Original 1790 "The Blackheath Golfer"
Mezzotint Print  (Ex-Mort Olman)

It’s not too often that we at Green Jacket Auctions get to handle a piece of golf history that is over 225 years old.

Offered here is one of the greatest golf art pieces in existence – an original 1790 mezzotint print of the most famous golf portrait in history – “The Blackheath Golfer” by Lemuel Francis Abbot

In 1790, Blackheath golfer William Innes commissioned Abbott to paint his portrait, quickly followed by Valentine Green engraving 44 mezzotint prints that same year, presumably intended as gifts for Innes’ friends. These 44 examples are universally regarded as the first-ever golf prints.

“The Blackheath Golfer” is widely reported to be the most-produced golf print of all-time. But what happened to that original painting by Lemuel Francis Abbott? It has long been the subject of scandalous rumor and speculation, but in truth was almost certainly destroyed in a fire in India on May 30, 1857.

And those 44 original mezzotint prints that were also made in 1790? Current scholarship suggests that approximately 15 have survived the past 225 years in various conditions, including the offered example.

For art lovers, this is a true “Holy Grail” piece. Describing this 225 year old print as museum-worthy seems obvious, as many of the other surviving examples do indeed reside in museums. Numerous later "Blackheath" prints have been produced, including a B&W photographic print in 1893, a B&W photogravure in 1901, mezzotints in 1914 and again in 1926, and numerous recent prints. But nothing stands in comparison to the original mezzotint in 1790 - a mere 14 years after the founding of the United States of America.

This original 1790 mezzotint print of “The Blackheath Golfers” has been framed to 24 ¾” x 34”. The plate size is approximately 18” x 26”, with the actual image itself measuring 16 ¾” x 23 ½. As you can see from the photographs, the print remains in remarkable shape, with only very minor condition issues throughout. This piece is without question, one of the finest examples remaining in the hobby.

This 1790 mezzotint of "The Blackheath Golfer" was a longtime fixture in the personal collection of golf collecting pioneer Mort Olman.