President JFK's Gifted Initialed & Customized Axaline MGA Putter - Sworn Letter of Provenance

This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 11/27/2022

President JFK's Gifted Initialed & Customized Axaline MGA Putter - Sworn Letter of Provenance

All golf enthusiasts have seen images of JFK playing golf during his Presidency at Hyannisport Golf Club and Burning Tree Golf Club, but we have never offered a personal game used golf club belonging to the 35th President of The United States. Indeed, but before you is JFK’s Axaline MGA brass putter, which was gifted to the President for his birthday in 1959 by Senator George Smathers of Florida.

The history of this monogrammed “J.F.K.” Putter is traced in the attached 5 page sworn Letter of Provenance signed by the current owner. After JFK’s death, Mrs. Jackie Kennedy returned the putter to Senator Smathers in 1965 who later on gave this putter to his son, Bruce Smathers, in 1978. The younger Smathers kept it for 20 years and gifted it to his friend and business associate, L. Joe Scallan, the current owner. These events are all detailed in the sworn statement of Mr. Scallan who learned the history of this important artifact from Senator Smathers himself in 1998. This history was later confirmed by JFK, Jr. during a chance meeting with Mr. Scallan in the Spring of 1999 at Teterboro Airport, NJ. JFK, Jr. recalled Senator Smathers and told Mr. Scallan that he knew Senator Smathers gave his father a rocking chair and a “little golf club with his initials on it.” It is believed this putter was used by President Kennedy periodically from 1959 until he stopped playing golf in 1962 due to his ailing back, but there is no further evidence besides this sworn, notorized document, giving us reason to believe President Kennedy played with it consistently.

This Putter has been stored in various homes and offices since 1965 and not used by any other golfer. Here is your opportunity to own a historic putter belonging to JFK! This piece is new to the market and has never before been offered to the golf collector community. Don’t pass up this opportunity to own a quality museum piece. Measures 35"

The Golf Auction is proud to present this eclectic group of memorabilia representing all areas of the golf collecting world. Please utilize the categories column to help navigate you towards your preferred collectibles. Bids must be placed before 10pm ET, Sunday, November 27th in order to participate in extended bidding

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Place your bids now as this auction will close beginning at 10:00pm EDT Sunday, November 27th. When placing your INITIAL bid in the auction, you must agree to the terms BEFORE confirming your bid. All items with multiple bidders in the auction will be eligible for the extended bidding period. Each lot will have its OWN COUNTDOWN CLOCK set for a 30-minute interval, and 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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