Irish Golf Memorabilia Auction Review - 2005

A reasonably slow season for collectors of Irish golf memorabilia with prices declining on previous years except for the high quality merchandise. Unusally golf clubs began to move to the fore although there isn't a significant pool of good quality Irish made clubs. Some very rare postcards came to the market during the year and their rarity was reflected in the prices realised.

Books

A signed (inscribed) Fred Daly book "Golf as I see it" sold for EUR125. A rare booklet by Bernard Darwin titled "Golf in Great Britain and Ireland" sold for EUR280. J.P. Murrays Golfing in Ireland 1952 sold for EUR95 at the PBA. Nash's golfing in Northern Ireland sold for EUR85. The centenary history of Royal Dublin sold for EUR55 w/o slipcase and Oscar Walker instruction book sold for EUR47.5. Bernard Darwin's The Golf Courses of the British Isles varied at auction from EUR500 to EUR1,100. A travel brochure titled "Come to Britain for Golf" (covering Britan and Northern Ireland) with a cover scene by Rowland Hilder and text by Bernard Darwin sold for EUR85. A 1959 GUI Yearbook sold for EUR29. Club Centenary – The Royal Dublin Golf Club 1885-1985 in original dark blue and gilt boards c/w its rare slip case (VG) sold for EUR105

Programmes

A Monday-Tuesday drawsheet from the 1951 Open championship held at Royal Portrush was sold for EUR50. A 1991 Walker Cup programme sold for EUR25.

Golf Curios

A Fred Daly turf cigarette card sold for EUR18. A 1951 British Open golf ball marker 1" coin sold for EUR105 while a Padraig Harrington w/s golf cap sold for EUR50 as had a glove signed by Darren Clarke. Fine Grange Golf Club silver cigarette box hallmarked Birmingham 1928 – with hinged lid sold for EUR140. Fine Vic. Golfer’s brass and mahogany revolving magazine rack stand with 4 brass divisions c/w carrying handle and 2 x matching 4.75” x 7.25” copper plaques to both sides embossed with the famous John Gilbert scene of King Charles 1 playing golf on Leith Links whilst receiving news of the Irish Rebellion – the mahogany base is mounted on three brass legs and fitted with a brass locking screw. Overall 36” x 15” x 10” – Illus. sold for EUR850; Lurgan Golf Club silver presentation cigarette box hallmarked Birmingham 1953 – the hinged lid profusely signed and engraved by members of Lurgan GC council and finely engraved to the front panel with presentation details 2” x 7” x 3.5” sold for EUR300.

Photographs

Louis T. Stanley's death saw some of his original photographs being placed up for auction and they included a picture of Harry Bradshaw which sold for EUR30.

Magazines

Art/Posters

Golf Clubs and Balls

W Rea & Sons hickory shaft transitional brassie with bone sole insert and full leather face was sold for EUR150 estimated by the seller as an 1885 club. The following advertisement appeared in the Irish Golfer 18 April 1900.

A Fred Smyth [Royal Dublin), Sid(ney) Fairweather (Malone Golf Club] spliced drivers sold for EUR80 and EUR50 respectively. A T. Stewart flanged putter which had been stamped with T. Shannon from the Hermitage Golf Club sold for EUR115. A Thomas Walker (Greystones] spliced neck driver sold for EUR95 and was estimated to date from 1905. The emphasis on quality is reflected in the fact that when a damaged John Aitken shortspoon went for sale which pre-dates all the previous clubs mentioned and it only achieved EUR20 at auction.

Irons from Willie McNamara (Lahinch) and Fred Smyth sold for EUR30 each while a Brown Melville 1914 Niblick sold for EUR20. An 1894 Bradell leather face patent driver by Charles Playfair sold for EUR385 while another 610 patent driver was up for sale with an open price of EUR850 and no bidders. Many Irish related clubs were sold during the year but few sold on their individual merits but sold as job lots averaging at between Stg10-Stg20 per club included in these were a jigger from H. Fitzhugh: Knock Belfast, Tom Hood's concentric zenith back mashie with a faint Gibson Kinghorn stamp mark, spoon stamped Tom McKinstry: Balmoral, a brassie stamped T. Benson: Greenisland Co. Antrim, L. Forshaw Lisburn GC showing the unusual Blacksmiths Forge cleek mark, John Knox Belfast an offset model niblick, irons stamped H. Hamill, Ormeau GC Belfast and the other stamped J. McCartney Ormeau GC., Approaching cleek stamped Alex Robertson Newcastle Co. Down and a Braddell: Belfast showing the Clover cleek mark, thick head blade putter.

Postcards

A very rare "Irish Golf Links" postcard from the London and North Western Railway was sold for Stg175 dated 1906 with a picture of Harry Vardon in full swing and red coat regalia transposed onto a map of Ireland. A Concorde FDC sold for EUR18 commemorating the flight home of the 1995 Ryder Cup team into Dublin illustrated with a picture of an Taoiseach greeting the victorious Ryder Cup team. A signed menu from the same flight sold for EUR640. An envelope with the 1960 Canada Cup stamp sold for EUR35. Many other postcards were sold during the year normally selling at between 15-30 Euros.