Irish Golf Memorabilia Auction Review - 2002

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.

Books

A 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The most expensive Irish Book to go up for sale was Lionel Hewson very rare The Irish Golfers Guide 1910 was withdrawn at auction at Stg£775 and later sold for in excess for Stg£900 there was some stains to the front cover and there are probably very few copies in existence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 Dell Leigh’s classic ‘Golf at its best on the LMS’ 1936 which includes information on Royal Dublin and Portrush was withdrawn at Stg£200.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.

Programmes

 An 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 A signed Max Faulkner 1951 Open Championship programme was withdrawn at Stg£750.

Postcards

Probably 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 5^th 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.

Badges

A 1927 Irish Ladies Golf Union Pin sold for $49.99.

Markers

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.

Autographs

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.