Robert Arthur Thoms. 'Lord Sheffield's XI v Australians 1896'. A wooden cricket bail, one end inscribed 'Prince of Wales at Sheffield Park May/[18]96, and the other 'England v Australia, May 1896'. Both inscriptions in Thoms hand. Good condition with the inscriptions clear and legible. Sold with two further odd bails saved from matches he had officiated in, the indistinct inscription on the slightly earlier type of bail reading 'Lord [?] Sheffield.....England, and the other also in Thoms hand, 'Australia....'. Sold with a M.C.C. bail bag and the silk ribbon which Thoms used to tie keep the bails together. One of these two bails is strongly believed to have been used in the first Test match between England and Australia in 1880. Thoms proudest achievement was standing umpire in the first Test match, and a surviving grand-daughter remembers that he preserved one of the bails used. A letter, dated July 1987, to this effect is sold with the lot. Previously sold in the Christie's auction of October 1987
The first bail refers to the opening match of the Australian 1896 tour of England when H.R.H. The Prince of Wales visited Sheffield Park on May 11th. The match was drawn with Darling 67 and Trott 59no top scoring for the Australians. E. Jones took 7-84 in Lord Sheffield XI first innings. For Lord Sheffield's XI, F.S. Jackson made 95 no, Ranjitsinhji 79 & 42 and W.G. Grace 49 & 26. Mold took 4-61 in the Australian first innings. Note from the Auctioneer:- Although the first single bail's inscription is good and legible, for the second two bails I have taken most of the description from the 1987 catalogue and must report that in 1987 the inscriptions were described as indistinct, after a time span of thirty years the inscriptions, where they can be made out, are not now legible
Robert Arthur Thoms. 'Lord Sheffield's XI v Australians 1896'. A wooden cricket bail, one end inscribed 'Prince of Wales at Sheffield Park May/[18]96, and the other 'England v Australia, May 1896'. Both inscriptions in Thoms hand. Good condition with the inscriptions clear and legible. Sold with two further odd bails saved from matches he had officiated in, the indistinct inscription on the slightly earlier type of bail reading 'Lord [?] Sheffield.....England, and the other also in Thoms hand, 'Australia....'. Sold with a M.C.C. bail bag and the silk ribbon which Thoms used to tie keep the bails together. One of these two bails is strongly believed to have been used in the first Test match between England and Australia in 1880. Thoms proudest achievement was standing umpire in the first Test match, and a surviving grand-daughter remembers that he preserved one of the bails used. A letter, dated July 1987, to this effect is sold with the lot. Previously sold in the Christie's auction of October 1987
The first bail refers to the opening match of the Australian 1896 tour of England when H.R.H. The Prince of Wales visited Sheffield Park on May 11th. The match was drawn with Darling 67 and Trott 59no top scoring for the Australians. E. Jones took 7-84 in Lord Sheffield XI first innings. For Lord Sheffield's XI, F.S. Jackson made 95 no, Ranjitsinhji 79 & 42 and W.G. Grace 49 & 26. Mold took 4-61 in the Australian first innings. Note from the Auctioneer:- Although the first single bail's inscription is good and legible, for the second two bails I have taken most of the description from the 1987 catalogue and must report that in 1987 the inscriptions were described as indistinct, after a time span of thirty years the inscriptions, where they can be made out, are not now legible
Try LotSearch and its premium features for 7 days - without any costs!
Be notified automatically about new items in upcoming auctions.
Create an alert
