UK - OLYMPICS 2012: Olympic memorabilia including medals, torches and photographs dating back to 1896 go on sale in London auction.

Record ID: 331037

  • Title: UK - OLYMPICS 2012: Olympic memorabilia including medals, torches and photographs dating back to 1896 go on sale in London auction.
  • Date: 14th July 2012
  • Summary: LONDON, ENGLAND, UNITED KINGDOM (JULY 13, 2012) (REUTERS) EXTERIOR OF BONHAMS AUCTION HOUSE IN KNIGHTSBRIDGE CLOSE OF BONHAMS SIGN AUCTION ITEMS IN GLASS CASES
  • Embargoed: 29th July 2012 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: United Kingdom
  • Country: United Kingdom
  • Topics: Sports
  • Reuters ID: LVA24BEWM4OLDH7XJQVO8OHBPYV7
  • Story Text: Olympics memorabilia will go on sale in London next week, giving buyers the chance to own a slice of sporting history.
    The auction at Bonhams on July 25 includes medals, torches, posters and other Olympic souvenirs dating back to the first modern Games in 1896.
    With the Olympics back in London for the first time since 1948, Bonhams specialist Lionel Willis said they had encouraged people to hunt through attics and cupboards for hidden and forgotten treasures.
    "Us and other auction houses, when we conceived of the idea of having special events for the Olympic Games we certainly trawl with publicity to remind people and ask people if they've got anything that they think might be suitable. And people have been producing things from the backs of draws and under the sofa and out of the attic, particularly from the UK, people have kept stuff from 1908 and 1948 and often the participants or the recipients have now passed on and their families think it would be nice if it went to a collector who will value them," he said.
    The sale includes a number of items from the controversial Berlin Games of 1936, including a portfolio of iconic photographs by Leni Riefenstahl signed by the artist, up for auction with an estimate of up to 3,500 pounds.
    The Berlin Games were the first to start the modern tradition of a torch relay.
    "The Dutch first had the idea of having a flame and they lit the flame in Amsterdam in 1928 but that was ignited by the Amsterdam Electricity Board. But the Germans, Carl Diem who was the organiser of the 1936 Olympics had this vision of linking the ancient Greeks with the new Aryan nation, sold the idea to Doctor Goebbels, so the idea of a torch relay, igniting a flame at Olympia and then bringing it to the Games in Berlin was first conceived then," said Willis.
    The Games are also remembered by the four gold medals won by black American athlete Jesse Owens, striking a blow against the racist ideology of the Nazis.
    A photograph of a smiling Owens is also for sale, as part of a collection of photos of medal winners up for auction.
    "Wonderful story and of course it's the story which everyone associates with the Olympics, whereby the great publicity machine was overturned by the events of one man, by the activities and achievements of one man and its a lovely photograph of him. He was a very photogenic chap fortunately which makes it even better," said Willis.
    The sale also includes an archive of Australian Olympic rower Bobby Pearce, who won gold medals in 1928 and 1932. In amongst the medals, certificates and photographs are more personal details - such as a fragment of the boat smashed in anger by American Kenneth Myers after Pearce defeated him in the final in 1928.
    "Its a nice archive because it contains all of the background material which goes with it, so photograph albums, press cuttings, a piece of the boat that the defeated American semi-finalist kicked off his boat in disgust afterwards a great photograph of him with a load of Dutch girls, lovely stories. He stopped rowing in the final against the french sculler in order to let some ducks row across the course and then carried on and still won by 20 lengths so a terrific character and a lovely collection," said Willis.
    The whole Pearce archive is estimated to sell for up to 50,000 pounds (78,000 US dollars).
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