This 7-club set of RTJ irons consists of a 1-2-3-4-5, spade mashie and mashie niblick.  All have original leather wrap grips.  Stewart’s inspection dot mark is on the back of the blade on four of the seven irons. 38" 1 iron, 38 1/2" 2 iron.

The initials “R.T.J.,” stamped on each iron, are those of the legendary Robert Tyre Jones Jr.  Bobby Jones, as he was known, is still considered by many the greatest player the game has ever known. 

In 1929 Bobby Jones’s personal set of clubs was stolen from the trunk of his car but returned to him shortly afterwards. Following this experience and using his personal specifications, Jones ordered a “backup” set of irons from Stewart. Jones, the consummate amateur, authorized Stewart to produce only a single set of irons. However, Tom Stewart, the opportunistic businessman, did not stop production after fulfilling Jones’s request. Clearly aware that Jones was at the top of the golf world, Stewart began to reproduce the clubs he made for Jones. These clubs were marked with Jones’s initials “RTJ” in block letters on the toe or with “FO\RTJ” in script on the toe. The initials “FO” identify another famous amateur: Francis Ouimet.

These “personal” models were made in 1930, and possibly briefly during 1931. Stewart’s catalog for 1930 offers, “Sets of Iron Heads made as used by Mr. Robert T. Jones.”  The only advertisement for these clubs the auctioneer is aware of is found in the 1931 Fraser's International Golf Year Book which reads, “R.T.J. Model. Pipe Brand (Tom Stewart), with Shock Absorber Shaft.” Such an advertisement would have been submitted before the dose of 1930, only months after Jones had won the Grand Slam. There was, however, one problem: Stewart did not have Jones’s authorization to produce clubs bearing Jones’s initials.

In producing these clubs for sale, Stewart, never intending to hurt Jones, was only trying to capitalize on Bob’s fame. Tom Stewart stopped producing his RTJ copies at the request of Jones, the preeminent golfer who was also a prominent attorney.

Despite being offered as sets, Stewart “RTJ” irons were not always sold as sets. Legend has it that Stewart was a shrewd businessman and, for the short period of time he was offering the RTJ irons, Stewart would send only a few to a good distributor or retailer whose account was paid up, and then only in conjunction with another healthy order. Judging from the few remaining sets of RTJ or RTJ/FO irons, this seems quite possible.

It is a glorious opportunity for collectors to bid on, all in one auction, both a 12-club and a 7-club set of hickory shafted RTJ’s plus an even harder to locate set of steel shaft RTJ’s. The getting is not just good, its great! 

Letter of Authenticity from the World Golf Hall of Fame