SPECIALIST Sporting Memorabilia auctioneers Graham Budd Ltd (In association with Sotheby’s) is offering Football Fans the opportunity to buy a piece of sporting history for their home – items from the World-Famous Wembley Stadium! The sale will take place on Tuesday, November 8, 2011 at Sotheby’s, New Bond Street, London W1A 2AA.
Among the nine lots that will be offered is The Royal Tunnel Gates dating from 1923 by Samuel Elliott & Sons Ltd of Reading, each timber gate measures approximately 5metres by 5metres and the pair are estimated to fetch £5,000–10,000, while one of the round windows from the iconic Twin Towers, also by Samuel Elliott & Sons Ltd is estimated at £3,000-5,000. Also included are several pieces from the Royal Retiring Room such as doors, windows and wall panels plus a fanlight from the Long Bar and a balustrade and lights that were situated by the Royal Box.
The Royal Tunnel Gates – which surrounded the grand entranceway to where so much incredible history was made – are being sold by The Brooking Trust who were fortunate enough to acquire the items from the original Wembley Stadium prior to its demolition.
A spokesman from the Trust said: “Regrettably it is the size and weight which negates their retention in the collection. It is with sadness that they and the other pieces are being released; we have held them for the last eleven years hoping to find a way of displaying them, but without success. The funds raised from the auction will go fully to maintaining the collection and helping towards the acquisition of a Museum and Learning Centre – The Brooking Architectural Museum Trust. We hope very much that the
items will find enthusiastic new owners and that these treasures from the wonderful old stadium will be given a fresh lease of life.”
Specialist in Charge, Graham Budd, said: “I am delighted to be selling the gates from the most famous sporting venue in the UK, if not the world. This is not the first time that I have
been asked to sell such wonderful architectural objects. I sold the Ascot Racecourse entranceway to the winner’s enclosure in 2005 for £280,000. Unfortunately as these items are so large, they will not be on view at Sotheby’s during the auction viewing.”
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION ON THE AUCTION, PLEASE CALL 020 8366 2525 OR VISIT www.grahambuddauctions.co.uk
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