‘Tom Walker’s Skyscraper’. A late 18th Century cricket bat purportedly used by Tom Walker to make 95 not out for the White Conduit Club v Kent at Canterbury in 1786. Auction of Cricket, Wisden Cricketers' Almanacks, Football and Sporting Memorabilia including the David Frith Collection- 2 Day Auction

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Auction of Cricket, Wisden Cricketers' Almanacks, Football and Sporting Memorabilia including the David Frith Collection- 2 Day Auction (#10) 06/08/2023 10:30 AM BST Closed
Starts Ending 06/08/2023 10:30 AM BST

Auction Info

Lot #430‘Tom Walker’s Skyscraper’. A late 18th Century cricket bat purportedly used by Tom Walker to make 95 not out for the White Conduit Club v Kent at Canterbury in 1786.

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Lot closed - unsold

Estimate: £30,000 - £40,000

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Description

‘Tom Walker’s Skyscraper’. A late 18th Century cricket bat purportedly used by Tom Walker to make 95 not out for the White Conduit Club v Kent at Canterbury in 1786. The bat, with fading ink inscription to the top of the blade ‘Walker/Innings 95/86’, was made by William Yalden (1740-1824), a friend of Walker’s, who played for Hampshire and Surrey. Impressed marks ‘Wm. Yalden’ on the top of the bat handle, some loss to the edges of the impressed marks, unspliced, narrow shoulders with angled edges flaring to a thick, slightly convex toe. The back of the bat is humped, not bevelled. The bat is 36.25” long. There is, what appears to be, an old museum label to the blade which reads ‘Period 1780-1835. Unspliced’ in ink. Small loss to the bottom of the face of the bat and smaller amount to the back of the bat otherwise in good condition. The bat was previously The bat was previously in the M.C.C. Collection and was sold as lot 677 in the M.C.C. Bicentenary auction of April 1987 which was conducted by Christie’s Auctioneers. A very early and rare bat used by a paid professional batsman of the day. Sold with the late vendors research notes giving further information on the bat.

Thomas Walker (1762-1831) was one of leading batsmen of 18th century cricket. He played as a professional for Surrey (1787-93) and Surrey (1788-1910) whilst appearing occasionally for Hambledon and various ‘All England’ teams. The bat was purportedly used by Walker to score 95no and 102 for the White White Conduit Club (+ six given men) v Kent at Canterbury in August 1786. Walker was paid by the London club to appear as one of the ‘given men’ in a match for which much money was wagered. Such high scoring was extremely rare at this time, and it is likely that, after the match, the White Conduit Club bought the bat from Walker as a memento of his performance for them. During the following year, 1787, members of the White Conduit Club formed the Martylebone Cricket Club, so would have taken this bat to display in the pavilion at the first Lord’s Ground. It must have been displayed at each of the three Lord’s Grounds as the club moved its headquarters. Having eventually reached the St. John’s Wood Ground, it survived the fire of 1825 which destroyed most of the artefacts contained there. Although there are older bats in existence, this bat is the oldest known bat to be used in one of the ‘grand’ matches by a leading batsman of the day.
The late vendor of the bat attended the sale held by Christie’s on behalf of the M.C.C. and viewed the bat prior to the sale. What he noticed was that the Tom Walker Skyscraper bat had been misnumbered by Christie’s auctioneers and instead of being the catalogued lot 677 it had been numbered Lot 667 and vice versa with the bat being sold as lot 667 ‘An elegant later 19th century straight faced bat with square shoulders’. He bought the lot for. £160 and the other incorrectly numbered bat appertaining to be Walker’s bat sold for. £1000. Some days later, the vendor received a call from Christie’s, admitting their mistake and asking if he would sell the bat back for. £1000, the vendor refused.
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Auction of Cricket, Wisden Cricketers' Almanacks, Football and Sporting Memorabilia including the David Frith Collection- 2 Day Auction (#10) 06/08/2023 10:30 AM BST Closed Starts Ending 06/08/2023 10:30 AM BST

Lot #430‘Tom Walker’s Skyscraper’. A late 18th Century cricket bat purportedly used by Tom Walker to make 95 not out for the White Conduit Club v Kent at Canterbury in 1786.

Auction of Cricket, Wisden Cricketers' Almanacks, Football and Sporting Memorabilia including the David Frith Collection- 2 Day Auction (#10) 06/08/2023 10:30 AM BST Closed
Starts Ending 06/08/2023 10:30 AM BST