Lot # 279: Early American Lofter. One of the Earliest Spalding Irons

Starting Bid: $150.00

Bids: 3 (Bid History)

Time Left: Auction closed
Lot / Auction Closed




This lot is closed. Bidding is not allowed.

Item was in Auction "Summer 2020",
which ran from 7/8/2020 12:00 PM to
7/25/2020 8:00 PM



This lofter is marked at the toe on the back of the head with Spalding's earliest baseball cleekmark.   According to Jim "The Spalding Man" Cooper in his book, "Early United States Golf Clubs by A.G. Spalding & Bros..." the baseball cleekmark on the back of this clubhead (shown in an accompanying image) was one of the first two cleekmarks Spalding used, and was offered in Spalding's initial 1893 catalog and for a few years thereafter.

Also, according to Cooper, Spalding irons with the distinct knurling atop this hosel were offered only in Spalding's 1896 catalog, so this particular club would have been made then. Some of these knurled-hosel irons had screw-in shafts while others were pinned.  The auctioneer was unable to find a pin in this hosel, but was also unable to unscrew the shaft.  It is quite possible that this iron has a pin so well finished that it is not visible on the sides of the hosel.  Such is the case on some irons from this era. The sheepskin grip is large and appears to be original. 

Loaded with character, this lofter is an outstanding example of one of the earliest irons ever made in America.

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