Thrift Store finds, anything collectable?

[the_hog]

Picked up these clubs over the last couple months from a few thrift stores and just wondering if anything is collectable/rare/interesting or worth anything?  Just doing this for fun with the ultimate goal of putting together a nice vintage bag. 

 

Anyone have any info on the Spalding Kro-Flite Rustless?  The shaft doesnt seem like a normal steel, it sounds different and is painted too look like wood?  Also I am pretty sure the tag on the shaft says Made in England?  I know for sure it says Made in GT Britain on the grip.  What does the 4B stand for, is it just a normal 4 iron?

 

[Hickory4ever]

10 minutes ago, the_hog said:

Picked up these clubs over the last couple months from a few thrift stores and just wondering if anything is collectable/rare/interesting or worth anything?  Just doing this for fun with the ultimate goal of putting together a nice vintage bag. 

 

Anyone have any info on the Spalding Kro-Flite Rustless?  The shaft doesnt seem like a normal steel, it sounds different and is painted too look like wood?  Also I am pretty sure the tag on the shaft says Made in England?  I know for sure it says Made in GT Britain on the grip.  What does the 4B stand for, is it just a normal 4 iron?

 

There is nothing I would consider collectible in what you have in the pictures. The Spalding Kro-Flite Rustless has what is called a pyratone shaft, one of the early steel shafts. The coating was to prevent rust and somebody might like it because it was the Bobby Jones edition, somebody might want it but not worth much in my opinion.

[Jiggered]

They might not be worth much money but they're all playable clubs and will provide the experience of classic golf.

 

The Apollo shafts were produced by a British company call Accles & Pollock who were based in Birmingham, England.

In the early 1930s Accles & Pollock entered an agreement with True Temper to produce the True Temper step down shaft for distribution in the UK and Europe.

 

Spalding had a factory in the UK for many years and this iron was probably made there, although the head might have been brought over from the US for final assembly at Spalding's factory in Fife, Scotland.

 

There's more about the Accles & Pollock company at the start of this video.

 

 

[BIG STU]

6 hours ago, Hickory4ever said:

There is nothing I would consider collectible in what you have in the pictures. The Spalding Kro-Flite Rustless has what is called a pyratone shaft, one of the early steel shafts. The coating was to prevent rust and somebody might like it because it was the Bobby Jones edition, somebody might want it but not worth much in my opinion.

Another reason for the pyratone coatings was that players at first resisted the "modern" steel shafts at the time. In fact the USGA at first would not approve them. The pyratone at first was for clubs to appear to still have hickory shafts.

[The Aspidistra in the Hall]

1 hour ago, Jiggered said:

They might not be worth much money but they're all playable clubs and will provide the experience of classic golf.

 

The Apollo shafts were produced by a British company call Accles & Pollock who were based in Birmingham, England.

In the early 1930s Accles & Pollock entered an agreement with True Temper to produce the True Temper step down shaft for distribution in the UK and Europe.

 

Spalding had a factory in the UK for many years and this iron was probably made there, although the head might have been brought over from the US for final assembly at Spalding's factory in Fife, Scotland.

 

There's more about the Accles & Pollock company at the start of this video.

 

 

Quite agree. To ignore arguably the biggest transformative development in golf, the steel shaft with pyratone coating, dismisses the period of golf from mid 1920s to 1950. Very collectible IMO.

[BIG STU]

^^^^^ On the previous post I may have misconstrued something by omitting it--- The Pyratone shafts were not meant to be cheaters to mis inform officials etc. By the time they came out steel shafts were approved by the USGA. The Pyratone was to give the impression that the clubs were hickory. Sorta like today with some playing like "Tour Issue" shafts or the stigma (wrongly) associated with broomstick putters and supposedly anchoring. But IMHO for a feel sensitive player like myself they add sort of a different feel. Not good or bad but different. My holy grail putter of all time is a 40s/50s Pyratone Green Shafted Ironmaster. They have a special good feel as anyone who owns one will tell you. And I do not own one it is one of the few Ironmasters I do not own. Just wanted to clear my previous statement up

[Hickory4ever]

In my above comment, I probably could have phrased things better. I am asked frequently to assess clubs and what they are worth in dollars. Just because a club is not worth a lot in dollars, it nevertheless has value as a player or collectable as it represents a valuable part of the history of the game. 
 

Pyratone clubs in my opinion don’t get the respect that They deserve. That is probably because most heritage golfers seem to get into hickory as evidenced by the proliferation of events and groups. Incidentally, most hickory clubs are not worth a lot either.

 

Playing and learning about historical clubs is a worthwhile endeavour and the great thing and not being costly is a bonus.

[DavisGoLo]

Nice clubs!

[the_hog]

Awesome information, thanks guys, it is greatly appreciated!  I didnt figure there was anything worth money or highly collectable there but just wanted to make sure. 

 

I just started thrifting for vintage clubs and its been a lot of fun so far and as someone had mentioned cheap as well, I paid between 25 cents and $2.99 each for the clubs.  I figure I can pick up clubs cheap and hit them to see how I like them and how they feel and keep the ones I like and donate the others back, with the ultimate goal of putting together a nice vintage bag to play with from time to time. 

[AdamMH]

The Northwestern 1 irons aren't worth a whole lot, aren't even especially collectible as far as 1-irons go... but a blast to hit regardless. I have an older more compact version of what you have, as well as an oversized one similar to the Hubert Green. Haven't hit the larger one yet, but I'm interested in hearing what you think of it. I'll drag both of mine out of the closet and compare next time I go hit!

[the_hog]

I have never hit a 1 iron before so I am definitely looking forward to hitting it, but I live in a Northern state so I wont be hitting any of these clubs for at least another month if not two.