off topic Antique golf-themed mirror: great find or junk?

[Stoner]

I'm no American Picker, but something caught my eye at the local Goodwill, so I grabbed it. I really have no idea if it's worth anything (well, I bought it, so it's worth something).

 

It's 26 inches wide, 39 inches tall and 2.5 inches deep. It has old hardware on the back and no manufacturer information. There's sort of a corrugated cardboard backing on the back of the mirror, so of course the first thing I did was pull it back gently to see if there was an original copy of the Constitution or a Bobby Jones autographed scorecard or something tucked in there. No such luck.

 

Some of the items in the frame are intriguing. The doo-daddy with the golf ball handle that looks like a paddle might be a scoop they used a long time ago to mound up sand to tee your ball on (pre- golf tee). The balls at the bottom look very old. They're not dimpled like modern balls. One of the iron heads has curved grooves, another a textured pattern. There's a box with tees that says Bobby Tees. The medallion says Nice Country Club. The plaque (or little book) says Royal and Ancient Game of Golf. Some of the items look like they're lacquered (?).

 

It doesn't look like anything that would have been mass produced.

 

Any idea what I have here? I don't want to get 100 bucks for it on eBay and then find out it's a priceless treasure from St. Andrews worth millions!

 

[darksabre]

It looks like something you'd see in a pro shop. It does look hand made.

 

The tees are Bobby Jones tees. Probably circa the 1930s.

 

The scoop with the golf ball on it is actually a shoehorn. It appears to match the bottle opener. Are there any markings or writing on either of those items?

[Eleven]

You know, I've got a buddy who's an expert in golf-themed mirrors. Mind if I call him in to take a look?

 

More seriously: It's a low-res image that we're looking at, but that looks straight out of a SkyMall or Hammacher Schlemmer catalogue. You know, a gift for the man who has everything for his golf man cave but a mirror, so that he can stare deeply into his own soul and contemplate golf.

 

If you can get $100 on eBay, I think you should jump at it, because I suspect it's worth about $10.

 

I will, of course, defer to others who know more about mirrors, golf, and/or SkyMall catalogues.

[Stoner]

It looks like something you'd see in a pro shop. It does look hand made.

 

The tees are Bobby Jones tees. Probably circa the 1930s.

 

The scoop with the golf ball on it is actually a shoehorn. It appears to match the bottle opener. Are there any markings or writing on either of those items?

 

No other markings on those items. Shoe horn, never thought of that.

 

You know, I've got a buddy who's an expert in golf-themed mirrors. Mind if I call him in to take a look?

 

More seriously: It's a low-res image that we're looking at, but that looks straight out of a SkyMall or Hammacher Schlemmer catalogue. You know, a gift for the man who has everything for his golf man cave but a mirror, so that he can stare deeply into his own soul and contemplate golf.

 

If you can get $100 on eBay, I think you should jump at it, because I suspect it's worth about $10.

 

I will, of course, defer to others who know more about mirrors, golf, and/or SkyMall catalogues.

 

I don't think it was mass produced.

[darksabre]

No other markings on those items. Shoe horn, never thought of that.

 

They seem to be a pretty common item. I can't find any that look quite like that one though. Which doesn't bode well for it being valuable. There seem to be examples of them being an item you used to get with a set of golf tees.

 

Outside of the actual golf equipment the rest of it looks pretty chintzy. Like Eleven says, it looks like a man cave item. There's not enough branding on it to make it an item I'd expect to see in say a 1950s era pro-shop.

[Stoner]

They seem to be a pretty common item. I can't find any that look quite like that one though. Which doesn't bode well for it being valuable. There seem to be examples of them being an item you used to get with a set of golf tees.

 

Outside of the actual golf equipment the rest of it looks pretty chintzy. Like Eleven says, it looks like a man cave item. There's not enough branding on it to make it an item I'd expect to see in say a 1950s era pro-shop.

 

Well, yeah, it's a long shot that it's worth anything. But maybe it was slapped together in 1930 at some country club, and the individual components like the old balls and club heads have some historical value.

[Eleven]

Well, yeah, it's a long shot that it's worth anything. But maybe it was slapped together in 1930 at some country club, and the individual components like the old balls and club heads have some historical value.

 

I really think they're all replicas. Check out the box of tees in the lower right of the item (upper right of the picture).

 

Hope I'm wrong and you're now worth $1B, so you can buy the Bills and meddle.

[LastPommerFan]

If the tees are legit, they may be worth something

[Stoner]

I really think they're all replicas. Check out the box of tees in the lower right of the item (upper right of the picture).

 

Hope I'm wrong and you're now worth $1B, so you can buy the Bills and meddle.

