The rarest cricket card of all

Enuffsenuff

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Brigsley, England
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Ian Penistone
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Willow_uk
Recently I acquired a cricket card (Woodbury type) of WG Grace which also show his brother Fred Grace and another cricketer. The card was issued between 1878/9 with the Cricket and Football Times. Fred Grace died in 1880 and the magazine also changed It’s name in 1880 to include cycling. I’ve have only ever seen 1 other similar card which appeared trimmed but this wasnt a cricketer. I suspect this could be the only survivor and may well be the first cricket card ever issued of WG if not the first cricket card ever of a recognised player.
 
This is arguably the rarest Australian Trade Card - issued in late 1901 to commemorate the 1901/02 England v Australia Test series. It shows English Left arm spinner, Colin Blythe (killed in WW1) and is believed to be the only example of this card in existence! A succession of Cricket card collecting experts have reasoned that it was a B&W Salesman's sample for the Robert Hurst Boots & Shoe company, that ultimately decided not to go ahead with the production of the series, which consists of 12 cards in coloured format per the McCracken's Brewery issue example (attached) at the same time - 1901/02!

1901-02 Hurst Blythe (Repair & Clean).jpg


1901-02 Hurst Rev (Repair & Clean).jpg


1902 Blythe (SF).jpg


1902 Z Rev (My Card 1).jpg
 
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these cards are amazing and your lucky to have them - the prices for them would be through the roof - they are so rare they should ultimatly go (for a fair price) to the Bardamn Museum so all cricket lovers can see them
 
the hurst and the gregory cards above and also the wg grace card they must be worth a small fortune
 
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