2022 January Memorabilia Auction - Closing Date 02/06/2022
This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 2/6/2022
Circa 1890-95 John E Laidlay in Red Jacket Polychrome Cold-Painted Bronze Figure - #4
Generally recognized as the finest piece of golf statuary known to exist, this exquisite 16 1/2" tall circa 1890-1895 statue is one (1) of only two (2) known examples in existence today! This rarity graced the cover of the 1991 Sporting Antiquities Catalog featuring a two day golf and sports memorabilia auction and the inside cover of a Bonhams Catalog featuring quality golf memorabilia. Included with this museum quality original cold painted bronze is a signed handwritten note from the statue’s subject, the great John Laidlay, who captured the 1889 & 1891 British Amateur Championships and finished 2nd in the 1893 Open Championship as an amateur. The statue itself has been signed by the Artist G. Gonnella of Dundee and the foundry is Edward & Sons, Glasgow & London.
This Bronze is stamped #4 and is in outstanding condition with only a few areas of minor paint loss. This beauty also comes with a hand written note by Laidlay signed “JE Laidlay.” This rare and impressive 19th century statue was owned by the late Will Roberto who bought this great golf collectible in 1991 at the Sporting Antiquities auction in the States...although there may have been 4 bronzes made, only 2 are known to exist...McDonough: Great Golf Collections of the World, page 77. The sale of Bronze #2 occurred in 2019 and it sold for $30,325.00
John Ernest Laidlay was a Scottish amateur golfer who 'invented' the most popular golf grip used today, although the grip is credited to Harry Vardon. J. H. Taylor said that whilst playing with Laidlay he noted him using the over lapping grip long before Vardon began to use it. Laidlay in turn credited a good amateur golfer at Muirfield as the person he first observed using the grip and that he copied it. As noted above Laidlay won the British Amateur Championship twice but was also the runner-up three more times, in 1888, 1890, and 1893. He won over 130 amateur medals during his playing career, representing Scotland every year from 1902 to 1911. He has been called the 'last of the gentlemen golfers'." He died in 1940. A super tough autograph and a near impossible statue of the finest quality - bid now!
This is a once in a lifetime investment opportunity and a must have for any golf museum or serious collector wanting the best of the best!
Click above for larger image.