BIDDERS at a local auction are expected to be bowled over by a souvenir poster of the pioneering 1868 Aboriginal cricket team.
The first Aussie sporting team to tour internationally, its members had learnt cricket while working as stockmen on cattle stations.
Now the rare 159-year-old photographic print goes under the hammer with Richard Winterton Auctioneers on 20th April.
It is estimated at £600 to £700 – but specialists say it could fetch four figures at auction.
Another copy exists at the Australian National Portrait Gallery, but the example going to auction came to light following a house clearance in Sutton Coldfield.
The poster was produced to promote the team’s six-month tour of England in 1868, which began with a game at the Oval in May to a crowd of 20,000.
The oval photographic print was published in 1867 in anticipation of the tour.
Each First Nations player was photographed in either customary cricketing pose or holding a weapon such as a boomerang or spear, as traditional skills were also showcased during exhibitions at the conclusion of a match.
Valuer David Fergus said:
“Aboriginal cricketers have a pioneering history in Australia.
“Not only did the 1868 team become the first-ever Australian side to tour England, they did it a full ten years before the Australian XI team made the journey for the first official test match on British soil.
“The cultural crossover of heritage with sport, with the Aboriginal team showcasing traditional skills alongside their cricketing prowess, emphasises the tour’s importance.
“So it was a special moment to discover this rare piece of Australian cultural history following a house clearance – I was certainly knocked for six.”
The six-month tour typically saw the team play two or three matches a week.
Johnny Mullagh was the outstanding player, scoring 1,698 runs and taking 245 wickets.
David added:
“The team won 14 and drew 19 of the 47 games they played in England, so it’s sad to learn that they disbanded on returning home.”
The full catalogue goes live online a week before the sale date at www.richardwinterton.co.uk/auctions/auction-calendar.
