Lot # 2: The One, The Only, The Silver King!

Starting Bid: $3,000.00

Bids: 1 (Bid History)

Time Left: Auction closed
Lot / Auction Closed




This lot is closed. Bidding is not allowed.

Item was in Auction "Spring 2020",
which ran from 3/9/2020 2:30 PM to
3/28/2020 8:00 PM



(3-16-2020 Restoration comment below)

The Silver King is one of golf collecting's most sought after treasures. Made from papier-mâché, these figures are light and delicate.  Few remain (others estimate 15) to tell us of the glories of the Silver King golf balls produced early in the 20th century. In 2014, an outstanding example sold for $60,000, although that price is well beyond the next highest price ever paid for a Silver KIng.

The base of this figure is marked "Made in England, Pat No. 208,063."  This British patent number was issued near the end of 1923, so you know these royal characters were made shortly thereafter. The front of the base is marked Silver King Golf Balls, but it is quite faint as both the words and base are silver in color.

This particular example, having good color and normal wear. is solid and quite nice all things considered. When looking down onto the top of the crown, there is a relatively small but clearly evident "crack"  that goes part-way down into the top of the crown. Repairing that will be easy for someone who knows what they are doing, should the next owner desire to take that step.  Just fill, paint match, and touch up. Then again, this Silver King is a great piece just as it is, all-original top to bottom. 

3-16-2020:    I have just received a quote from a professoinal pottery/sculpture/ceramic repair studio on the east coast (I provided them with detailed images), and the cost to repair the crown on this Silver King would be $380 plus shipping.  They have done restoration work on other golf figures.  The work would include, per the quote,

- Integrating the crown split areas

- Filling in gaps and generating the matching surface texture

- Coloring / painting repaired areas to match the rest of the item

- Apply protective coating to the repaired areas

I would provide the winning bidder with the quote, etc.


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