Lot # 94: 1892 R. Anderson & Sons Center-shafted Crescent Driver

Starting Bid: $150.00

Bids: 19 (Bid History)

Time Left: Auction closed
Lot / Auction Closed




This lot is closed. Bidding is not allowed.

Item was in Auction "Summer 2021",
which ran from 7/7/2021 12:00 PM to
7/24/2021 8:00 PM



This R. Anderson driver is covered under the first patent to ever be issued for a center-shafted golf club—Robert Anderson's British patent dated April 2, 1892.  According to his patent, Anderson calculated that this center-shafted club would "prevent heeling of the ball and thereby...driver longer and straighter balls than by the present shape of wood clubs." While the shaft in this club does not enter the head behind the middle of the ball, the tip of the shaft that extends through the head is visible on the sole closer to the center of the head. 

A few months later Anderson received a patent for his center-shafted crescent irons. Those are great clubs—and hard to find. Anderson's center-shafted wood, however, is much, much harder to locate.

The example here is marked "R Anderson & Sons / patent / Edinburgh" on the top of the head.  The shaft has the painted black trim adjacent to the head. This was done to provide for at least the look of whipping.  Remember, in 1892, all wood clubs used neck whipping.  This one does not—its one of the first socket head woods ever devised.

The sheepskin grip is a replacement that matches up well with the period. The 44 1/2" shaft is original and has a significant bow, but its not drastic.  The entire head is original.  It shows quite a bit of wear to the finish and along the top line of the face and next to the horn. The club would certainly be more desirable without this wear, but the great rarity of this club and the fact that it still presents as highly unusual and historic give the club genuine value. The author was never able to locate one of these woods to include in TCA or TCA2, but the patent is presented and discussed in both books.  See TCA2 V1 p220.

This club is shown bottom left in the group image.

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