 

The club heads aren't replicas. They have holes where the shafts were inserted.

[LastPommerFan]

The club heads aren't replicas. They have holes where the shafts were inserted.

 

Can you get the clubs out? Are the maker markings on the back?

[Stoner]

Can you get the clubs out? Are the maker markings on the back?

 

It looks like I could get to them, but I don't want to mess with it. I'm the guy who gets things apart but can't get them back together.

[LastPommerFan]

just flipping through that book i linked to, it appears that there are a fair amount of club makers from that time period (the tees put you in 1930s if they're legit) that made irons worth hundreds of dollars now. might be worth a shot.

[Eleven]

Hey, take it to an expert, it is certainly worth a shot.

[Sabres Fan in NS]

Hey, take it to an expert, it is certainly worth a shot.

 

Except when that expert tells you it's junk and gives you a Franklin (is that what you yanks call a c-note?) for it just because he feels sorry for you and you had to schlep it down to his shop.

 

Then the expert turns around and sells it for 10 Franklins.

 

PA, try to do some more research on the matter first before taking it to someone. Google may be your friend.

[That Aud Smell]

Hope I'm wrong and you're now worth $1B, so you can buy the Bills and meddle.

Thank you. So much.

[MattPie]

Except when that expert tells you it's junk and gives you a Franklin (is that what you yanks call a c-note?) for it just because he feels sorry for you and you had to schlep it down to his shop.

 

Then the expert turns around and sells it for 10 Franklins.

 

PA, try to do some more research on the matter first before taking it to someone. Google may be your friend.

 

Actually, c-note is still the slang other than rap (of 15 years ago) in which they are "Benjamins". See: All about the Benjamins, although Weird Al's All about the Pentiums has better rhymes.

[Stoner]

Now, for a limited time, it can be yours! But wait there's more... OK, there isn't.

 

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=221523017926

 

My only hope is that several Muffies get their panties in a wad and their Chets need to buy something to feel better about their lives, and the golf-capped, WASPy ###### start a bidding war.

[Eleven]

Now, for a limited time, it can be yours! But wait there's more... OK, there isn't.

 

http://cgi.ebay.com/...em=221523017926

 

My only hope is that several Muffies get their panties in a wad and their Chets need to buy something to feel better about their lives, and the golf-capped, WASPy ###### start a bidding war.

 

Here's your chance to put your plan into action, NS.

[Sabres Fan in NS]

Now, for a limited time, it can be yours! But wait there's more... OK, there isn't.

 

http://cgi.ebay.com/...em=221523017926

 

My only hope is that several Muffies get their panties in a wad and their Chets need to buy something to feel better about their lives, and the golf-capped, WASPy ###### start a bidding war.

 

Did you give yourself that 10 star rating yourself, Mr. sabrefan66?

 

:flirt:

 

Here's your chance to put your plan into action, NS.

 

Hey, I'm no expert, in anything.

 

You first.

 

To get the sabrespace bidding war started ... I'll bid 1$.

 

Seriously, PA I hope some Chet outbids all the Chets out there. You know how they like to compete at keeping their Muffies happy.

[Stoner]

Yikes, for someone with a pretty good imagination, my Internet handles are quite lame. I really choke when it comes time to create those.

[Samson's Flow]

Yikes, for someone with a pretty good imagination, my Internet handles are quite lame. I really choke when it comes time to create those.

Careful. Sometimes imaginitive internet handles and usernames can backfire on you when you are stuck with an outdated/innapropriate reference.

 

Sincerely, Touched by Boyes.

[Sabres Fan in NS]

Yikes, for someone with a pretty good imagination, my Internet handles are quite lame. I really choke when it comes time to create those.

 

Oh, I don't know PASabreFan is pretty cool. Especially since you are in Havana.

 

Careful. Sometimes imaginitive internet handles and usernames can backfire on you when you are stuck with an outdated/innapropriate reference.

 

Sincerely, Touched by Boyes.

 

:w00t:

 

Still not changing it, eh?

[darksabre]

Careful. Sometimes imaginitive internet handles and usernames can backfire on you when you are stuck with an outdated/innapropriate reference.

 

Sincerely, Touched by Boyes.

 

It's vintage.

[LastPommerFan]

Careful. Sometimes imaginitive internet handles and usernames can backfire on you when you are stuck with an outdated/innapropriate reference.

 

Sincerely, Touched by Boyes.

 

It's past tense. You're still good.

[shrader]

Yikes, for someone with a pretty good imagination, my Internet handles are quite lame. I really choke when it comes time to create those.

 

You're infinitely more creative with your username than I am. Ok, maybe there's a touch if creativity in mine. I did start it with a lowercase letter.