Two fine studio portraits of Clarrie Grimmett, taken during the 1934 Australian Tour of England by the society photographer Lenare
London (28 George Street, Hanover Square, W.1.), Lenare, [1934].
Two large-format gelatin silver photographs (each 351 × 264 mm), signed by the photographer in the negative, with his studio inkstamp and manuscript reference number on the versos.
Some silvering-out (mainly around the edges); tiny creases to the corners of the white margins of one print; overall, in excellent condition, loosely inserted in the original cloth portfolio lettered in gilt on the padded front panel (in excellent condition, albeit with a spot of surface wear near the middle of the spine).
Clarrie Grimmett, the NZ-born Australian Test cricketer, was one of the finest leg-spinners of his time. He is photographed in two different poses: head-and-shoulders from the side, wearing his cap and blazer; and three-quarter length from the front, wearing pullover and blazer, with cap in hand. Lenare was the professional name of Leonard George Green (1883-1946); he specialised in society portraits at his London studio. Provenance: Clarrie Grimmett, originally purchased at the Christie's auction of the Clarrie Grimmett Collection, sold in Melbourne on 13 May 1998. Grimmett played 37 Tests between 1924 and 1936, taking 216 wickets at an average of 24.21. His record for the fastest bowler to take 200 wickets in Tests (achieved in his 36th match) stood for 82 years, and was broken only in 2018. His first-class record of 1424 wickets in 248 matches between 1911 and 1941 includes 513 wickets in his 79 Sheffield Shield matches. He was a Wisden Cricketer of the Year in 1931 (along with Don Bradman). He was posthumously inducted into the Australian Cricket Hall of Fame in 1996 as one of the ten inaugural members, and in 2009, he was inducted into the ICC Cricket Hall of Fame. [2 items].
Item #144537
Price (AUD):
$2,000.00