Lot # 152: Hardright Brassie Made From Condensite

Starting Bid: $200.00

Bids: 1 (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



The first image for this lot is an advertisement for Hardright drivers and brassies found in the June 1914 issue of The American Golfer. The auctioneer believes the Hardright name has been superimposed onto the head for the ad. The auctioneer has never seen a Hardright driver or brassie nor any other driver or fairway wood marked with its name upside down on the crown as viewed by the golfer when addressng the ball.

The solid black head on this c. 1914 Hardright brassie, produced by the Hardright Company of Belleville, New Jersey, is made entirely from Condensite. As defined in a 1916 Hardright advertisement, condensite is a "black hardened gum of peculiar properties, which maintains a brilliant polish, is absolutely non-absorbent, and will not chip or crack." It was the invention of J.W. Aylesworth, who in 1914 (when this club was first produced) and for the prior 25 years was the chief chemist to Mr. Thomas Edison. 

The brass sleeve on top of the neck extends down into the neck and allows for the shaft to attach to the head. The shaft is affixed in place by a pin that runs through both the brass sleeve and the shaft. The protective 3-screw slip on the sole is also made out of brass.

The side of the neck is marked "Hardright B" (brassie). The shaft measures 44 inches in length and has its original leather wrapped grip. The Brass insert in the neck is a little longer than the insert shown in the 1914 ad pictured.  This insert is original, no doubt a slight modification to the original design which allowed the shaft to be pinned further down from the top of the hosel, which was a good thing. A pin close to the top of the hosel would put the shaft at great risk of cracking where it had been drilled through.

Hardright drivers and brassies were sold by mail order only.  The fact that so few remain today and that they were sporadically advertised for five years, beginning in 1914, suggest that these clubs sold in relatively consistent but small numbers. This particular example, which has a minor chip on the top line and a few smaller ones on the face, shows that, given the right circumstances, condensite can chip. Because these flaws are distinctly minor in the larger scheme of such a unique club, the club still stands as a beautiful example. Truth be told, this is a fabulous and truly rare collectible that shows great creativity and a highly attractive look.

For more on Hardright drivers and brassies, see TCA2 v1 p370.

This club is the first club in the back row of the group picture.

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