This c. 1880 putter was made by James Anderson. Once the best golfer in the world, Anderson won the British Open 3 times in succession, in 1877, 1878, and 1879. Anderson came to the forefront shortly after the death of Young Tom Morris. They both won three successive Open championships.

This club has been used but remains solid and attractive, with nice lines to the perimeter of the head.  The 34 1/2" shaft is original, and the grip is evenly worn but appears original original.  Anderson's original finish is worn in places but the club still looks good  The head measures 5 5/16" long, 1 7/8" wide, and 1 1/8" in face depth.

In addition to being an outstanding golfer, Anderson was a skilled club and ball maker, as this club attests.  He was the first apprentice/assistant Robert Forgan employed after taking over Hugh Philp's business in 1856. When Tom Morris moved from Prestwick to St. Andrews in 1864, Anderson had also learned to make golf balls working with his father, Old Daw.

Anderson was working for Tom Morris when the Royal Perth Golfing Society offered him the professional job in 1865.  Royal Perth, however, did not hire him at that time because Anderson's price was too high.  Nevertheless, Anderson struck out on his own and established a clubmaking business in St. Andrews. Two-time Open champ Bob Martin went to work for Anderson at some point in the late 1860s/early 1870s. Martin, born in 1852, served his full clubmaking apprenticeship under Anderson.  Leaving St. Andrews for a brief period, Jamie took a job working for Ardeer Golf Club in Ayrshire in 1882 before he wound up working briefly at Royal Perth in 1883.  By 1890, Anderson was back working for Robert Forgan. By 1898, he was working for R.B. Wilson.  Towards the end of his life, Anderson's health became an issue and he died in a poor house in 1905. 

For more on Anderson, see TCA2 V1 p82-83.  (The auctioneer confesses his own deep appreciation for the fact that the man who made this club also scored an eagle and a hole-in-one across the last 4 holes of the British Open over 140 years ago, to win by two. Amazing!)