Pembroke A. Vaile, a Barrister at Law of the Supreme Court of New Zealand, and Frederick Ayres, a manufacturer in London, received a British patent dated 1904 that covered this putter. The large bend in the neck is formed so the shaft lines up with the center of the face, hence there is no offset. 

The back of the blade is stamped with the name of "John Wanamaker." A retail chain with stores in New York and Philadelphia, John Wanamaker ordered this putter for resale. The 34 1/2" shaft and leather wrap grip are original.

For a few years after 1910, Macgregor followed in Vaile's footsteps and made their own version of a swan neck blade putter. However, it did not have as large a head nor was its swan neck as dramatic.  This is an outstanding example of the original swan neck putter.

This club is middle left in the group image that accompanies this lot. For more on Vaile and his swan neck clubs, see TCA2 v1 p204-205.