Made by Tom Dunn, this circa 1880s brassey spoon has a head that measures 5 1/2" in length, 1 1/4" in face depth, and 1 15/16" in width. The face is nicely concave, heel to toe. The full brass sole plate still shows Dunn's file marks made when smoothing down the edges of the screws.  The 41" shaft appears as original as does the sheepskin grip.  The original finish is outstanding. The whipping has been replaced, but the club does not show much wear from use. This is a handsome, brute of a club designed to pack a punch when in a difficult lie, the brass plate and thick piece of horn underneath it giving added strength to the wooden head. 

Tom Dunn was a highly skilled clubmaker. The son of the famed Willie Dunn and brother of Willie Dunn Jr, Tom learned clubmaking from his father. He began working as his own as a clubmaker at North Berwick in 1870. He soon left North Berwick to work for the London Scottish Golf Club in Wimbledon. In 1881 he moved back to North Berwick and re-entered his duties as custodian of the links there.

In addition to being a fine clubmaker from one of the most famous nineteenth century golf families, Dunn was also a prolific golf course architect, laying out 137 courses—a number of them outside of Great Britain—during his lifetime. 

Tom married Elizabeth Gourlay of the famous ballmaking family. Tom's two sons, John Duncan Dunn and Seymour Gourlay Dunn, moved to America where they became well known and respected in the golf world.

For more on Tom Dunn, see TCA1 V1 p99.  

A group shot that shows many of the long nose clubs in this auction is included with the images that accompany this lot. This Dunn brassey spoon is first on the left.