This is something quite special, a Fairlie’s patent anti-shank niblick. Yes, there are plenty Fairlie’s patent clubs around from Tom Stewart, Forgan, Gibson, Craigie and a host of other makers. That is because Fairlie [see the clubmaker entry for him] was an exceedingly rich amateur who became even richer when he married into the Gordon sherry dynasty. He had no financial need to protect his patent so let it lapse which meant many clubmakers copied the pattern without the need to pay royalties.

The clubs in his patent of April 1891 were first made by Anderson of Anstruther and this must have been one of the earliest. The patent granted was 189106682A Improvements in Metal Headed Golf Clubs so I presume the number stamped on this club was the application number or its acknowledgement “4257”. It is also stamped with the small pre-1895 circular Anderson cleekmark and “F Fairlie’s Patent”.

I’ve dithered for a long time on how best to restore it and ultimately decided the best thing to do was respect its age and leave it alone, just taking off any potentially destructive rust and leaving the rich patina. There is no grip at the end of a perfectly straight hickory shaft but, again, I decided to leave well alone as I think the underlisting is interesting. First a thick layer of woollen cloth to absorb the shock in the hands when hitting out of cart tracks or similar difficult lies but then linen cloth, only a fragment left, above this. This was often used as listing on its own so I do not know why it was added here, perhaps the grip adhered better to it than the wool.

A great club for any antique club collection as it was an influential design, predating the anti=shank patents of Lowe and Smith with clubs in this form produced right up to the end of the hickory era. Also a superb unique gift for any golfer interested in the history of the game.

Price $600.00 Reference: NIB262