Lot # 30: Machine Line Cut Gutty c.1875

Category: Golf Balls

Starting Bid: $100.00

Bids: 13 (Bid History)

Time Left: Auction closed
Lot / Auction Closed




This lot is closed. Bidding is not allowed.

Item was in Auction "Spring 2024",
which ran from 3/28/2024 3:00 PM to
4/13/2024 8:00 PM



This mesh-pattern solid gutty ball is not your normal mesh pattern ball. It is actually a far more rare line-cut ball.  Such balls were a major step in the evolution of the golf ball, replacing the hand-hammered ball.  

A line-cut ball was originally molded in a smooth gutty mold and then removed and placed into a small cutting lathe designed to score the surface of gutta percha golf balls.  The ballmaker would turn the lathe's handle and that caused the machine to rotate the ball, cutting lines into its surface.  After rotating the ball 90 degrees, the maker would cut in a second set of lines at a right angle to the first set.  Finally, the ballmaker would reposition the ball and cut a third set of lines around the circumference.  Typically, the resulting mesh pattern would be reasonably symmetrical, often times making it hard to distinguish a line cut ball from a molded mesh ball.

On this ball, the lines are well cut, but as can be seen in most of the images, the lines are not all at right angles.  The lines in one direction are really off!

The lack of right angles demonstrate that this ball is a genuine line-cut ball, made after ballmakers moved away from hand-hammering balls but before they used molds engraved with the mesh pattern found on line-cut balls.  It wasn't until the early 1880s before molds with patterns began to enter the world of ballmakig. On molded mesh-pattern gutty balls from the 1890s, the pattern is perfect every time. 

Finding a machine cut mesh pattern this far off is highly desirable.  It testifies to the age of this ball in no uncertain terms. While this ball has a few light strike marks and blemishes to its surface, it is in excellent condition overall and would stand out in any ball collection.  That, and it is a true rarity. 

TCA2 V2 p 763-764

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