Born in Italian Harlem in 1916 Ravielli started out as a portraitpainter and worked in advertising before becoming an author andfreelance illustrator mastering a style known as scratchboard (or“scraperboard” to the British). In 1957 Ben Hogan known to be secretiveabout his picture-perfect form approached Ravielli to illustrate hislegendary swing for what would become one of the most important golfinstruction books ever: Ben Hogan’s Five Lessons: The Modern Fundamentals of Golf. After 60 years it remains a best seller with one million copies sold.

Before long another golf legend sought to collaborate with Raviellinone other than the greatest amateur champion and most influentialcontributor in the sport’s history: the great Bobby Jones who createdthe world’s most famous golf course and tournament. The Masters atAugusta National remains synonymous with his name 84 years later. WhileHogan’s career legacy seemed to come to fruition with his "FiveLessons”—thanks in large part to Ravielli—Jones spent decades designingcourses and clubs producing instructional films in Hollywood makinginnovative changes to the Masters to improve tournament play andpracticing law.

In the mid-1960’s perhaps intrigued by the success of Hogan’s bookJones began working with Ravielli to publish his own teachings invitingthe respected illustrator/author to Augusta to watch him practice.Ravielli would observe and sketch Jones—another artist at work—and laterthey would discuss what each image was trying to communicate. Thisprocess would go on for several weeks as the two spent countless hoursone-on-one together on the course at the range and in Jones’ privatehome all to capture the essence of Bobby’s innate vision and personalwisdom that he so wanted to instill in aspiring golfers. Bobby Jones andAnthony Ravielli developed a close relationship as golfer and artistso much so that Jones would not work with any other illustrator todocument the fundamental principles of his swing.

Presented in this lot are Anthony Ravielli’s incredibly rare 1-of-1original illustrations commissioned in 1965 by Bobby Jones for his 1966book Bobby Jones on Golf: The Classic Instructional by Golf’s Greatest Legend. This was the first of two instructional books by Jones and Ravielli the other being The Basic Golf Swing in 1969. In many eyes Bobby Jones on Golf became just as significant as Hogan’s Five Lessons in developing the game.

This one-of-a-kind offering opens a window into the private world ofgolf’s greatest contributor and the game’s most respected illustrator.These sketches have never before been offered publicly. Our consignor apublished golf author himself obtained them from the the privatecollection of the late Anthony Ravielli’s estate. They were cherishedpieces for the Ravielli family from the days when their father wouldcome home from Augusta and tell them the beautiful stories of his timewith Bobby Jones who died in 1971. The preferred illustrator for TomWatson and Jack Nicklaus as well Ravielli was the single most importantartist to ever document the swings of golfers from the 1950's until hispassing in 1997 at the age of 81.