Manchester United match programmes ‘could be unique survivors’

One of two early Manchester United programmes that made £6800 each at Lockdales.

Tom Derbyshire
20 Mar 2023

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Offered in Lockdales’ (19.5% buyer’s premium) auction on March 1, they formed part of what the Ipswich saleroom dubbed an “outstanding collection of early football programmes”.

These were “all entered to sell”, which explains the modest £100-150 estimates placed on the Manchester United v Blackburn Rovers, September 19, 1914, and Man U v Derby County, September 6, 1919, programmes which always seemed likely to fetch much more.

Indeed, they both took £6800, “which could be the highest we’ve ever seen for an individual programme”, added Lockdales. “Judging by the result these could be unique survivors.”

In 2012 an official one penny match card from the 1909 FA Cup final between Manchester United and Bristol City sold for £20,000 at Graham Budd’s sale in association with Sotheby’s, setting a record for any football programme at auction at that time.

Another Red Devils-related programme, for Arsenal v Man U on January 16, 1926, took £800 at Lockdales on an estimate of £25-50.

A programme with Arsenal FC on the cover was for a game at Highbury, the Gunners’ former home, but was for very different teams: Northern Nomads v Redhill on March 13, 1926, contesting the FA Amateur Cup semi-final. With some red staining damage, it made £800, again with a here-to-sell guide of £20-30. The Nomads went on to lift the trophy at Roker Park, Sunderland, beating Stockton.

All FA Cup teams had originally been amateur but with professionalism taking over Queen’s Park were the last amateur finalists in 1884-85. After some opposition, the FA created the FA Amateur Cup in 1891. It ended in 1974 but the FA Vase and Trophy competitions came in to fill the void.

Despite the amateur status, in its heyday the cup’s games attracted huge crowds.

Tallis goes global

Tallis’ Illustrated Atlas and Modern History of the World, £3500 at Lockdales.

Another highlight of the Toys, Antiques, Books, Ephemera & Sporting auction was a copy of Tallis’ Illustrated Atlas and Modern History of the World, edited by R Montgomery Martin, 1851, which sold for £3500 against an estimate of £800-1200.

In contemporary half calf, it comprised 81 engraved single-page maps (each hand-coloured in outline) but the upper cover was detached and the spine worn.