual business finally collapse in late 2002, although the name lives on within other businesses that acquired use of the name.

Angelica Kauffman, RA (1741 - 1807)

was a Swiss-born Austrian Neoclassical painter who had a successful career in London and Rome. Though born as "Kauffmann", Kauffman is the preferred spelling of her name in English; it is the form she herself used most in signing her correspondence, documents and paintings.

While Kauffman produced many types of art, she identified herself primarily as a history painter, an unusual designation for a woman artist in the 18th century. History painting, was considered the most elite and lucrative category in academic painting during this time period. Under the direction of Sir Joshua Reynolds, the Royal Academy made a strong effort to promote history painting to a native audience who were more interested in commissioning and buying portraits and landscapes.

Despite the popularity that Kauffman enjoyed in British society and her success as an artist, she was disappointed by the relative apathy that the British had towards history painting. Ultimately she left Britain for the continent, where history painting was better established, held in higher esteem and patronized.

The works of Angelica Kauffman have retained their reputation. By 1911, rooms decorated with her work were still to be seen in various quarters. At Hampton Court was a portrait of the duchess of Brunswick; in the National Portrait Gallery, a self-portrait. There were other pictures by her at Paris, at Dresden, in the Hermitage at St Petersburg, in the Alte Pinakothek atMunich, in Kadriorg Palace, Tallinn (Estonia).

Satinwood

is a hard and durable wood with a satinlike sheen, much used in cabinetmaking, especially in marquetry. It comes from two tropical trees of the family Rutaceae (rue family). East Indian or Ceylon satinwood is the yellowish or dark-brown heartwood of Chloroxylon swietenia.

The lustrous, fine-grained, usually figured wood is used for furniture, cabinetwork, veneers, and backs of brushes. West Indian satinwood, sometimes called yellow wood, is considered superior. It is the golden yellow, lustrous, even-grained wood found in the Florida Keys and the West Indies.

It has long been valued for furniture. It is also used for musical instruments, veneers, and other purposes. Satinwood is classified in the division Magnoliophyta, class Magnoliopsida, order Sapindales, family Rutaceae.