Decades and decades before any golfer ever heard the acronym "COR," a few spring faces clubs were produced. This spring face iron uses six rivets to hold a corrugated steel face in place over a hollow head.  Spalding’s 1903 catalog states that spring face on these clubs was capable of delivering incredible distance AND that the ball will land “dead” when “approaching the green from a distance. “  That’s quite a combination, especially if it were true! 

Introduced in 1902, Spalding spring face irons were offered in Spalding’s American catalog between 1903 and 1919.  This example is marked "Wright & Ditson" (which brand was made by Spalding) on the back of the head and has its original  34 1/2" shaft (it has not been cut down) which means the club was likely made for a junior golfer.  The original underlisting remains on the shaft, but leather portion of the grip is missing.

For more info on this spring face iron, see TCA2 Vol 2 p 415.