Old Tom Morris Family Collection

In this auction, we have the extreme privilege of offering items from Old Tom Morris' personal collection that have been passed down in his family since his death in 1908. The offered items are being consigned to Golden Age by an heir of Old Tom Morris, and are being seen publicly for the very first time in this auction.  

Old Tom Morris' Personal 1844 Family Bible

Offered here is the actual Tom Morris Family Bible. This Bible is dated 1844 - the same year that 23 year old Tom Morris married Agnes (Nancy) Bayne. We can only presume that this was a wedding present or otherwise was purchased or gifted as the couple started their own life together as husband and wife. Tom Morris was a religious man, and this Bible likely played a significant role in the Morris family household throughout their life in St Andrews, Prestwick, and then again in St Andrews.

The Tom Morris Family Bible was then given to his only daughter Elizabeth (Lizzie), likely as a wedding gift when she married her brother Tommy's best friend James Hunter in 1875. Inside each of Lizzie's children's names and birth/death dates have been handwritten, including Tommy Morris, who was born and named after his famous uncle less than 3 months after Young Tom Morris' untimely death on Christmas Day 1875.

The inside of the Bible is ornately hand-inscribed in fountain pen:

From
Tom Morris St Andrews
to
His only Daughter
Lizzie
Married to James Hunter 25th February 1875
Children born of the marriage 
Tommy Morris born 19th March 1876 died 15th May 1876
Agnes Payne born 21st June 1877
William Bruce born 13th June 1879
Elizabeth Gray born 24th July 1883
Jamesina born 25th June 1886
5 months after the death her father
who died at Mobile, Ala 31st Jan 1886

This extraordinary 180+ year old Bible from the Tom Morris Family is in exceptional condition. Gold gilded pages. This Bible is HUGE. It weighs 13 pounds! The book measures 12 1/2" x 10 1/2" and is almost 4" thick. After being given from Old Tom Morris to his daughter Lizzie, it was then passed down in Lizzie's family, and is being consigned to auction by Old Tom Morris' (and Lizzie's) heirs today. 

Feather ball is shown for perspective and is not part of this lot, but is its own lot in this auction.

Letter of Provenance from the Old Tom Morris Family