The unique head shape on this circa 1800 iron niblick was made before golfers adopted the small, round “golf-ball-size” club heads found on most 19th century iron niblicks, more commonly referred to today as rut or track irons.  The blade on this iron niblick measures 2 1/3” tall and 3” across its back including the back of the hosel. 

Because iron niblicks have small heads, they typically have long hosels to help provide the club with the weight needed.   The hosel on this club is indeed sizeable, measuring 5 3/4” in length and 13/16” thick with good sawtooth nicking. The 38” shaft appears to be ash, which is what would be expected on such an old club, and it measures 11/16” in thickness above the hosel.  The many flat spots on the hand-hewn shaft can be felt by lightly holding the shaft in one hand while rotating the shaft with the other.  The shaft is original, as is the sheepskin grip. The blackish color of the wrought iron used to forge this head is a great feature.  It is also evidence that this club was made approximately 225 years ago.

The ”three iron” image included with this lot shows, this iron niblick, the heavy iron also in this auction as a separate lot, and a Carrick cleek (neither part of this lot nor in this auction). The Carrick lofter is circa 1870, with a 5" hosel, and shows how irons downsized between the time this iron niblick and the Carrick cleek were made.  The change is clearly apparent in the thickness/size of the hosel and shaft.  This iron niblick was made the better part of a century earlier.

This iron niblick and the heavy iron offered in this auction as a separate lot (but shown together at the end of the images of this lot) came from the same consignor and have likely traveled through their history together.  Even in 1850, these two clubs would have been seen as relics of the game. 

Long story short, both this iron niblick and the companion heavy iron are fabulous clubs!  Forged from a bar of wrought iron, using primarily a hammer, anvil, and sweat, this iron niblick will stand for all time as one of the oldest and finest iron niblicks known to the collecting world.  

 The feather ball shown in the images is for perspective only, and is not part of this lot.

(Lot inspected and description written by JE)