Monday, February 2, 2009

Barry John up for Auction!

Barry John puts rugby memorabilia up for sale

Feb 2 2009 By Darren Devine and Steffan Rhys

WELSH rugby legend Barry John last night explained his decision to sell off the most prized items of memorabilia from his glittering career by revealing: “Nostalgia means nothing to me.”
The fly-half, considered one of the greatest players of all time, said that while he regarded being picked for Wales as the most treasured honour in his career, the collection of mementoes amassed during his playing days held no great importance to him.
Just days before the start of this year’s Six Nations, John, known simply as “The King” to generations of Welsh rugby fans, is preparing to auction off items including his first Welsh cap, the jersey worn in his final appearance for his country, and a Lions shirt worn in the team’s only series win in New Zealand.
The items will be auctioned in Bonham’s, Chester, on February 25, and are expected to spark a bidding war among rugby fanatics that could send the total price spiralling towards £50,000.
Speaking to the Western Mail, John who was born in Cefneithin, Carmarthenshire said he had consulted his family over the decision, and explained that he hoped the mementoes would be acquired by someone who would truly value them.

He said: “I saw that former footballers including Geoff Hurst had put their memorabilia up for auction and I saw one or two rugby players doing it,” said John, 64, who lives in Cardiff Bay.

“I spoke to Jan [his former wife] and my four children about it. I asked Jan if she knew where my Welsh cap was and she said: ‘It’s in a drawer upstairs – somewhere’.
“I talked to two great friends of mine – I won’t say who but one is a former Lion – and asked what they would think if I did it. I thought there might be something wrong with doing it.
“But they said, ‘Do it’.


“I spoke to my children and thought about what I could leave to them. I’ve got four children and nine grandchildren but I only played 25 times for Wales so I haven’t got enough to go round.
“In an ideal world I would like to see all of them go to a museum. It’s far better than being in a ‘drawer upstairs’.

“I hope they go to a good place.”

He added: “Friends have asked about nostalgia and, amazingly, there isn’t any.
“Playing for Wales is the greatest thing to happen to any sportsman but I don’t feel that much nostalgia.
“When I handed them over, I just didn’t get that gut feeling. I felt it was the right thing. Why take them to your grave?
“But perhaps my mother, if she was alive, would have said no.
“Maybe 30 years ago I would have but the game has changed so much. Since 1996, when rugby turned professional, all of us look at the world in a more professional manner. The amateur ethos has gone.”
John said he did not know how much the items would fetch, but said financial necessity was not behind the move, adding that he was not selling his “This Is Your Life” book because of its importance to the family.
“Not at all,” he said. “Why have something languishing at the bottom of a drawer if it can be shared with other people?”
The items being sold, which are all expected to attract prices of between £5,000 and £10,000, include:
- The shirt worn by John in his final match for Wales against France in 1972, after which he retired, citing the pressures of fame;
- The Welsh cap awarded to John after making his debut against Australia in December 1966;
- The Lions shirt worn in the fourth and final test in the historic series against New Zealand in 1971;
- A portrait photograph of John, originally taken in black and white and tinted into colour;
- A blue Cardiff Rugby cap awarded for making more than 20 appearances in the 1967-68 season;
- John’s official blazer from the 1971 Lions tour.
Rugby historian Howard Evans, author of A History of Welsh International Rugby: 1881-2000, said John came from a fine tradition of supremely talented Welsh fly-halves.
He said: “Barry looked as if he was slow. He scored one of the great tries in ’67 at Cardiff against England where he beat about four or five Englishmen.
“He could change pace and he made it look as if he was hardly moving. He had an art of making it look like other people were running slowly – he glided.”
Jeffery Muse, regional director of Bonhams, said: “These sort of things are always very appealing to collectors. It’s difficult to know where to place [in terms of price] unique items in the market. There is reason to believe that they will raise several thousand pounds when you think of someone of Barry John’s stature.
“I would expect there would be some wealthy people from Wales and particularly Cardiff that would have a desire to own much of this material.
“Barry John is a larger than life character known to many people and his fame extends way beyond the borders of Wales.”
The sale will also feature a pair of golden football boots cast from Welsh legend John Charles’ originals which are expected to fetch between £3,500 and £5,000.
When I handed them over, I didn’t get that gut feeling. I felt it was the right thing. Why take them to your grave?

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