Tom Stewart’s golf art at Pinehurst

BY THE FORECADDIE
Original article in “Golfweek” →

For sale: One of the world’s largest collections of golf art, literature and memorabilia. Valued by owner at $6 million. Includes unique golf equipment dating to the mid-19th century. Collection housed in the Village of Pinehurst, America’s home of golf.

That listing hasn’t been posted yet, but you may see it soon. Tom Stewart, proprietor of Old Sport & Gallery, tells The Forecaddie that he plans to put his collection up for sale in 2014, the same year that the USGA will bring the men’s and women’s Opens to Pinehurst Resort.

Stewart, 66, plans to unload a collection he began compiling 40 years ago with a £100 donation to a St. Andrews library for 240 books that were being discarded. His collection now includes highly detailed Richard Chorley paintings of famous courses that retail for up to $75,000.

“You couldn’t put this together today,” Stewart says. “I’ve had 40 years of collecting this stuff.”

That “stuff” draws a steady stream of curious visitors to Old Sport & Gallery, on Market Square in Pinehurst.

Stewart has no plans to sell the Harvard Building, which houses the store. But pretty much everything else will be offered to the highest bidder. Stewart says he does about $500,000 in annual sales, and reasons

a new owner could increase that number with a beefed-up Internet presence.

“When you extrapolate the art and everything else that I have, you could come to $6 million (of inventory),” Stewart says. “We’re going to sell it for, I’d say, $1.75 (million).”

Heck, he might take $1.5 million. Grab your bidder paddles, and let’s get started.