Catalogue for the auction of
Cricket, Wisden Cricketers’ Almanacks,
Football & Sporting Memorabilia
Held on Friday, Saturday & Sunday
22nd, 23rd & 24th March 2024
Lot 18
Estimate: £200/300
Hammer: unsold
W.G. Grace. ‘Souvenir of the National Testimonial to Dr. W.G. Grace, July 22nd 1879, with Photograph and Record of Performances. Sixpence.’ Printed by the Cricket and Football Times, Ludgate Circus, London. [1879], Attractive printed card with title within chromolithographed border of flowers, holly etc. To inside pages is a mounted portrait photograph of Grace, with a record of his averages in first class matches, averages in county matches and scores over 100 in first class matches from 1864 to 1878 printed opposite. Previously sold by Knights in 2016. The card measures 3.5”x4.75” and has some minor foxing, minor wear to covers, slight splitting to fold. A rare and early example of Grace memorabilia.
Grace was the recipient of two national testimonials. The first was presented to him by Lord Fitzhardinge at Lord’s on 22 July 1879 in the form of a marble clock, two bronze ornaments and a cheque for £1,458. The second, collected by MCC, the county of Gloucestershire, the Daily Telegraph and The Sportsman, amounted to £9,703 and was presented to him in 1896 in appreciation of his ‘Indian Summer’ season of 1895 when he scored his 100th first class hundred.