Golden Pippin**

I've got two medium sized green-yellow apples with complex patchy layers of russet and and small swaths of vermilion peeking through. ¶ 

These are lightly ribbed, round, and oblate, with dark lenticel dots. One has some flyspeck.

The russet looks like antique gold. They are rock hard.

Breaking crisp light yellow flesh is fine-grained and wonderfully flavorful, with pear, pineapple, and a faint floral note and some gingery spice. In many ways it eats like a russet.

This is really a pleasure to eat.

The second sample was not as ripe, with a greener peel, less-developed flavors, and surprisingly hard flesh.

Not quite at peak, but with a more-prominent blush.

Back story

Fedco Seeds (of Maine), which sells Golden Pippin budwood, says that this apple is sometimes called English Golden Pippin to distinguish it from several American varieties of the same name. 

Derek Mills, who grew these apples in Ohio, is certain he has the original variety.

The US Department of Agriculture, which provided the budwood for Derek's trees, told him his Golden Pippin originated in England the late 1500s.

Accounts on the other side of the pond are more cautious. The National Fruit Collection (UK) dates it from 1629 in England. The Brighton Permaculture Trust says it was "well known" by the late 1600s.

The NFC provides a long list of alternate names for this variety, beautiful and odd.

Thanks to Derek for sharing this with me.