Vintage MacGregor Niblick Mashie history

[pfgiv81]

Golf historians, I need some insight.

 

Can anyone provide any information regarding this club? I’m looking mostly for year and where these were sold.

has a steel shaft and a leather(?) wrap for a grip. The butt end of the shaft has a wood plug in it.

 

I’ve covered something up in the first photo which I’ll describe later in the thread after some replies.

[raggal62]

1930's

[pfgiv81]

19 hours ago, raggal62 said:

1930's

Thanks, do you have any other insight? Was this club sold in America? Is it possible these were sold across Europe as well?

[cohee]

MacGregor definitely exported clubs to the UK, and presumably to Europe as well.

[raggal62]

Guessing it was built in Cincinnati after the company moved from Dayton.

[cohee]

I think the move to Cincinnati was after WWII....

 

I don't think that the catalogs covers the club in question, but there is a good historical summary of the company's early operations here:

 

https://archive.org/details/macgregorgolfhis00macg/page/n9/mode/2up

[pfgiv81]

Thanks for the information provided.

 

Basically, my concern is for what I covered up in the photo. I acquired this club through a large lot of clubs I purchased. The image covered up in the first photo is one that would have been found in Germany from the 1930's through about 1945. It is stamped into the club.

 

This may be something I should contact a professional specializing in memorabilia from that time period, museum or something. If it was something from the 1950's that some ignorant person did on their own, I would just melt it to destroy the imagery.

[raggal62]

4 hours ago, cohee said:

I think the move to Cincinnati was after WWII....

 

I don't think that the catalogs covers the club in question, but there is a good historical summary of the company's early operations here:

 

https://archive.org/details/macgregorgolfhis00macg/page/n9/mode/2up

Correct you are.

[Jiggered]

7 hours ago, pfgiv81 said:

Thanks for the information provided.

 

Basically, my concern is for what I covered up in the photo. I acquired this club through a large lot of clubs I purchased. The image covered up in the first photo is one that would have been found in Germany from the 1930's through about 1945. It is stamped into the club.

 

This may be something I should contact a professional specializing in memorabilia from that time period, museum or something. If it was something from the 1950's that some ignorant person did on their own, I would just melt it to destroy the imagery.

 

The swastika is an ancient religious symbol and at one time had positive connotations, before it was adopted by Nazi Germany and gained the ill associations it now has.

I've seen it on pre-war American golf clubs before so it's not necessarily a sign of any connection to Germany, whether or not your club is so stamped for this reason or not though, I don't know.

 

Here's some additional background.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-29644591

[pfgiv81]

12 hours ago, Jiggered said:

 

The swastika is an ancient religious symbol and at one time had positive connotations, before it was adopted by Nazi Germany and gained the ill associations it now has.

I've seen it on pre-war American golf clubs before so it's not necessarily a sign of any connection to Germany, whether or not your club is so stamped for this reason or not though, I don't know.

 

Here's some additional background.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-29644591

 

Thanks for the info jig, interesting stuff.

[cohee]

I'm pretty slow on the uptake sometimes, it never occurred to me what the mystery mark was supposed to be on this club 🙄 I thought OP was just being coy.

 

Pre-war MacGregor was known for the shamrock logo; don't think they ever would have added a swastika.

[Hickory4ever]

As has been stated by others, the club is likely an early 1930’s model. MacGregor made thousands of sets in the period. By the way, it looks like a ladies club based on the circled L. It is not a valuable club. It was probably manufactured in Dayton.

 

The symbol (swastika) was not viewed negatively until it was appropriated by Nazi Germany.  This club would definitely be pre Second World War.

I am a Golf Historical Society of Canada member and have two MacGregor hickory sets that predate the club here. They are good players but are not particularly valuable. 

 

 

 

[click_addict]

Is anyone still left on here? I too have one of these 2 irons - 2 swastikas, Dayton, Ohio, shamrock but mine has an aluminum shaft.

 

I've thoroughly enjoyed reading the comments and gaining insight into MacG's long and profound history. I have a beautiful unused set of the MacG Nicklaus Golden Bears 2i pw and a more playable combo set of VIP's 3i - PW (x 2) and a rare and mint 50*. 

 

Hopefully there's someone left to talk to. @Hickory4ever

 

I love this game! 

[Hickory4ever]

11 hours ago, click_addict said:

Is anyone still left on here? I too have one of these 2 irons - 2 swastikas, Dayton, Ohio, shamrock but mine has an aluminum shaft.

 

I've thoroughly enjoyed reading the comments and gaining insight into MacG's long and profound history. I have a beautiful unused set of the MacG Nicklaus Golden Bears 2i pw and a more playable combo set of VIP's 3i - PW (x 2) and a rare and mint 50*. 

 

Hopefully there's someone left to talk to. @Hickory4ever

 

I love this game! 

I am still here. I would get those clubs out on a course. 
 

Could you post a picture of the club with an aluminum shaft as I am not sure what it is.