2020 April Memorabilia Auction Featuring Ken Venturi Collection
This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 4/12/2020
Circa 1850 Smooth Gutta Percha Golf Ball
The game of golf was entering a new era in 1848 when the Rev Adam Peterson of Scotland heated the rubber like sap of the Sapodilla tree,found in Malaysia, and formed it into a sphere to use as a golf ball. The Gutta Percha ball aka "Smooth,Guttie" was formed. This ball withstood the hazards of being struck with a club far better then the age old featherie. In short time it was found that this new age sphere flew better when nicked or cut leading to the dimple structure on golf balls and the end of the smooth guttie era. The transition from featherie to gutta percha ball was not without controversy as the leading featherie maker of the day, Allan Robertson, would fire his apprentice on the spot when he was found using a guttie. That apprentice was none other then Old Tom Morris. Robertson who saw his marketplace for featheries being compromised soon adjusted to the new marketplace and became a leading maker of the guttie. Any markings of a specified Scottish ball maker are no longer visible on this example. This good condition ball displays slight wear, crazing and cuts.
AUCTION CLOSING RULES:
Place your bids now as this auction will end at 9:00pm EST Sunday, April 12th with EXTENDED BIDDING to follow. All items that have received multiple bids in the auction will remain open until no items have received a bid within a 15 minute time period (at 10pm EST, the countdown clock will be adjusted to a 5 minute interval). Place your bids now!
1. You must place your initial bids BEFORE extended bidding begins in order to bid on the item in extended bidding
2. During extended bidding, you are allowed to bid only on items you PREVIOUSLY placed a bid on.
3. All lots that are active in extended bidding will close at the same time, and those with only ONE or NO BIDS will close at 9pm EST
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