The Mungo Park 1874 Open Championship medal, in gilt, inscribed GOLF CHAMPION TROPHY around a central shield engraved with the Latin motto VI-ET-ARTE (which translates as 'By Strength & Skill''), the shield placed above crossed golf clubs & between golf balls, the reverse inscribed 1874, WON BY, MUNGO PARK, AT MUSSELBURGH, 159 STROKES, in a display case set with a plaque inscribed MUNGO PARK MEDAL, PRESENTED BY A.M.B. PARK-MAY, 1959; sold with original correspondence relating to the medal's endowment to Grims's Dyke Golf Club by the Park family in 1959. APPENDIX The Property of Grim's Dyke Golf Club (lots 402 to 404) The Park Family of Musselburgh James Park, a Scottish farmer with no golfing connections, set in place a dynasty of important figures in the early history of golf. He had four sons. David and Archibald became ballmakers in the gutta percha era, while Willie & Mungo both became Open Championship winners as well as fine clubmakers. Historically Willie won the very first Open Championship of 1860, when golfers competed for The Belt. He won again in 1863 & 1866 before lifting the new trophy, The Claret Jug, in 1875. Willie's younger brother Mungo won his sole title in 1874. It is generally believed that Mungo - who was named after the famous explorer - could have been an even finer golfer had he not spent most of his younger life at sea. The Park family's pre-eminence within the sport was perpetuated through Willie's son, Willie Park junior, who emulated the feats of his father by winning the Open in 1887 and 1889. He also went into partnership in the family business under the name of W. Park & Son. Willie junior displayed considerable ability as a clubmaker at a period when designs were becoming modernised. He was responsible for patenting a number of innovative new implements including his famous 'bulger' driver, 'wry-necked' putter & the 'pikup', a club designed to pick a ball out of a bad lie. The Grim's Dyke Golf Club Collection The three items in the Club's collection relating to Mungo and 'Old' Willie Park are without doubt of great historical importance, especially the first two lots which relate directly to Open Championship successes during the 1860s and 1870s. Through family descent Mungo's medal and Willie senior's treasured sand iron that he used during all his Open Championship victories became the property of the brothers Doctors Mungo & Jack Park, the grandsons of Willie Park senior, and the great nephews of Mungo Park. Mungo Park's medal is by far the earliest Open Championship example ever to have been offered at action. The only satisfactory auction room parallel to the Willie Park sand iron would be the sale of Woking Golf Club's celebrated collection at Sotheby's in 1996. This included the famous club 'Auld Pawkie', Willie Park senior's long-nosed putter that he used during his Open Championship victory of 1863, and which sold for £28,000.
£40,000 - £60,000
The Mungo Park 1874 Open Championship medal, in gilt, inscribed GOLF CHAMPION TROPHY around a central shield engraved with the Latin motto VI-ET-ARTE (which translates as 'By Strength & Skill''), the shield placed above crossed golf clubs & between golf balls, the reverse inscribed 1874, WON BY, MUNGO PARK, AT MUSSELBURGH, 159 STROKES, in a display case set with a plaque inscribed MUNGO PARK MEDAL, PRESENTED BY A.M.B. PARK-MAY, 1959; sold with original correspondence relating to the medal's endowment to Grims's Dyke Golf Club by the Park family in 1959. APPENDIX The Property of Grim's Dyke Golf Club (lots 402 to 404) The Park Family of Musselburgh James Park, a Scottish farmer with no golfing connections, set in place a dynasty of important figures in the early history of golf. He had four sons. David and Archibald became ballmakers in the gutta percha era, while Willie & Mungo both became Open Championship winners as well as fine clubmakers. Historically Willie won the very first Open Championship of 1860, when golfers competed for The Belt. He won again in 1863 & 1866 before lifting the new trophy, The Claret Jug, in 1875. Willie's younger brother Mungo won his sole title in 1874. It is generally believed that Mungo - who was named after the famous explorer - could have been an even finer golfer had he not spent most of his younger life at sea. The Park family's pre-eminence within the sport was perpetuated through Willie's son, Willie Park junior, who emulated the feats of his father by winning the Open in 1887 and 1889. He also went into partnership in the family business under the name of W. Park & Son. Willie junior displayed considerable ability as a clubmaker at a period when designs were becoming modernised. He was responsible for patenting a number of innovative new implements including his famous 'bulger' driver, 'wry-necked' putter & the 'pikup', a club designed to pick a ball out of a bad lie. The Grim's Dyke Golf Club Collection The three items in the Club's collection relating to Mungo and 'Old' Willie Park are without doubt of great historical importance, especially the first two lots which relate directly to Open Championship successes during the 1860s and 1870s. Through family descent Mungo's medal and Willie senior's treasured sand iron that he used during all his Open Championship victories became the property of the brothers Doctors Mungo & Jack Park, the grandsons of Willie Park senior, and the great nephews of Mungo Park. Mungo Park's medal is by far the earliest Open Championship example ever to have been offered at action. The only satisfactory auction room parallel to the Willie Park sand iron would be the sale of Woking Golf Club's celebrated collection at Sotheby's in 1996. This included the famous club 'Auld Pawkie', Willie Park senior's long-nosed putter that he used during his Open Championship victory of 1863, and which sold for £28,000.