"As Hugh Philp was to St. Andrews, so was the firm of McEwan & Son to Edinburgh and Musselburgh." (Golf 25, Sept. 1895, p51). The McEwan family of clubmakers were indeed central to the world of clubmaking from 1770, when James McEwan opened for business, to the end of the nineteenth century, when long nose clubs became obsolete. Over that 120-year span, five generations of the McEwan family produced long nose clubs of the highest quality.

This circa 1875 McEwan middle spoon is all original. The 41 1/4" shaft, likely made from lancewood, still retains its original sheepskin grip. The neck whipping, lead, horn, and finish are also original. The head measures 6" in length, 1 15/16" in width, and 1 3/16" in face depth. There is a hairline crack (grain separation) in the bottom of the face, obscured by the scoring, which extends a short distance onto the top of the head. The lead has been slightly hollowed out to lighten the club, and there is a tiny chip in the horn under the toe.

The original finish on this club remains strong, and it features a nice hook to the face, which still bears the clubmaker's file marks. Overall, this is a splendid club with an attractive shape.

For more on the McEwan family of clubmakers, see TCA2 V1 p43-48.