The Complete Book of Football Memorabilia

by Robert McElroy, Robert McElroy

A large-size, full-colour guide review of soccer memorabilia based of items that have passed through the annual sale at Christie's auction house

192 pages, Hardcover

First published October 29, 1999

Reviews

[Ming Wei · Rating 5 out of 5]

Gives a guide, and price guide to various football collectables. Lots of top quality pictures throughout the book. I found it a very interesting book, with a lot of historical memorabilia within its pages. From football programmes, to boots, shirts and other related stuff. An excellent book.

[Tim Roast · Rating 5 out of 5]

Christie's started football-specific auctions in 1989 and this full-colour, hard-cover book brings together a number of items that Christie's sold or listed for sale at their first 11 auctions, from the first one in 1989 through to their second 1998 sale. "Football Memorabilia is a comprehensive and lavishly illustrated guide to everything you need to know about how to start and build a collection - from prints and photographs to collectables, medals, match programmes and books" "Written by "two experts in the field" and "based upon the catalogue record and photographic archive of Christie's" the items are split across 11 chapters:

1. Medals
2. International caps
3. Shirts
4. Trophies
5. Programmes
6. Posters
7. Pictures, Prints and Drawings
8. Photographs
9. Books & Publications
10. Sculpture & Ceramics
11. General Collectibles
Appendix: Building your own collection, useful addresses, index

Items come with a description and a sale price, and the year's sale that it was sold (or not sold) at. The descriptions bring the items alive by talking about the player involved for example, and maybe showing a photo of that player. Maybe some people will think that this is a little like looking through a Christie's catalogue but to me it was very interesting as I have a great interest in the game, and the history of it. And it was interesting reading the descriptions too. Like the item that "was withdrawn from sale following pressure from FIFA" but also discovering long-forgotten football players.

Of course, for the mere mortal a lot of items sold through Christies are out of their price range but this book is still interesting to look at nonetheless. Also, you do sometimes think that the items could be sourced elsewhere cheaper sometimes - not necessarily for one-off items of course like the 1966 FIFA World Championship Jules Rimet Cup winner's medal won by George Cohen of England in 1966 but definitely for more mass-produced things like cigarette cards and books. Also, elsewhere you might be able to source an internal cap or medal for cheaper, say, but you might be lacking providence.

Overall then a book that will delight the football fanatic.

[Andrew Ives · Rating 4 out of 5]

Whilst this book is glossy, hardback and very nicely printed, with very decent colour photos throughout, the text is a little repetitive, being used in the chapter beginnings then again below each auction lot. This is usually rather verbose and somewhat dreary, although the earlier pages tell more of the background story and are much more interesting. The lots shown almost all pertain to the very early days of football, between c1860-1939, with hardly anything since 1970, and of that, mostly Scottish football. I found it quite interesting all the same, but if you are hoping for more World Cup (due to the Brazil shirt on the cover) or English Premier League items, there won't be much here for you. Some of the layout, with the details in a clear list rather than in prose might've helped with clarity for comparison's sake too. It would be a safe assumption that the prices listed and fetched at auction in Christie's Glasgow have changed dramatically in the 25yrs since publication, so are probably not particularly useful as a price guide these days. 4/5