Lot # 106: 1893-1896 Spalding Iron Lofter

Starting Bid: $100.00

Bids: 10 (Bid History)

Time Left: Auction closed
Lot / Auction Closed




This lot is closed. Bidding is not allowed.

Item was in Auction "Fall 2022",
which ran from 11/3/2022 7:00 PM to
11/19/2022 8:00 PM



Similar to the Spalding Cleek in the previous lot, this mid-iron is also simply stamped "Spalding" and dates to the initial years that Spalding began to sell golf clubs (1893-1896). It, too, has the unique knitted wool underlining visible at the top of the original sheepskin grip. In 1893, Spalding bought the Lamb Knitting Machine Company in Chicopee, Massachussetts, which made, obviously, knitting machines. There can be little doubt that this knitted underlisting was made by Spalding.

The head features a flat face and back and the original 34 7/8" shaft is stamped "Spalding." The May 1893 Spalding Athletic Library Golf catalog refers to this club as an "Iron Lofter." Page 3 of Jim "The Spalding man"
Cooper's book Early United States Golf Clubs by A.G. Spalding & Bros., Wright & Ditson and Bridgeport Gun Implement Co. shows another one of these irons and dates it 1893-1896.

This old soldier was one of the first clubs sold in America by the first company to produce and sell golf clubs in America.

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