Charles Ashford received a British patent (No. 21,383) dated November 10,1893, that covered a clubhead made from both wood and metal with a metal neck. As outlined in his patent, one of the earliest for a golf club, a full wrought iron sole was to be formed integral with a iron hosel, and a wood block that formed the head was to be screwed to the sole and nailied to the base of the hosel. Ashford's club was an early effort to provide a wood head driver with the durability of an irond.  Ashford named his club the Skibbie and produced it in the early 1890s.  .

On the Ashford Skibbie driver offered here, a vulcanite block was used to form the head instead of a wood block. Of the approximately half dozen Skibbies known to the auctioneer, this is the only one with a vulcanite head, vulcanite being a specially prepared form of India rubber.  The clubhead, which is formed with a very strong bulger face,  is marked with the Ashford fox trademark on its crown as shown in an accompanying image.  The shaft measures 45" long and appears to have its old leather grip.  

This early 1890s driver is solid in all respects. Plus it represents one of the earliest "outside the box" innovations in the construction of golf clubs. Gotta love such creativity.  A great piece! For more info on the Skibbie, see TCA2 v1 p354.