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Irish
Golf Memorabilia Auction Review - 2002
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Auction
results were buoyant throughout the year but began to show signs
of waning towards the end but this would not be unusual. Old Golf
Auctions showed the most significant contributions to Irish Golf
Memorabilia being placed on the market. Most notably their October
auction of centenary and commemorative books produced one unusual
item but many unusual results. While Pacific Book auction house
and Ebay did provide further interest for collectors the major auction
houses had little in the way of significant Irish memorabilia.
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Books
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significant portion of collectors swag was in the form of books a
collection for which Old Golf Auctions can justifiably be proud went
on sale in October. The lots included a very rare history of the Royal
Dublin Golf Club 1865-1963 which sold for Stg£95. What was more unusual
were the prices being achieved for centenary books which perhaps wouldn’t
have been that long out of print. The most notable examples would
have been Lahinch:1992 (Stg£90), County Sligo : 1991 (Limited Edition)
Stg£45 and County Meath : 1998 (Stg£40). On the other side of the
Atlantic at the PBA auction house George C. Nash’s first edition books
were up for auction, Letters to the secretary of a Golf Club ($250)
and another part of the trilogy of books General Forcursue & Co.
with DW ($130). Nash’s booklet Golfing in Northern Ireland continues
to achieve Stg95 at auction.
The
most expensive Irish Book to go up for sale was Lionel Hewson very
rare The Irish Golfers Guide 1910 was withdrawn at auction at Stg£775
and later sold for in excess for Stg£900
there was some stains to the front cover and there are probably
very few copies in existence (only one other known copy).
Dell Leigh’s classic ‘Golf at its best on the LMS’ 1936 which includes
information on Royal Dublin and Portrush was withdrawn at Stg£200.
Eoin McQuillans : The Fred Daly Story which was signed by Fred Daly,
who won the 1947 Open Championship, sold
for Stg£85. The Henry Longhurst Golf In Ireland 19pg brochure sold
for $26.
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Programmes
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Irish Open programme from the 1950 Open held at Royal County Dublin
sold for Stg£182.50 but it contained 13 signatures of the players
taking part including Daly, Bradshaw. Pickworth, J.B.Carr etc. A signed
Max Faulkner 1951 Open Championship programme was withdrawn at Stg£750. |
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Postcards
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two of the most sought after postcards in Irish Golf appeared on Ebay
during the year. Mann’s Bunker on the Royal Portrush Golf Links c.1905
sold for $31. It shows Rhona Adair hitting a ball over the mammoth
hazard. The other a Lady Golfer driving from the 5th at
the Portsalon Golf Links published by Lawrence : Dublin sold for $34.95.
This likely dated back to early in the twentieth century c.1907. |
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Badges
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1927 Irish Ladies Golf Union Pin sold for $49.99. |
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Markers
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Here there was a lot of activity especially in the markers for Irish
courses celebrating centenaries and significant events most notably
the 1951 Open at Portrush and the 1991 Walker Cup match at Portmarnock. |
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Autographs
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| A
signed Padraig Harrington autograph sold for Stg£24 at Ebay. Activity
in the autographs is restricted to the current players and as such
don’t usually achieve high values because they would not be considered
rare or scarce. |
