Royal Blackheath Golf Club has secured the funds needed to secure its future after selling one of the world’s most famous golf paintings for more than £700,000 at auction.
Founded in 1608, Royal Blackheath is one of the oldest golf clubs in the world, and its historic clubhouse is home to many valuable artefacts, including a painting of one of its former captains and secretaries, Henry Callender, which is believed to be one of the most valuable works of golfing art in the world.
With the bidding starting at £450,000, it was sold at Bonhams in London on December 9 for £722,500. The winning bidder’s name, or where it might hang, has not been released. A rare putter, believed to be from the same picture, was also sold at the same auction for £62,500.
‘The Portrait of Henry Callender’, as the work is known, was painted by Leicestershire artist Lemuel Francis Abbott during the late 18th century, and has hung in Royal Blackheath’s clubhouse for the last 200 years and is widely regarded to be one of the earliest depictions of golf.
Royal Blackheath’s course and clubhouse are leased from the Crown Estate, but the club has been given the opportunity to buy the freehold in order ensure its long-term future, which led to the need to sell the painting.