January 28, 1929 - Autographed Sykes Bat Ad
Sir Donald Bradman
$52.5K US
Don Bradman's dominating feats in his sport have led many to consider him the greatest sportsperson in history. His career batting average of 99.94 is akin to Babe Ruth hitting 2000 homeruns instead of 714, Tom Brady throwing 5 touchdowns or Michael Jordan scoring 50 points per game as a career average. In a brief span of six months Bradman at the age of only 21 would stun everyone in cricket by setting the world record 452 for first-class innings which stood for 29 years and 334 in Test cricket that would stand for 73 years.
William Sykes & Son, Ltd. was already well known as a premier cricket bat manufacturer and had several other athlete signature bats in their repertoire when they approached 20-year-old Don Bradman in January 1929. Bradman used an unprepared Sykes bat playing for NSW, when he faced the Victoria team during a Shield game on Thursday the 24th and Friday the 25th of 1929, batting a brilliant 340 not out in just 488 minutes. It was the first triple century of the six in his career and the highest score ever at the time and by anyone under the age of 21, a record that stood for another 45 years.
He never used that bat again; Sykes kept it as a souvenir on display at their factory headquarters. The performance sealed the deal for Sykes and Bradman and during the Saturday rest day and Sunday the 27th, Sykes designed and produced the advertising card shown above that referenced the Victoria, 340 not out on the back from the previous Friday play.
Don Bradman signed his first Sykes signature bat contract and the card shown was signed by Bradman and dated Monday 28 - 1 - 29 and was given to the contract agent company of George Sutton from Adelaide and stamped by the agency on the back. Since none of the signature bats were in production at the time and given the autograph date, it's likely that this simple card is the very first Sykes advertising ever signed by Don Bradman and is a museum grade historical piece.
Relating directly to the Sykes signature bat process and manufactured, signed, and dated within three days at the very moment of his Sykes bat contract this is one of the rarest advertising objects autographed by Don Bradman, the greatest cricketer in history.
Open Offer $52,500 US
