Born in the XIV century and slowly perfectioning itself as a game of precision, demonstrating itself as a true art with the aid of the most able of players, billiards has experienced an enormous diffusion in the old and new continent since the 1920's. Today it is one of the most popular sporting games with its many specialities - from Snooker to 8 Pool, from Goriziana to 5 Pin Billiards, the last mentioned being the most practised in Italy. Italy, along with Argentina (the two countries that produce the largest number of champions) can boast the best masters of the "Green Carpet".

For our company, which was present with the result of our craft and our passion, the pleasure of having given moments of true intensity: as only a well constructed billiard table can give. Billiard tables as these in places as these: in the private residence of Boris Yeltsin, in the "Fortezza da Basso" of Florence in occasion of the G7 summit, in the royal houses of the Savoia, in the residence of Predappio belonging to Benito Mussolini.

Between 1820 and 1830 a certain Martini, ebony craftsman of Forlì, constructed for the Papal Legate, that at this time ruled the province, the first billiard table. The work of art of Martini, even though rudimentary, was considered at that time a precious and marvellous rarity, so much so that it was exposed in a hall of the prefecture to be admired by the public. The photograph on the right shows the old headquarters at Corso Garibaldi, in the first half of the 1900's.

Martini was in a way the founder of the factory of Forlì for billiard tables, and from him outlived his shop assistant, Mr. Danesi whom had learnt his systems, invented by Martini, for the crafting of the particular product. Danesi followed in the shadows of his master and continued working in this sector. This artist received many prizes, in particular at the important international exposition of Vienna, and was named, in Italy and abroad, the "Father of Billiards". Along with the company, some students of Dansei, who had begun on their own, managed (around 1885) to provide billiard tables to the regal home.

Danesi, who initially had the laboratory in Via Battuti Verdi (presently in Via Giovita Lazzarini), then another in Borgo Cotogni (presently in Corso della Repubblica) in front of the Circolo Mazzini, died in 1885. In 1878 his artistic heritage had already been entirely taken up by Antonio Artusi that, since he had been a young boy, had been Danesi's shop assistant and which added his willingness and determination to the company. From 1878 until 1913, the year in which he died, the factory was named "Ditta Artusi Antonio & Figli", due to the fact that his sons Primo and Giovanni actively collaborated with their father. In the photograph (1937) Sir Artusi is present, along with Armando Zoli, father of the actual president of the company.