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We recently helped Leeds Museums to acquire a group of items made by Bronty Golf Co. Ltd, Pudsey (a major name in golfing circles).  The items include three original factory moulds (acquired by the vendor when manufacturing ended in Leeds about 15 years ago).

These moulds are highly sought after by American golf collectors, but the vendor wanted the best examples to come to the Leeds museum collections. They are for the best-selling models: the Bronty “Chipmaster” and Bronty “Rustler” (plus a putter). Other items include 9 golf clubs, 1 display stand, 6 putting hoops, 7 golf balls and 1 brass putter head.

The company traded for over 30 years and produced thousands of golf clubs but went into decline due to cheap far east imports and it failed to develop with the big name golf companies. It is however famous for its Rustler putter range, chipmaster and pitchmaster chippers.

A selection of these items will be displayed at Abbey House Museum from 21st January 2011 as part of the “Performance” exhibition.

We recently helped Leeds Museums to purchase, at auction, a collection of clothes worn my Mary Holden Illingworth.

Mary Holden Illingworth (1838 – 1908) was part of an important Yorkshire family and the daughter of a self made man, Isaac Holden (1807 – 1897). Her Father Isaac Holden was originally from Glasgow and came to Yorkshire where he made his fortune in the weaving industry. He successfully set up mills in Bradford and also in Paris, where the Holden family also resided for some time. Isaac Holden, having come from a humble background wanted the best for his children and this included a good education and also the best that money could buy, including clothes.

Mary had a great interest in fashion and this can be read in the diaries that she kept and also through the clothes that have survived. This can be seen in particular in the one of the dresses that the Friends helped us to purchase. In 1881 Mary’s eldest daughter was due to marry and for this occasion she chose to have a dress made by her favourite designer Charles Frederick Worth. Also know as the father of couture, Charles Frederick Worth was an Englishman who set up an extremely successful design house in Paris. His clients including many European royals and other women of great wealth and influence.

This dress was not Mary’s first Worth dress and later Mary was to recount to her granddaughter, Elsie, how ‘fittings were of dubious delight, as Monsieur Worth was of the habit of taking a cup of warm fresh blood straight from the local abattoir at 11am.’