Harry B. Wood stands as the undisputed pioneer of golf collecting. He was the man—the early 20th-century collector who put golf antiques on the map for every enthusiast who followed in his footsteps. His landmark book, Golfing Curios and the Like, published in 1910, was the first book ever written on golf collectibles. Today, it remains an essential cornerstone for serious collectors of both golf antiques and rare golf literature.

Wood’s personal collection was extraordinary. He amassed approximately 60 historic clubs and 175+ golf balls, and a trove of books, medals, tiles, prints, and other golf-related artifacts. The July 1913 issue of the USGA publication Golf described his holdings as “the finest golf library in the world, and perhaps the greatest collection of old golf clubs, golf balls, and golfing curios.” Many of these legendary items were photographed and documented in his book.

Wood displayed his collection at North Manchester Golf Club, where he was a founding member. After his passing in September 1913, the artifacts remained at the club. In 1940, following the death of Wood’s son, ownership transferred to the club. Then, in 1985, collectors Frank Hardison and Peter Crabtree orchestrated what Joe Murdoch, co-founder of the Golf Collectors Society, called “the block-buster of the month—the year—the century…one of the great coups in all of collecting” (The Bulletin, Feb. 1986).  They divided the collection, dispersing its treasures into collections around the world.

Wood meticulously tagged each club with his signature yellow description cards, three of which can be seen in The Clubmaker’s Art, Second Edition, Volume 1 (pages 122, 123, and 138). For his golf balls, he applied circular labels often handwritten in his own script, making each ball uniquely documented.

Golden Age is now proud to offer a sizeable portion of Wood’s collection: 53 of his original golf balls—the largest major offering from the Wood collection in nearly four decades. The lineup is outstanding, featuring: two unused, hand-hammered Forgan-pattern gutta-percha balls from the 1860s; a Henley Union Jack and a Park Diamond; a wide variety of mesh and bramble gutties from the 1890s; early rubber-core balls of the 20th century; the one-of-a-kind and most astonishing item: a rubber-core ball pierced by a small tree branch, with part of the branch still embedded in the cover—an incredible curio that must be seen to be believed!

Each of these 53 balls retains its original label. While Harry’s handwriting has weathered better on some than others, the labels remain intact, and it’s these labels that will forever cement the significance of these balls in golf history.

This is an unparalleled opportunity to own a large piece of the most legendary golf collection ever assembled.

The balls are as follows:

Hand Hammered (Cockburn, Edinburgh label); Ocobo; Thornton Patent; English; Wembley; The Bird; Glencorse; Boylin; The Premier; Pullford, Hoylake; Crumsall; Percy Hills Peach; Haskell ReMade; Melfort; Woodley Flier; Gutta Bramble-Remade; Gutta Bramble-Remade; Hand Hammered; Eclipse; Gutta ReMade 27 ½; Thornton Flying Scotchman; Vardon Clinker; Coopers’s C.I.V.; Birmingham India Rubber Company; Eureka; The Prix; Tynesider,; Springvale 27 ½; Springvale 27 ½; Cestrian; S. Parr; Professional Ball (impaled on branch); Dunn Diamond; Red Melford Mesh; The Kirk; Henley; Bulcharts; Oneupe; The Acton; Wisden’s Remade; Universal Bramble; Scotch Haskell; Improved Golf Ball Co; George Lowe; A. Haskins 27 ½,; Phoenix; Slazenger; Mirco Special; Melfort 27 ½; The Oneupe 27 ½; “W”; Martin’s Nipper Patent (has a lose core—gently shake this ball and it will rattle like there is a marble inside!)

These balls are in various conditions from unused to well used, but overall, the balls are well above average with 39 of the 53 in either excellent, outstanding, or unused (11) condition.  Note that Wood was sometimes off with the dates on the labels. For example, his Kempshall Remade is listed as 1892, but Kemshall never made gutty balls.