This original cabinet card contains quite possibly the most iconic of all known images of Young Tom Morris - posing with the Open Championship Challenge Belt. Young Tom Morris died at the age of 24 in 1875, and few original photographs of Young Tom are known to exist. And only a couple of those examples are original cabinet cards, which are coveted by collectors. Surely any such cabinet card would fetch thousands of dollars at auction, but the provenance written on the reverse of this original cabinet card appears to trace the cabinet card directly back to the Morris Family. 

When studio portraits became popular in the 1800’s (when only wealthy families could afford them), photographers would customarily produce a half dozen or so cabinet cards after the photography session, with additional copies available for purchase at an additional expense. These early cabinet cards were generally handed out to relatives – the very beginning of the tradition of trading photographs with other family members. According to the provenance written on the back of this cabinet card, this exact cabinet card was obtained when Young Tom Morris’ cousin Isabel W. Morris Gifted it to William Kilpatrick, Sr. It measures 4" x 2 1/2"

Inscription and Photographer's mark on back:    

 John Hardie, Photographer, St. Andrews

 Young Tommie Morris “golfer”
Wearing Championship Belt
1868-1870

 Original given to Wm. Kilpatrick Sr. by Tommie Morris’ first cousin Isabel W. Morris daughter of Robert Morris
at Ridgefield Conn. 1945
____ Kilpatrick (signature)