Commissioned Assemblage Art: Preserving Golf History and Personal Memories

One of the most rewarding aspects of creating commissioned Assemblage Art is transforming personal memorabilia into meaningful works of art. At Saville & Brett, each custom assemblage tells a unique story, blending history, passion, and treasured keepsakes often supplied by the client into handcrafted shadowbox compositions designed to preserve memories for generations.

Two recent commissioned pieces are perfect examples of this. Both are deeply rooted in the world of golf and personal collecting, featuring authentic memorabilia gathered by me over many years. Among the highlights are treasured items from St Andrews — widely regarded as the birthplace of golf — a place where the history and spirit of the game can still be felt in every stone, fairway, and wind-swept corner of the Old Course. For any golfer, St Andrews represents far more than a destination; it is the very heart of the game’s heritage. I was so fortunate to visit there one cold December day while visiting Edinburgh for the Christmas Market.

I was just visiting and absorbing the atmosphere when the gentleman from the pro shop stepped out to ask if I would like to play.

I was not traveling alone and could not leave my companion alone for four hours so that I could indulge in my own personal fantasy, tempting as that was…

These assemblage works also feature memorabilia from the Presidents Cup in Montreal, a world-class tournament I had the privilege of attending in person. Event passes, collectibles, and rare ephemera gathered at the time now form part of these bespoke shadowbox designs, capturing not only the excitement of the event but the personal experience behind it.

This is what makes commissioned assemblage art so compelling. Unlike traditional framed memorabilia, assemblage allows objects to be layered, combined, and curated into a visual story — creating a one-of-a-kind artwork that is both highly personal and historically rich. Whether it is golf memorabilia, travel keepsakes, family heirlooms, or historic collectibles, assemblage art gives these objects new life and greater meaning.