The Willie Dunn celluloid truncated cone tee was devised by Willie Dunn Jr. and sponsored by Crawford, MacGregor, & Canby in 1898.  The company modified its logo to include Dunn's name. The tee was beautifully printed by the Whitehead & Hoag Company (famous for printed marketing trinkets) and is so marked on its base.  The backside of the tee is not glued, but stays together just the same as the celluloid, which is undamaged, is molded to this shape.

Willie Dunn was one of the most influential golfer personalities in America during the early 20th century. He was prominent as a player, businessman, club designer, course architect, and golf instructor among other things. A good portion of his career is covered in TCA2 v1 p210-211.

In 1896, Dunn established his club and ballmaking operation as well as a "golf gymnasium" in New York City.  Inside a room in what is now the old Madison Square Gardens in New York City he gave golf lessons.  In 1898, Dunn, after laying out a golf course in Dayton, Ohio, was hired to a supervisory position by a young clubmaking company—The Dayton Last Works.  The Dayton Last Works changed its name to Crawford, McGregor & Canby by 1900, when he was released from the company.

The accompanying circular collar paper tee made by Best Golf Tee was also part of a marketing concept--advertising a clothing tailor. This lightweight, disposable tee was originally devised by B. Benjamin of Oak Park, Illinois, in 1917. Good thing that this one was not disposed of!