400 $
Description
ONE OF THE NEAT THINGS ABOUT BEING IN THE EARLY 'GOLF COLLECTORS SOCIETY' WAS CONVERSING WITH THE FOUNDING MEMBERS. EACH CONTRIBUTED WITH RESEARCH INTO SPECIAL NICHES: BOOKS, MAKERS, CLEEK MARKS, ETC. AND MANY PUBLISHED THEIR WORKS IN BOOKS, PAMPHLETS AND CATALOGS. JIM COOPER WAS KNOWN FOR HIS EXPERTISE REGARDING SPALDING CLUBS. IN HIS BOOKLET HE IDENTIFIES THE PLAIN IMPRINT 'SPALDING' AS THE EARLIEST MARK FOR SPALDING AND THAT THESE CLUBS PROBABLY PREDATED THEIR 1896 CATALOG. OTHERS STATED THAT SPALDING TESTED THE GOLF MARKET BY CONTRACTING WITH MAKERS IN SCOTLAND AND ENGLAND PRIOR TO STARTING THEIR OWN FACTORIES IN THOSE LOCATIONS. THE BLOCK ALL CAPS
'SPALDING' IRONS ARE NOTED IN COOPER'S BOOK, HE DID NOT LIST MANY WOODS, THEY GENERALLY FOLLOWED THE MARKINGS ON THE IRONS FOR IDENTIFICATION PURPOSES. THIS SET CONSISTS OF: (1) 35 INCH LOFTED SQUARE BACK IRON WITH SPLIT LEATHER GRIP, ONE DEGREE UP BOW, UNTOUCHED ORIGINAL AND VERY PLAYABLE. NOTE LONG HEAVY HOSSEL WITH VERTICAL KNURLING. VERY LIGHT WEAR TRACES OF ORIGINAL PRESERVATIVE - SHELLAC OR VARNISH - ON HEAD. STIFF SHAFT. LOFT IS CLOSE TO A NIBLICK. (2) CLOSE TO A 39 INCH CLEEK WITH LOFT OF A DRIVING IRON. THIS CLUB WAS FOUND WITH THE FIRST ONE AND LIKEWISE HAS A LONG HEAVY HOSSEL, SPLIT LEATHER GRIP, AND A DEGREE OR SO OF UP BOW. THE BACK OF THE IRON IS ROUNDED. UNTOUCHED ORIGINAL, TRACES OF VARNISH ON HEAD. BOTH CLUBS HAVE IDENTICAL BLOCK LETTERED 'SPALDING' HEAD IMPRINTS, HOSSELS BOTH HAVE SAME STYLE KNURL MARKS, BOTH HAVE IDENTICAL BLOCK LETTERED 'SPALDING' STAMPS ON THE SHAFTS. PROBABLY MADE BY THE SAME CLEEK MAKER FOR SPALDING.(3) 43 INCH BRASSIE, FULL BRASS SOLE PLATE, BLACK INSERT, LINE FACE, 'SPALDING' BLOCK LETTER CROWN STAMP. SPLIT LEATHER GRIP. WHIPPING AT BOTTOM OF GRIP PROBABLY A REPLACEMENT, OLD WHIPPING MARKS ARE VISIBLE ON SHAFT. SHAFT IS STAMPED: A.G. SPALDING BROS, CHICKOPEE MASS, LOOKING AT WHAT APPEARS TO BE ORIGINAL WHIPPING LINE IT APPEARS THAT THE SHAFT STAMP WOULD HAVE BEEN OBSCURED. ANOTHER POSSIBILITY IS THAT THIS WAS RESHAFTED. HARD TO KNOW THE YEAR FOR SURE. INCLUDED AS PART OF THE SET BASED ON THE CROWN IMPRINT.THIS SET IS OF MUSEUM QUALITY AND SHOULD RETAIL FOR A FEW THOUSAND FOR THE IRONS ALONE. COOPER'S BOOK IS NOT INCLUDED AND WILL BE SOLD LATER WHEN ALL MY SPALDINGS ARE GONE.
'SPALDING' IRONS ARE NOTED IN COOPER'S BOOK, HE DID NOT LIST MANY WOODS, THEY GENERALLY FOLLOWED THE MARKINGS ON THE IRONS FOR IDENTIFICATION PURPOSES. THIS SET CONSISTS OF: (1) 35 INCH LOFTED SQUARE BACK IRON WITH SPLIT LEATHER GRIP, ONE DEGREE UP BOW, UNTOUCHED ORIGINAL AND VERY PLAYABLE. NOTE LONG HEAVY HOSSEL WITH VERTICAL KNURLING. VERY LIGHT WEAR TRACES OF ORIGINAL PRESERVATIVE - SHELLAC OR VARNISH - ON HEAD. STIFF SHAFT. LOFT IS CLOSE TO A NIBLICK. (2) CLOSE TO A 39 INCH CLEEK WITH LOFT OF A DRIVING IRON. THIS CLUB WAS FOUND WITH THE FIRST ONE AND LIKEWISE HAS A LONG HEAVY HOSSEL, SPLIT LEATHER GRIP, AND A DEGREE OR SO OF UP BOW. THE BACK OF THE IRON IS ROUNDED. UNTOUCHED ORIGINAL, TRACES OF VARNISH ON HEAD. BOTH CLUBS HAVE IDENTICAL BLOCK LETTERED 'SPALDING' HEAD IMPRINTS, HOSSELS BOTH HAVE SAME STYLE KNURL MARKS, BOTH HAVE IDENTICAL BLOCK LETTERED 'SPALDING' STAMPS ON THE SHAFTS. PROBABLY MADE BY THE SAME CLEEK MAKER FOR SPALDING.(3) 43 INCH BRASSIE, FULL BRASS SOLE PLATE, BLACK INSERT, LINE FACE, 'SPALDING' BLOCK LETTER CROWN STAMP. SPLIT LEATHER GRIP. WHIPPING AT BOTTOM OF GRIP PROBABLY A REPLACEMENT, OLD WHIPPING MARKS ARE VISIBLE ON SHAFT. SHAFT IS STAMPED: A.G. SPALDING BROS, CHICKOPEE MASS, LOOKING AT WHAT APPEARS TO BE ORIGINAL WHIPPING LINE IT APPEARS THAT THE SHAFT STAMP WOULD HAVE BEEN OBSCURED. ANOTHER POSSIBILITY IS THAT THIS WAS RESHAFTED. HARD TO KNOW THE YEAR FOR SURE. INCLUDED AS PART OF THE SET BASED ON THE CROWN IMPRINT.THIS SET IS OF MUSEUM QUALITY AND SHOULD RETAIL FOR A FEW THOUSAND FOR THE IRONS ALONE. COOPER'S BOOK IS NOT INCLUDED AND WILL BE SOLD LATER WHEN ALL MY SPALDINGS ARE GONE.