Purchase Tickets
On November 24, 1937, Mrs. Bellingrath purchased from Royal Antiques in New Orleans what the bill of sale termed’ “Two silver water pitches.” The price? $250 or about $5700 today. No other information is mentioned in early inventories for these monumental pieces standing nearly two feet in height.
The bases are clearly marked “Theodore B. Starr, New York, Sterling.” Theodore Burr Starr had started in the jewelry business in 1862 but by 1877 had leased a fashionable four story brownstone at 206 Fifth Avenue opposite Madison Square and nestled among mansions and fashionable hotels.
Silverware was displayed on the first floor. Above the second floor offered porcelains, jewelry and precious gems. The third level held a selection of bronzes, clocks and statuary. The New York Times in reviewing the store wrote “Starr’s establishment has no duplicate in the country and probably not in the world.”
But what was the history of these pitchers? During silver polishing over the years it was apparent that engraving had been buffed off but a pair of golf clubs was visible. This year David Reeves, our Museum assistant studied the shadows of engraving and discovered “Allegheny” and a name: “Moorhead.”
Using a Google search, we discovered that John K. Moorhead, Jr. (1859-1927), an ardent golfer introduced golf to the area around Pittsburgh in 1893 and founded the Allegheny Country Club in 1895. And the Allegheny Country Club’s symbol contains the two crossed golf clubs still just visible on the pair.
Just how the pitchers found their way from Pennsylvania to Royal Street ten years after Mr. Moorhead’s death has yet to be discovered. The Allegheny Country Club is still a very active golf club located at 250 Country Club Road in Sewickley, Penn.
