Wisden's Cricketers' Almanack, or 'Bible of Cricket' as it has become known, was founded in 1864 by the cricketer John Wisden (1826-1884) as a competitor to Fred Lillywhite's The Guide to Cricketers.
Wisden was a high class all-rounder in his own right, and his passion for the game obviously spilled over into the publication. Some old volumes can be very valuable.
Bloomsbury is offering 44 volumes of the annual, with 1892, 1910, 1911, 1913, 1946, 1950-52, 1954-57, 1961-63, 1966-69, 1970-71, 1973-74, 1976-96, 1999 and 2002 on offer as one lot at their rare books sale in a week's time.
 A selection of Wisden cricket annuals |
The estimate listed is quite low, presumably due to the incompleteness of the set and some variations in condition. Bloomsbury isn't expecting the whole to sell for as much as £1,000.
This seems surprising however, since a complete set of the annual from its inception sold last year at Bonhams for an extraordinary £90,000 - beating its top estimate by £20,000. If they are sought by someone willing to pay far more at the auction, the set could provide a credible investment.
The sale takes place in London on February 18. Don't miss our exclusive interview with the Chairman of Bloomsbury and Dreweatts.
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