A World War Two period autograph album containing 200+ signa...

Estimate

£50 - £80

A World War Two period autograph album containing 200+ signatures of footballers of the period from various wartime international friendlies and unofficial fixtures involving England, Scotland, British Army teams etc, circa 1941-43, including 28 signatures from Scotland v England international, Hampden Park, 3rd May, 1941, being both full starting XI's including Stanley Matthews (1915-2000), Denis Compton (1918-1997), Joe Mercer (1914-1990), Wilf Mannion (1918-2000), Bill Shankly (1913-1981), Tommy Walker (1915-1993), Jerry Dawson (1909-1977), etc, also with signatures of some reserves and officials, neatly laid out over two pages of album with other manuscript pen & ink details by the compiler of the album of scoreline, scorers, positions of players on field and the clubs they represented, national emblems etc; 26 signatures from Scotland v England international, Newcastle, 8th February 1941, being both full starting XI's including Ken Willingham, Tommy Lawton, Joe Mercer, Len Goulden, Wilf Mannion, Joe Bacuzzi, Jimmy Smith, George Brown, Jimmy Dykes, Tommy Walker, Jerry Dawson etc, plus signatures of three reserve players and Scotland trainer, also neatly laid out in manuscript by album compiler over double page spread; 27 signatures full starting XI's plus 5 others from England v Scotland international, Wembley, October 4th 1941, signatures include Stanley Matthews, Joe Mercer, Denis Compton, Wilf Mannion, Jimmy Hagan, Bill Shankly, Tommy Walker, Matt Busby, etc, neatly laid out in m/s over double page spread by the album compiler; plus numerous other signatures notable footballers of the period from various wartime fixtures, including United Services XI v Newcastle United, 24th May 1941, small m/s pen & ink sketches of WW2 tank and aeroplane by the compiler of album plus other m/s details of the fixture, players etc, Hearts v Rangers, Hampden Park, 10th May 1941, British Army XI, September 1941, Hearts v Arsenal, at Tynecastle, 2nd August 1941, Scotland v England at Wembley, Mrs Churchill's Russian Red Cross Fund, 17th January 1942, 22 sigs assorted players, neat pen, ink & watercolour thistle and rose emblems by the album compiler, Army in Ireland v British Army XI, etc etc, contemporary oblong leather gilt album (10 x 14cm). England played 29 unofficial wartime internationals between 11 November 1939 and 5 May 1945, 14 against Wales and 15 against Scotland. Football was seen as a morale booster during the horrors of World War II, for both soldiers and civilians.