We’re mid-way through the Wimbledon tennis champs, so an item today related to one of the sport’s all-time greats.
Fred Perry’s 1936 Wimbledon Tennis Championships men’s singles winner’s gold medal went under the hammer at Graham Budd’s sporting memorabilia sale in London on June 9.
The medal was awarded for Perry’s defence of his title over the German player Gottfried von Cramm.
Hallmarked 18ct gold at Birmingham in 1936, it was designed by Joseph Moore and carried his name.
Inscribed
Of circular form, its obverse showed crossed tennis racquets and was inscribed ALL ENGLAND CLUB WIMBLEDON.
The reverse (shown) featured laurel leaves and was inscribed LAWN TENNIS COMPETITION 1936 FRED PERRY.
Perry defended his 1935 Wimbledon title against von Cramm, winning 6-1, 6-1, 6-0.
This victory was the last Wimbledon men’s singles title won by a British player until Sir Andy Murray’s triumph in 2013.
Perry’s semi-final opponent was John Donald Budge, the American who became the first player of any nationality, male or female, and still the only American male, to win in a single year the four tournaments that comprise the Grand Slam of tennis.
Von Cramm, incidentally, won the French title twice and was World No 1 in 1937.
The medal, which measured 37mm and had little wear, was last sold at Christie’s South Kensington in 1997, when the Fred Perry collection was dispersed by his family. It netted £8000 back then.
Expected this time to attract bids of £14,000-£18,000, it was knocked down in the room for £20,000 to the Lawn Tennis Museum at the All England Club.
