Ordered something from China on Saturday.

Not bad. The irony of course is that they were made in the UK.

I wish they did make billiard balls in the U. K. somewhere, Mr M. It would be a great day out for me, sir. :)

These were made in Xiamen, one of mainland China’s industrial port cities.

100% sure it came from there? I ordered somehtng from ebay a while ago I thought would come from the far east (china or hong kong, thats what shop said) and it came from the UK, like they had a depot here.

Really last thing I ordered was a weighted vest took around 6 weeks originally ordered from a sports company in Leeds apparently took time to clear customs,at first I thought they'd jipped me until they told me the gear was coming from China.

Hello, JC. :)

Well, sir, I suppose I’m not 100% sure, but the docket on the outside of the box says it came from China and most of the writing is Chinese.

Best wishes.

Hello, Denzil. :)

Indeed, sir. I’ve ordered several things from this same company in the past and it normally takes a few weeks for anything to arrive. I reckon on this occasion it was just a case of serendipitous good timing.

If it has Chinese postage marks then it came direct from China, however he is right, they send stock over in containers to their UK warehouses.

Import duty and handling fees are charged on anything over £18 but the Chinese are very flexible and will mark package value under £18 and as a gift if you ask them nicely.

PM - I thought Peradon in Liverpool still manufactured cues and snooker balls, but I may be wrong?

Hard to believe it came from China. Did you order it from aliexpress?

You can of course get fast delivery from China but usually that has a massive price tag.

Is it possible the same product is available with other sellers for 10 pounds and the shop that sold you actually charged you 53 for shipping by including it in the product price?

Cues perhaps, Mr M, but I’m reasonably sure that the nearest ball manufacturer is the mighty Aramith of Belgium.

Hello, Mr D. :)

Not from Aliexpress, sir, but they did originate from China. And the balls are worth every penny of £63 (much more in my view) so it genuinely was free postage.

As mentioned, I’ve ordered lots of stuff from the same company in the past and delivery usually takes several weeks. I think this time it was simply a case of extremely fortunate timing.

Best wishes.

You must have a magnificent collection of pool balls PM.

I believe you. But to be very honest I don't.

The last three items I ordered from China haven't arrived yet. Already over a year has passed.

For you it would be interesting to see if they continue to do this in the future. Its possible they just started a warehouse in UK or Europe.

Your order is on a slow boat D.

Thank you, Mr M. :)

It’s probably the most extensive and valuable billiard ball grouping in the United Kingdom, sir, but I know a few folks in America who have amassed truly fabulous collections which are two or three times the size!

I shall keep my eyes open for unusual pool ball sets on my travels PM. It`s really surprising what one can find at these memorabilia and antique fairs.

Absolutely, sir. These recent finds from German manufacturer, Raschig, are worth at least four figures per set to us collectors. Crazy when one thinks about it.

Very impressive and unique PM. I assume that all sets are in similar cases and can`t be displayed due to their bulkiness? Did you ever find the set that you were previously looking for?

Do you mean the Roman Numeral set pictured below, sir? Since we last chatted I have found two of these rare and desirable sets but, alas, both owners refused to sell at any price.

Yes, that is the ones. What would their value be, if you don`t mind me asking?

My initial valuation was about £300, but I might need to re-evaluate that figure sharply upwards given my recent experiences.

Folks who pay relatively big money for pool balls are few and far between, but I would certainly bite your hand off at £300 for this particular set.

I just found a set online for sale but I don`t know if they are the ones that you are looking for or what condition they are in or if they are still for sale. Worth taking a look as price is well under your valuation. I will send you a link by pm so no one else can nab them if they are in fact the ones. Check your messages!

Some Chinese manufacturers have tried to copy those Raschigs pictured above by the way. To be fair they did a damned good job, but not good enough to fool dedicated collectors. Once in my hand I would know within seconds if they were counterfeit. The trouble is, of course, is it can be rather tough to tell with an online listing.

Check out that website as there are other sets for sale listed. Just use their search option. Good luck.

Thank you so much for the link, dear fellow. Taking the time and trouble really is sincerely appreciated.

Alas, that particular set sold some time ago, sir. Those were called Romanique II from Hyatt and, although far more common than the Romanique I set of my picture, are still rare and desirable. Even in used condition, $175 was indeed a bargain.

Best wishes. :)

No problem. Best of luck sir with your continued search. I`m off now, I have a serious investment on the Baseball. Goodnight!

Good night, sir.