2023 April Golf Memorabilia Auction - Closing Date 4/10/2023
This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 4/9/2023
Bobby Jones' Personal c. 1940's L.A. Young Co. Walter Hagen Golf Bag w/ Letter
The crown jewel of esteemed sports memorabilia industry trailblazer Thomas Steinhardt's world-class golf collection is featured in lot #1 - Bobby Jones' own brown leather golf bag originally sourced from Augusta National! The closely documented bag's well warranted publicity tour has included its chronicling in the staple publication 'Sports Collectors Digest' August 2000 issue and the hardbound book 'Great Golf Collections of the World' by Dick McDonough and Peter Georgiady on page 69. Both picture the museum-grade piece proudly displayed in Steinhardt's glass case. It is centered on the first photo page of the only collection in the book spanning 8 pages - most only half of that. While Steinhardt is the last and Bobby Jones himself the first in the origin story, it would be handled by two other individuals in between - one with the Jones last name and the other a member of Augusta, Georgia royalty.
The Masters Tournament has arrived! The golfing spectacle steeped in rich tradition vividly remembers a gentleman named Robert Tyre Jones Jr. who started it all. Nearby, the Frank Christian family has chronicled the excellence at Augusta National since prior to Jones and Clifford Roberts' inception of the club in 1933. The Christian photography studio is still a landmark of the town. Deeply interwoven in the Augusta, Georgia cloth, Frank J. Christian was presented with Bobby Jones' personal leather golf bag incredibly out of the Augusta National Golf Club's locker room by way of his son Robert Tyre Jones III. Jones III was an accomplished amateur golfer in his own right, playing in three US Amateurs and falling in 1959 coincidentally to a young man named Jack Nicklaus. Thomas Steinhardt would then acquire the bag from Christian shortly after the date of the Frank J. Christian letter of provenance was drafted in 1989. Both a scan of the aforementioned Sports Collectors Digest article and McDonough and Georgiady's book is featured in the final photo, the book is not included in the lot and used for reference.
Bobby Jones' own extraordinary monochromatic brown leather LA Young Walter Hagen bag's last patent date is October 13, 1925 is before you here. Preserved to nearly a century later and up for bidding as perhaps the only known Bobby Jones personal golf bag in existence - only fitting is for it's public listing in The Golf Auction's April offering. Two large zippered side pockets, still operating, are joined by a leather carrying strap and matching handle. Its original, matching, brown leather cover accompanies Jones' bag. The Frank J. Christian signed letter of provenance on Studio letterhead dated January 5, 1989 reads as below.
"To Whom It May Concern
I certify that I personally know this leather golf bag originally belonged to Bobby Jones. He gave it to his son, who used it, and had it in his locker at Augusta National, until the time of his death. A member who shared a locker with Bob's son gave it to me in 1988 - Frank Christian." From Bobby Jones' to his son, and then ownership stops at Augusta photographer Frank Christian and esteemed collector Thomas Steinhardt, to now the winning bidder! Make it a Masters to remember with an acquisition you will never forget.
The Golf Auction is proud to present our 2023 April Auction. This is a large eclectic group of memorabilia representing all areas of the golf collecting world, so please utilize the categories column to help navigate you towards your preferred collectibles. Bids must be placed before 10pm ET, Sunday, April 9th in order to participate in extended bidding
AUCTION CLOSING RULES:
Place your bids NOW. The auction will close beginning at 10:00pm EDT Sunday, April 9th. When placing your INITIAL bid in the auction, you must agree to the terms BEFORE confirming your bid. Each lot has its own 30 minute countdown clock during extended bidding. The clock will extend 30-minutes from the time of the most recently placed bid for that lot. If no bids are placed on that lot during a 30-minute period, the lot will close. Place your bids now!
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