LADY GOLFER

Cast circa 1900. 

David Wheatcroft Antiques, Westborough, Massachusetts;
Alice M. Kaplan, New York

In generally excellent condition with the lower fringe to the feather missing. There are various dents and bullet dings to the vane as well as various discolorations to the verdigris. It is substantially in its "as found" state with slight splitting of the copper and repair to the shaft of the golf club, with dings and repaired bullet holes overall, especially to skirt, weathered to an all over verdigris with no apparent restorations, and a few flakes of gilding; the back of the right arm with small copper patch at elbow; the tip of the arrow has been repaired.
In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective qualified opinion.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING CONDITION OF A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD "AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF SALE PRINTED IN THE CATALOGUE.

Golf did not flourish in America until the late 1800s, and women quickly followed men into the game. The Shinnecock Hills Golf Club on Long Island opened its doors to women in 1891, the first women’s club was formed in 1894 at the Morris County Golf Club in New Jersey, and the first women’s USGA tournament was held in 1895 at Meadow Brook Club in Jericho, New York. This unique vane probably represents an early female golf champion, perhaps Margaret or Harriot [sic] Curtis-the Serena and Venus Williams of their day-who competed against each other and dominated women’s golf in the early years of the twentieth century.