This feather ball is from the famous Harry B. Wood Collection, which Wood himself has dated 1834. It bears the well-recognized small paper label bearing Wood's handwritten notation. These labels were created by Wood in order to display his grand collection of memorabilia in the late 1800s and very early 1900s. Many of Wood’s original labels have, quite reasonably, aged poorly over the past 100+ years. But not this example, which is practically mint.

This 1830s feather ball is unused, and still exhibits some fine white lead paint that retains the grain and print of the ballmaker's skin as he painted the ball in the palm of his hands. A truly remarkable example of a feather golf ball. 

Harry B. Wood began his collection in 1868, just two years after the Royal & Ancient announced their own intentions to assemble a museum. Few golf antiques share the provenance and history of items from the Harry B. Wood Collection.