A. Tooley & Sons and William Gibson are the two makers of these "Powerful" irons. Both are rustless irons and in beautiful condition. 38 1/2” Tooley & 38” Gibson shaft lengths.

According to a Tooley & Sons advertisement, “ ‘Powerful’ Irons” were produced as cleeks, irons, mashies, mashie niblicks, niblicks, and jiggers. Powerful Irons were designed (as almost any golf club advertisement is expected to state) to help the golfer hit the ball farther. But according to Tooley’s ad. these clubs do not stop at that. They will also hit straighter, keep the ball from ever skying, cheat the wind, and render woods unnecessary:

"A club designed to ensure greater length and accuracy from the tee or through the green. An iron club to fulfill the duties of the wooden club and easier to handle. These clubs, made with the weight at the top of the blade instead of the sole, the reverse of ordinary clubs, force the player to strike with the heaviest part thus ensuring greater length. Furthermore, the sole of the blade being the lighter and thinner part, is below the centre of the ball when struck, and consequently there is little or no danger of 'skying." The trajectory of the ball struck with this “Powerful" club is low, therefore wind has little effect on its flight It is a wind cheater.

"The advantages are accentuated when we come to mashies and mashie niblicks. A full shot with an ordinary mashie is a three-quarter shot with this 'Powerful'mashie. No bunker, bush or rut is too ugly for the 'Powerful' niblick; the weight is in the right place, it is behind the club as it strikes the obstruction and gets to the ball and forces it out. Try a'Powerful'club and see your handicap come down" (Fraser's 1924,255).

Is it just me, or does none of this make sense? Here's to crazy ideas!