WELLINGBOROUGH.- For sale are 765 historic sporting items from the heroes of the Olympics, athletics, cricket, boxing, cycling, golf, rugby, tennis football and horse racing with BUDDS over two days, 17-18 March - fascinating sports items that will excite collectors to offer record prices.

David Convery of BUDDS comments: “This is a market that has continued to grow over the last 30 years as collectors vie to own something linked to a passion for a sporting hero of theirs. It is a market that has now become a true alternative investment. Sports memorabilia is not just a passion, it’s an investment in sporting history. The items we sell are from moments that made headlines and caused stadiums to erupt. Now preserved, authenticated and ready to own.”

Walking into BUDDS salerooms is an exercise in nostalgia and excitement for all around you from Lester Piggott’s racing saddle to the earliest tennis rackets to football boots once owned by legends. The memorabilia conjures sporting glory.

BUDDS sales channel the power of sport, the intensity of historic moments, the joy, the heartbreak, the raw adrenaline, and use that momentum to drive everything we do. The world of sports memorabilia is vast and dynamic. From medals, trophies, and match-worn kit linked to sporting legends, to programmes, tickets, autographs, artwork, and commemorative pieces, these items capture the moments that define sporting history. Whether you’re collecting or selling, this is a market built on legacy, significance, and lasting value.

KEY LOTS

In the 765 items in this sale there are many that stand out as extraordinary. Here are just seven examples.

From Olympic Glory to Ashes Drama

Lot 13 Extremely rare, limited edition Usain Bolt Olympic Gold Edition Opus, estimate £20,000 - £30,000

One of the headline lots celebrates the fastest man in history. An extremely rare limited edition Olympic Gold Edition Opus signed by Usain Bolt (estimate £20,000–£30,000) is number two from an edition of just eight copies worldwide.

The lavish volume features Bolt’s iconic lightning silhouette in crystals on the cover, signed artwork and prints, as well as original gloves – a fitting tribute to the sprinter who dominated the Olympic Games and transformed athletics into global spectacle. Together with an additional original autographed watercolour and three signed prints, Opus includes original gloves, 66 x 48 x 8cm

LOT 16 Botham's Ashes Oval Test Stump, England v Australia The Oval, 1981 £1,000 -£1,500

Few sporting contests stir passion like the Ashes, and one lot takes collectors back to the drama of the 1981 series, synonymous with the heroics of Ian Botham.

A match stump from the Sixth Test at The Oval (estimate £1,000–£1,500) recalls a match where Australia’s Dennis Lillee claimed 11 wickets while Botham took 10 in a gripping finale. The stump previously formed part of the Geoffrey Boycott collection sold at Christie’s in 2020.

Provenance: Christie's London, The Sir Geoffrey Boycott Collection, October/November 2020, Lot 91

Lot 540 Franz Beckenbauer shirt £3,000 – £5,000

Football history is represented by a match-worn New York Cosmos shirt belonging to Franz Beckenbauer (estimate £3,000–£5,000), the German legend who helped bring global star power to American soccer in the early 1980s.

The shirt was obtained in a post-match swap with former Seattle Sounders player Steve Daley, who later recalled sharing a drink with Beckenbauer after the game in New York.

Sold together with a handwritten letter of authenticity from Steve Daley “I do remember the shirt, I did swap shirts with Franz after the game against the New York Cosmo in Giants Stadium New York. I was a player for Seattle Sounders at the time, I think we actually beat them 4 – 2 on the day, i must say what a great player and what a great man he is, we had a drink after the game and nothing was too much trouble for him.

Boxing Glory – From Champions to Comebacks

Lot 54 Ricky Hatton boxing robe £5,000 -£8,000 last fight worn autographed boxing robe, 12th November 2022.

Boxing fans will recognise a striking white and blue robe worn by Ricky Hatton in his final exhibition fight against Marco Antonio Barrera in November 2022 (estimate £5,000–£8,000).

Autographed by the Manchester hero, the robe carries the Manchester City crest and a poppy emblem and was donated to raise funds for amateur boxing champion Tony Cesay.

