Sporting Memorabilia & Equipment

This sector of the art and antiques market often generates big headlines in the general media – not least when an auction record for 1966 World Cup is set for example. But the market is extremely wide and varied. Here there really is something for everyone at every price level, whether a buyer focuses on football programmes, historic golf clubs or fishing tackle.


Fred Perry medal

Pick of Week: Fred Perry medal nets £20,000 from Wimbledon museum

14 June 2021

Gold medal won at Wimbledon in 1936 by British tennis great is purchased by the Lawn Tennis Museum at the All England Lawn Tennis Club

Jack Taylor Omega Stopwatch hand shot_Property of Fellows Auctioneers.jpg

Stopwatch used by ref Jack Taylor in 1974 World Cup final comes to auction

27 May 2021

English football referee Jack Taylor created history when he blew his whistle in the first minute of the 1974 World Cup final.

img_10-1.jpg

Pioneers of rugby and football: Sporting dynasty's collection sold in Cardiff auction

10 May 2021

Remarkable Birkett family archive sold at Rogers Jones auction reflected the earliest days of organised sport.

Rugby cap

Trophies from a Victorian family of England internationals

12 April 2021

Rogers Jones of Cardiff is selling an archive relating to a remarkable Victorian sporting dynasty on April 17.

img_12-6.jpg

Fishing rarity reels in a buyer

29 March 2021

This 3in (7.5cm) brass and ivorine fishing reel is inscribed to the face 'Ustonson & Peters, Makers to the Queen, 48 Bell Yard, Temple Bar, London'.

Victorian fishing reel

Victorian fishing reel stars in our latest pick of five auction highlights

19 March 2021

ATG’s weekly selection of items that caught bidders’ eyes includes a rare Victorian fishing reel that made over 10-times estimate in Dorset.

img_23-1.jpg

Elkington Paradise found but not at silver price level

08 March 2021

If the famous image of the Milton Shield by Elkington and its £800-1200 estimate drew a double-take at a recent auction, there was good reason.

img_16-7.jpg

Coins and medals ‘up 15-20%’ during £53m year for London’s salerooms

15 February 2021

Despite the near absence of face-to-face trading, 2020 was a record year for London’s coins and medals auction houses with combined total sales just shy of £53m.

img_40-5.jpg

Olympic torch could burn bright in Brittany

15 February 2021

A sale to be held by Jack-Philippe Ruellan in Vannes in Brittany will feature this Olympic torch from the 10th Winter Olympics held in Grenoble in 1968.

 LFC crest

Liverpool FC memorabilia on offer as Melwood training centre comes to an end after 70 years

10 February 2021

The Reds are leaving their Melwood training centre and specialist sport auctioneer Graham Budd has been tasked with selling the contents.

img_4-1.jpg

Man City owner was buyer of oldest FA Cup

18 January 2021

The oldest surviving FA Cup was bought by Manchester City FC owner Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed when it sold at auction last year, it has now been revealed.

img_6-3.jpg

Christie's hope for a big hit with Boycott's ‘100th 100’ bat

02 November 2020

Christie’s is staging a sale of cricketing memorabilia from the collection of Sir Geoffrey Boycott in a timed online sale that closes on November 16.

img_18-2.jpg

Award for ‘oldest rowing race’ brings strong bidding at Gloucestershire sale

02 November 2020

This large silver arm badge was awarded to a late 19th century winner of Doggett’s Coat and Badge Race – the oldest rowing race in the world, held from London Bridge to Cadogan Pier since 1715.

img_27-3.jpg

Big hitters strike auction highs

05 October 2020

In almost pristine condition, and with its redeemable coupon still attached, this promotional card bearing an image of a very young and slim Joe DiMaggio sold for $200,000 (£149,255) at Heritage Auctions (20% buyer’s premium) of Dallas on August 29-30.

Bonhams FA Cup.jpg

Oldest surviving FA Cup to be offered at auction at Bonhams

10 September 2020

The oldest surviving FA Cup, presented to the winning teams between 1896 and 1910 including Manchester United, Manchester City, Everton, Newcastle United and Tottenham Hotspur, is to be offered with an estimate of £700,000-900,000 at Bonhams this month.

img_13-1.jpg

Collectors give Grosvenor artist Greengrass a try

10 August 2020

The linocuts produced by artists from the Grosvenor School provided an ideal medium to portray speed and movement in the inter-war machine age – and were perfect for sport subjects too. Those created by Sybil Andrews, such as her classic speedway image, are the best known on this theme.

img_14-5.jpg

Player promotes Player’s

10 August 2020

Victor Mee Auctions’ Irish Pub Memorabilia & Collectibles sale on August 12 will offer Irish football and hurling lovers and collectors the chance to bid on three advertising figurines, estimated at €200-450 each.

img_10-2.jpg

Two collections of football programmes at auction surge over estimates

10 August 2020

While Manchester United and early FA Cup match programmes often make the big money at auction, a group on offer at a West Sussex saleroom showed that far less famous names can also make the running.

img_14-4.jpg

Savvy caddy makes a happy golfer

10 August 2020

One of the specialist golfing sales held by PBA Galleries (20% buyer’s premium) of San Francisco included the work of a Scottish-born designer of golf courses who is said to have laid out some 400 of them.

img_14-1.jpg

Club used by golf great Seve Ballesteros and glorious early trophy ready to tee off at auction

10 August 2020

A legend of golf is represented at Shropshire saleroom Mullock’s Golfing Memorabilia and Antique & Modern Fishing Tackle auction on August 13-14.

Categories

News