Antique Golf Club, Orion Putter By James Braid
Antique Golf Club, Orion Putter By James Braid
James Braid Orion Putter By William Gibson.
Hickory golf club putter by William Gibson, Fife, endorsed by five times Open Champion, James Braid. The club carries the James Braid endorsement autograph and the model name 'The Orion'. On the sole is the 'Out Line Star' cleek mark of Gibson with the words 'Medium Lie, Reg No. 348295'. The club has the original hickory shaft, a polished leather grip, the face with hand punched dot face markings, the head with a flanged back and to help with alignment the hosel, hickory shaft and leather grip all have a flat leading edge that faces the hole. Along with the model name 'The Orion' also stamped on the rear of the club head retailers details 'Lockwood - Brown's, 42 Jermyn Street, S.W.
The measurements shown are the length of the shaft with hosel and the width and depth of the face.
Some clubs will have a patent number or a registered design number. The difference being, the patent protects the invention, focusing on functionality and how it works, whilst a registered design protects the visual appearance, such as its shape, pattern or ornamentation.
Gibson's 'OUTLINE STAR' cleek mark was registered in 1906, although it had been used since Gibson began his business in the 1890's and was replaced with the 'DEEP STRUCK STAR' in the 1930's.
William Gibson was born in Kirkcaldy in 1868 and originally worked as a blacksmith. He apprenticed with James Anderson, Anstruther, during the late 1880's and by 1897 was part of the small firm of Stirling and Gibson based in Edinburgh. Upon his partners death in 1899 the firm's name changed to William Gibson & Co, moving to Kinghorn, Fife, in 1903. Initially he kept to only producing cleeks but by 1905 he had launched into full club making production, both irons and woods, with the clubs sporting the famous 'star' cleek mark. In 1906 Gibson started to produce what would become one of his most popular clubs and largest sellers the 'Genii' model. The clubs were revolutionary and were patented by Hugh Logan, with their offset head and goose neck hosel, they could be customised to suit most players requirements. Gibson's other successful line was the easily recognisable 'Star Maxwell' irons with their drilled hosels and flanged soles based on the patented design by Robert Maxwell. The business kept expanding and Gibson was acknowledged as one of the world's largest producer of golf clubs. His huge success was due to him being very open minded regarding club production and new designs, leading him to produce several economy brands as well as his top brands. He died in 1921 leaving his son George to continue running the business, though eventually going into voluntary liquidation on 1st July 1955.
Dimensions:
1850-1899
Circa 1899
steel & hickory
United Kingdom
Very good original condition. The blade putter is a little discolured.
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