This feather balls shows wear, with one seam pulled well apart. It measures 1.82" in diameter at the poles and 1.79" at the equator.  Ball is tight and hard, but its worn and there is a notable gap in one seam where it has pulled apart.  Even so, there is much more to this ball than wear and blemishes.  This ball was once put on display for the world to see and understand. 

Still affixed to this ball, on one of its poles, is a 1901 Glasgow International Exhibition paper label.  These labels were glued onto all the clubs and balls displayed in the exhibition.  The labels all bore a handwritten "GIE" across the top, "1901" in the middle, and across the bottom numbers/letters that are believed to indicate the case or location where the item was displayed.  The label on this ball still reads “GIE” across the top and "1901" in the middle. The inventory/location number across the bottom of the label is there, but its too faint to decipher. 

There is no way to know which ball this is in the catalog. The catalog uses numbers to list the items, and then typically describes the historic aspect of the item, its former owner or current lender.  Furthermore, some catalog listings are for a group of "16 clubs and balls lent by...", etc. The numbers in the catalog, unfortunately, do not attach to the number on the items.

The equivalent of today’s World Expos, the Glasgow International Exhibition of 1901 was an exhibition of things Scottish. The section devoted to Fine Art, Scottish History, and Archaeology also included, for the first time, a display of what many consider to be their favorite of all things Scottish: golf.

The Reverend John Kerr, one of the game’s greatest historians and author of the landmark work The Golf Book of East Lothian, was charged with assembling historical relics depicting the game. The exhibition catalog lists many different feather balls and early clubs such as the Troon clubs, Philp clubs, Jackson clubs, square toe irons, early irons, and of course, this ball.

The Glasgow International Exhibition of 1901 opened in May and ran for six months. To allay the fears of lenders, their golf treasures were housed in an isolated, fireproof structure, lighted throughout by electricity and guarded day and night. (Upon completion of the exhibition, the structure was to remain as a permanent art gallery and museum.)

Today, this ball represents great history.  It's enough to know that it was one of the small number of feather balls on display at this historic exhibition.  Gotta like the label!