AMF AUSTRALIA - COLLECTOR'S ITEM

[Shadows Fall]

The ball in the attached picture was one of only 5 made, to celebrate the commencement of AMF in Australia. The balls were given as a special gift to each of the 5 directors.

I currently have possession of this particular ball, it is undrilled and in immaculate condition.

I am wanting to know if anybody (especially from AMF) would be interested in this rare piece of Australian bowling memorabilia and how much it would be worth.

I have tried to find out what happened to the other 4 (i.e. where they are, are they undrilled etc) but with no luck.

Any information would be greatly appreciated

Cheers

Steve Hunt

 

[Thumpa]

I was wondering what happened to my ball did you take it out the proshop are you trying to sell it on me:banner_88x31_f1::banner_88x31_f1::banner_88x31_f1:

 

[wchester]

it's worth about $200 to me.....does it come with the original box?

 

[Shadows Fall]

Sadly no, just the ball.
The ball, however, is in excellent condition.

cheers
Steve

 

[RobbieB]

What's the weight and pin out?

 

[wchester]

is there a serial number on the ball..and if so, could you please write it here?

 

[steve jones]

Steve..if you can prove it's pedigree with papers [or a verifiable history line] of some sort then I suspect it's worth a considerable amount..sadly as you note it is unboxed and like most items of this nature if it were in it's original packing it is worth a good deal more than not.

However - from a pure estimate based on what I feel I would pay for it given an appreciation of it's history [which certainly is NOT a market guide of any wisdom - just a personal view] and what I feel it offers as a collectors piece amongst other bowling items I have - then to me it's worth around $1000.

But as I say - and as you would be the first to appreciate - it's pedigree requires to be proven first.......regardless of it's pin placement Robbie old son[LOL].

Be well,

Steve

 

[Morty]

Steve, Robbie would be going to drill it. LOL.. It is probably newer than half his gear Sadly...lol

Morty

 

[jockey]

Good call Morty, as unfortunately that may be true. Sorry Robbie couldn't pass on this one.

 

[Shadows Fall]

Wayne and Jonesy,

The serial number of the ball is F28671

It's history is as follows;

This particular ball was presented to Richard "Dick" Jefferies upon the commencement of AMF operations in Australia as he was one of the original directors (AMF Australia).

He then went on to build Currajong Super Bowl/Mount Louisa Lanes as well as Tingalpa Super Bowl which later became Cannon Hill.

When he built Currajong Super Bowl in 1984 he had the ball sitting as pride of place in the pro-shop. There is sat until 2005 or 2006 when my parents bought the bowl. It was sold as part of the furniture and has since continued to sit on display in the Pro Shop.

Hope this provides you with the necessary info.

Cheers

Steve

 

[willey]

So the question is when did AMF start a Directorship, it must be after 1966, there were no Plastic Balls in 1961, BCH ran most of the Centre's till they went broke, than AMF started to run the Centres under Management and slowly bought each Centre that they could over a period of many years. One of the reasons the old Parramatta closed in 1977 was because they never owned the Building.

I was told many years ago that AMF only started to run the Centre's so they could sell Bowling Equipment (Peter Finlayson), the only other option was Closure.

willey

 

[willey]

Forgot to mention the Flecks in the Ball were done with Fish Scales as no metal is allowed to be used.

willey

 

[mongoliantreesloth]

Looks like a bog-standard AMFlite Gold. See http://www.bowlingballreviews.com/ball.asp?ballid=1802

Nothing stated about it being a rare piece.

 

[Shadows Fall]

Actually there is - Discontinued!!!

 

[Shadows Fall]

In all seriousness though, I think the sparkles are different

 

[RobbieB]

Forgot to mention the Flecks in the Ball were done with Fish Scales as no metal is allowed to be used.

willey

Metal is allowed, but only a small amount which must be evenly distributed about the ball and be a minimum distance below the surface, too lazy to look up the exact rule.

To the rest of the peanut gallery, I am proud to say I am down to one Quantum (sniff), all three of my Manhatten Rubbers have been retired (sob), and I do in fact now have several balls manufactured post-2005. Counselling for my separation anxiety is progressing well, thank you for your concern.

Anyone got a Mikasa they don't want?

 

[Andrew S.]

I have a Manhatton Rubber and a Crown Jewel and I'm open to offers from wealthy proprietors Robbie.

 

[steve jones]

....don't forget the Green Manhatten Rubber that they wouldn't sell you when it was first released UNLESS you had a 175 average!! Imagine that as a Marketing concept in 2009?

 

[jason_doust]

It's a thing of beauty, that's for sure.

I remember a guy coming into Chester Hill when I ran the pro shop there with a Columbia White Dot just like it, only using gold fleck. It had about a million games on it and I convinced the guy (who wouldn't sell it to me) to resurface it. I resurfaced that week and when I came up from the backend, 8 lanes stopped bowling! There was a crowd waiting for me at the end of the serviceman's aisle when I bought it up!

He'd bought it from a pawn shop for $20... Bargain of the year when you consider that the fingertip grip in it fitted him almost perfectly! A bit of bevelling and sanding and he was away!

And Robbie, no Mikasa, but I do have a lime green acrylic Asics ball on it's second drill! (Sorry, not parting with it!)

 

[androooo]

....don't forget the Green Manhatten Rubber that they wouldn't sell you when it was first released UNLESS you had a 175 average!! Imagine that as a Marketing concept in 2009?

These days the average would have to be 220!!