The white and blue robe with sequins hood and cuffs, with Manchester City FC badge, poppy decal and sponsors logos, the robe autographed Ricky Hatton Hitman, framed with images of the fight and Ricky wearing the robe, 120 x 80cm overall
The above robe was worn by Ricky Hatton for his last-ever fight. The exhibition match was against Marco Antonio Barrera in November 2022. Ricky donated the robe to raise funds for 4 Times London ABA and national ABA champion Tony Cesay.

Lot 62 Original Victor Chandler British Master Golf Trophy £3,000-£5,000

The original silver Victor Chandler British Masters Golf Trophy, London 1933, possibly by Reid & Sons, the two-handled trophy inscribed Victor Chandler BRITISH MASTERS WOBURN, the rim engraved with golf scenes, the lid with crown finial, on square base with white-metal plaque inscribed 1999 BOB MAY, 2000 GARY ORR, 2001 THOMAS LEVET, 2002 JUSTIN ROSE, trophy 40cm high, overall 54cn high

Victor Chandler sponsored the British Masters from 1999-2002. The trophy dates from1933 by we believe Reid & Sons and was redesigned by Theo Fennell and used as the winning trophy presented to the British Masters winners for those four seasons, the tournament was held at Woburn on each occasion

LOT 47 Darren “Dazzo” Williams a silver-glit and enamel Lonsdale belt Estimate: £5,000 - £8,000

Darren “Dazzo” Williams a silver-glit and enamel Lonsdale belt by Thomas Fattorini, Birmingham 1999, the central panel surmounted by figure of a lion and inscribed LORD LONSDALE CHALLENGE BELT THE BRITISH BOXING BOARD OF CONTROL (1929) FLYWEIGHT CHAMPIONSHIP OF GREAT BRITAIN PROFESSIONAL BOXING and enamel panel of Lord Lonsdale, with two further enamel panels and four silver-glit panels depicting the national flowers of England, Scotland, Ireland and Wales
He made his professional debut in February 2001, beating Mickey Coveney via a second-round knockout.

Darren "Dazzo" Williams was born in 1974; he made his professional debut in 2001 beating Mickey Coveney with a 2nd round knockout. Dazzo competed from 2001 to 2005 and held the British Featherweight title from 2003 to 2005 and challenged once for the Commonwealth and EBU European featherweight titles in 2005.

After winning eight from his first ten fights, culminating in a narrow title eliminator win against Steve Chinnock, he challenged for Roy Rutherford's British featherweight title in November 2003 in Belfast, taking another narrow points decision. He made three successful title defences in 2004, beating Jamie McKeever, Roy Rutherford and John Simpson, a controversial victory by only one point to win the Lonsdale belt outright

LOT 94 An extremely rare Brasenose GOLD Rackets Racquet Estimate: £12,000 - £15,000

Not all highlights belong to the modern era. One of the most historically important items is an exceptionally rare Brasenose Gold Rackets Racquet, dating from around 1853–54 (estimate £12,000–£15,000).

An extremely rare Brasenose GOLD Rackets Racquet, this very special racquet also made by Jeffries and Malings of Woolwich, with ash head and walnut throat and was strung with natural gut more recently, the handle is covered in sheepskin and then covered in red velvet, distressed, with yellow-metal band is at the top of the grip and similar yellow-metal butt cap and inscribed W.H. Davey Esq, Brasenose Crest, Brasenose Coll.

This racquet was won by William Davey and it is very likely an allcomers trophy which progressed later to the Oxford University Prize Racquet. The date is not known but would have been, circa 1853-54.

William Horton Davey: according to the Brasenose College, Oxford Register (1909) William Horton Davey was born in Redruth, Cornwall, first son of Stephen Davey of Redruth Cornwall. He is mentioned in Burke's Landed Gentry as well as Foster's Our Noble and Gentle Families. He was educated at Harrow Scholl and matriculated to Brasenose College on the 25th May 1853 aged 17. He was awarded his B.A. in 1871 and became a Justice of the Peace and died on 13th April 1871.

The first Oxford v. Cambridge varsity match was in 1858 so the rackets predate this competition and could well be the first silver and gold presentation rackets won at Brasenose.