Michael Fahey - Sports Memorabilia Australia - The trusted choice for expert valuations, auctions and sales since 1993.

DESCRIPTION

This is a very rare memento from the 1908-09 1st Kangaroo Rugby League Tour. A cricket style cap with blue and green segments and red/maroon Kangaroo embroidered and Australia and date 1908-09 below that.

This cap was presented to Sidney (Sandy) Charles Pearce, or his family. Sandy Pearce described as the Price of Hookers joined the breakaway rugby league in 1907 from Eastern Suburbs Rugby Union side. He toured with the Kangaroos in 1908-09. He declined to tour with the Australasian side in 1911-12 but amazingly toured again in 1921, aged 38. He died of myocarditis in 1930 aged just 47. He played 16 Tests (1908-1921) His son Sidney Joe Pearce played 150 first grade games for Eastern Suburbs and 11 Tests fro Australia 1932-38. They were the first father and son to represent Australia in Rugby League.

This cap first believed to have been worn on the actual 1908-09 tour now appears to be a later commemorative release. The reasoning for this is;

Firstly there are no photos of the side wearing the caps while on tour, either officially or socially.

Secondly; The original colours of the 1908-09 Kangaroos (as was the case for the honour caps and jerseys on your) was Sky Blue and Maroon.

Thirdly; While cap bears no maker's label, it is woollen with cotton embroidery. The honour caps issued late 1800s and in the early part of the 2oth century were more of a velvet material and more importantly were adorned with bullion wiring, that is, the embroidery was in metal thread. Therefore we believe that these were presented to the First Kangaroos at a later date - my guess would be the 25th Anniversary of the 1907 Pioneers and 1st Annual Dinner, which was held at Sargent's Cafe 25th May 1932. This was preceded on the 14th June 1931 with a more general Reunion of Kangaroos and possible this was the event. In this case it would have been presented to Joe Pearce as Sandy passed away in November 1930. I believe green blazers were issued to those surviving Pioneers on the occasion of the 50th Anniversary of the tour in 1958.

The cap is in fair condition. There are a large number of small holes in it, and the internal lining has a few tears. A name has been written boldly - S.C. PEARCE.

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Listing Format:	Auction
Current price :	AU$1,000.00
# of bids:	0
Closes:	Auction is closed
Location:	NSW, Australia
Started:	8/5/2014 3:01:40 PM
Ended:	8/14/2014 4:40:00 PM
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High Bidder(s):	--
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