Talk about putting backspin on a ball—this club could literally rip off pieces of the cover in doing so!

Stamped "H Logan's Genii Model Mashie Patent No. 22,170" etc. on the back of the head, this club not only featured Logan's 1905 patent hosel that incorporates a curve at its base, it uses Fredrick Taylor's rasp face design, covered under a 1903 US patent No 732,126. Frederick Taylor's patent called for a rasp face on “baffles, mashies, and niblicks”:

"A leading feature of my invention consists in providing the face of a club of the kinds indicated with such outwardly-projecting teeth, which by preference I make of the kind usually formed upon the file cut portion of rasps..."

One would think that only somebody selling golf balls would devise an iron with pointed steel teeth designed to bite into (and destroy) the cover of a ball, but that was not the case. According to his patent, Taylor was merely a dissatisfied golfer seeking to devise an iron that would impart backspin even on short approach shots. 

While effective at generating backspin, the club was not effective at generating sales for obvious reasons.  This is only the second on of these the auctioneer has seen.  The other is shown on page 278 in The Clubmaker's Art, Second Edition, Volume 1.  

The 36 1/2" original shaft still has its original leather-wrapped grip. "Anderson & Blyth, Special, St. Andrews" is stamped on the shaft but part of the writing is covered with the original grip.  Owners intials "MM" are stamped on the back of the head.  The back of the hosel bears the initials JFP and two starburst designs.  All the stamps are strong, and the original patina is undisturbed. GREAT Club!