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- 1888 John L Sullivan v Charley Mitchell original souvenir poster
1888 John L Sullivan v Charley Mitchell original souvenir poster
SKU:
£2,750.00
£2,750.00
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per item
An exceptionally rare souvenir poster commemorating the 1888 fight between the great John L Sullivan and English Heavyweight Champion Charley Mitchell. According to many boxing scribes, Sullivan was first considered world heavyweight champion going into the 1888 fight with Mitchell. When the modern authorities write of the "heavyweight championship of the world," they are likely referring to the championship belt presented to Sullivan in Boston on August 8, 1887. The belt was inscribed Presented to the Champion of Champions, John L. Sullivan, by the Citizens of the United States. Its centerpiece featured the flags of the US, Ireland, and the United Kingdom.
Mitchell came from Birmingham, England and first fought Sullivan in 1883, knocking him down in the first round. Their third meeting, the source of this poster, took place in 1888 on the grounds of a chateau at Chantilly, France, with the fight held in driving rain. It went on for more than two hours, at the end of which both men were unrecognisable and had suffered much loss of blood; neither could lift his arms to punch and the contest was considered a draw. At this point, the local gendarmerie arrived and arrested Mitchell. He was confined to jail for a few days and later fined by the local magistrate as bare-knuckle boxing was illegal in France at that time. Swathed in bandages, Sullivan was helped to evade the law and taken across the English Channel to spend the next few weeks convalescing in Liverpool.
The paper poster has been professionally backed on Japanese conservation (tissue) paper, measuring approximately 17" x 20" in total. When originally acquired the poster had several tears, staining and some small chips missing from the edges. These have been professionally restored to the highest standard possible. It's believed that the poster was issued as part of a periodical or similar publication of the day. We unreservedly guarantee the poster to originate from the 1880's.
Mitchell came from Birmingham, England and first fought Sullivan in 1883, knocking him down in the first round. Their third meeting, the source of this poster, took place in 1888 on the grounds of a chateau at Chantilly, France, with the fight held in driving rain. It went on for more than two hours, at the end of which both men were unrecognisable and had suffered much loss of blood; neither could lift his arms to punch and the contest was considered a draw. At this point, the local gendarmerie arrived and arrested Mitchell. He was confined to jail for a few days and later fined by the local magistrate as bare-knuckle boxing was illegal in France at that time. Swathed in bandages, Sullivan was helped to evade the law and taken across the English Channel to spend the next few weeks convalescing in Liverpool.
The paper poster has been professionally backed on Japanese conservation (tissue) paper, measuring approximately 17" x 20" in total. When originally acquired the poster had several tears, staining and some small chips missing from the edges. These have been professionally restored to the highest standard possible. It's believed that the poster was issued as part of a periodical or similar publication of the day. We unreservedly guarantee the poster to originate from the 1880's.
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