Decades and decades before any golfer ever heard the acronym "COR," a few spring faces clubs were produced. This spring face iron uses six rivets to hold a corrugated steel face in place over a hollow head.  Spalding’s 1903 catalog states that spring face on these clubs was capable of delivering incredible distance AND that the ball will land “dead” when “approaching the green from a distance.“  That’s quite a combination, especially if it were true! 

Introduced in 1902, Spalding spring face irons were offered in Spalding’s American catalog between 1903 and 1919.  This example has its original shaft and grip. the back of the head is stamped with Spalding's Baseball Trademark and reads, albeit faintly, Spalding & Bros, Made in Gt Britain" etc. This is important as the British made irons were boldly advertised as having a "hollow steel head filled with gutta percha, and with corrugated steel face."

This example has two dents in the face that are not really noticeable until you get the light to shine just right on them. Ths 37 3/4" shaft and leather wrapped grip are original.

For more on Spalding's spring face irons, see TCA2 Vol 2 p 415