174 $
Description
Here is a very hard to find D. W. Auchterlonie St Andrews Scotland, hickory shafted lofting iron, circa early 1900’s. This is a dot punched face design club. The markings on the head are very clear and viable . Its condition is very good and it shows very little ware and marks. The club was cleaned and the head was carefully hand-polished to remove the oxidation and years of neglect. D & W Auchterlonie David Auchterlonie was a good amateur golfer but the real playing star was Willie who won the 1893 Open Championship at Prestwick. Sometime after this he joined his brother in clubmaking. This may have been as early as 1894 (a 1901 advert claimed the firm had been founded then though Willie, in the bankruptcy hearings in 1934 stated he had been in business with his brother since 1893!) although the 1899 advert shown here, making a feature of Willie’s Open win, did not find it necessary to specify a date. The approaching cleek mentioned in the ad was patented in 1894 and was still in the time of Auchterlonie and Crosthwaite, although it continued to be sold for many years by the new Auchterlonie firm. In any event, as is often the case in family firms, the non-family partner, Andrew Crosthwaite jumped ship, or was pushed, and went into partnership with another ex-Forgan employee, George Lorimer. The 1899 advertisement for their business (the last year before that partnership too was dissolved) shows it to be operating from the same premises he used with the Auchterlonies. The new firm D & W Auchterlonie started with a shop in Albany Place (where Willie Auchterlonie is standing in the photograph) and a workshop in Union Street. By 1901 they were reported as employing 16 workmen. Willie’s fame did no harm to his reputation as a teaching professional and he spent a few summers teaching at North Berwick which the railway had turned into a fashionable resort. As a result, there are some D & W Auchterlonie clubs with a North Berwick stamp, such as the putter in the fourth photograph. David and Willie were joined in the business by two more of the six brothers, first Laurie and, in 1899, by the youngest, Tom. Laurie’s greatest talents lay as a player and he crossed the Atlantic in 1899 and was professional at the famous St Andrew’s Club in Hastings-on-Hudson. He had three spells as pro here with an interlude in Florida and at the Ravisloe Country Club in Chicago. Chicago was certainly a happy hunting ground for him in his career as a tournament player. He was runner up in the inaugural Western Open in 1899, losing a playoff to Willie Smith but won it on the next occasion it was played, in 1901. Two years later hew was runner-up again, this time to Alex Smith. That first Western Open illustrates the attraction of playing in the US. 12 players were competing for a prize pot of $300 with $125 to the winner. In contrast, J H Taylor would receive £25 as winner of the Open Championship the following year at St Andrews. Laurie’s most notable victory in the US was the 1902 Open Championship at Garden City, NY. This was Walter Travis’s home course, indeed he had designed it, but he was tied for second, six shots behind Auchterlonie. Laurie competed in the US Open between 1899 and 1909 and, apart from his win, had another four top 5 finishes, all but one of which when the competition was held in the Chicago area. There are clubs produced by Laurie Auchterlonie in the US, or at least with his name on them, including a top-weighted putter from his Chicago days.
The head measures a lengthy 4 inches and the club face in 1 inch deep. The club is approximately 36 inches long.
The shaft appears to be the original with the Auchterlonie stamp on the shaft, the grip appears to be the original, in good condition with normal wear and tear, see photos. The head is tight to the hosel when you twist it, and no cracks to the hosel. This club would make a very nice player, or great addition to anyone’s collection.
Thanks and check out our other Antique/Vintage golf collectibles that are for sale on eBay
Please Note: WE DO OUR VERY BEST TO DESCRIBE THE ITEMS WE LIST HONESTLY AND TAKE PRIDE IN BEING REPUTABLE TRUSTWORTHY SELLERS. YOUR SATISFACTION IS VERY IMPORTANT TO US. PLEASE CONTACT WITH ANY QUESTIONS.
Most orders will be shipped within 5-10 business days from receiving your payment unless otherwise noted, can ship order SOONER if requested. Shipping rates apply ONLY to the USA lower 48 states. I can combine shipping on most transactions. Please wait for us to send you a combined invoice before paying. We cannot combine shipping if you pay for your items separately or on different dates. Shipping Methods: Domestic Shipping: Throughout the United States, I primarily use United States Postal Service (USPS Priority), I will price USPS ground if requested. I use United Parcel Service (UPS) for substantially larger items. Delivery confirmation or tracking is included with every package. International Shipping: I offer worldwide, international shipping on select items. International packages are sent using United States Postal Service (USPS). Please contact me with questions regarding international shipping quotes or other questions regarding international shipping Please keep in mind that the delivery time depends on the shipping carrier and the shipping method.
ITEM MUST BE RETURNED WITHIN: 7 DAYS REFUND WILL BE GIVEN AS: merchandise credit Return Policy details: If the items are not as described, we will offer a Merchandise refund. In most cases this will be minus shipping and eBay/PayPal fees, although if it was a blatant mistake by us we'll pick up everything. Bottom line, we want you happy!
