‘A very good result’: Golf ball goes for £5,000

One of the first professional golf balls made in Britain almost 200 years ago has fetched £5,000 at auction.

The leather ball, filled with feathers, was designed by Allan Robertson in the 1820s and is stamped with his name.

The Robertson Family of St Andrews made golf balls between 1720 and 1836, with the business being handed down to Allan.

The Scot was considered a premier ball and club maker at the time.

The “Robertson” stamped ball is even rarer than balls stamped “Allan”, which are themselves worth thousands.

It sold for £5,000 to an Italian collector at Mullocks Auctioneers last month.

Auctioneer John Mullock said: “We hold specialist golf auctions; this came from a private collector in New Zealand.

“The ball had been passed down to him through his grandfather and father.

“How a feathery golf ball from the period of the 1820s ended up in New Zealand is anybody’s guess, considering they didn’t start playing golf there until the late 1890s.

“What makes the ball so rare is the name that is on it, which is Robertson.

“The most famous feathery golf ball maker was a man called Allan Robertson. The quality of golf balls he made were second to none.

“Allan Robertson himself made golf balls from 1820s to 1859 but he only stamped his golf balls with the name Allan. Those are quite rare and prolific in numbers so to have a golf ball with the name Robertson is even rarer.

“It’s an item that is over 100 years old and rare to find – to find (one) with a name on is very, very rare.

“The person who bought it was a private collector who lives in Italy and they are delighted with their purchase.

“It was a good result.”