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Details
RANJITSINHJI, Kumar Shri (1872-1933). A palm wood cane with 9ct. rose gold band, engraved ‘KSR’ and with impressed ‘f’ hallmark for 1901, rose gold mount on tip of handle, length 840mm. Provenance: by family tradition a gift from Ranji to his former college servant at Cambridge who, in turn, gave it to: William Albert Gedge; thence by family descent until sold at Christie’s South Kensington, 26 May 2000, lot 161, to Henry Blofeld.
With 6 framed photographs: ‘K.S. Ranjitsinhji, 1898’, 134 x 94mm; K.S. Ranjitsinhji at Shillinglee Park by Vandyk, London, 276 x 178mm; K.S. Ranjitsinhji, W.G. Grace and their teams at Shillinglee by Vandyk, London, scratch mark in corner of negative, 195 x 251mm; W.G. and Ranji, 275 x 177mm, with the autograph of both sitters inset beneath; Ranjitsinhji and shot Leopard, the mount stamped ‘Nurmahomad Velji Kamadia, photographer, Pancheswar Chauk – Jamnagar’, 214 x 151mm; Ranji and Shooting Party with Leopard, 145 x 195mm. Provenance: from Ranjitsinshji’s own collection at Jamnagar.
AN EVOCATIVE REMINDER OF A GREAT INDIAN SPORTSMAN. Ranjitsinhji Vibhaji -- K.S. Ranjitsinhi to all readers of Wisden – was the first Indian superstar in the history of cricket. Having learned to play at the prestigious Rajkumar College, Rajkot, he became the first Indian to earn a cricket blue, playing 9 matches for Cambridge University in 1893. Supremely style conscious, he also became the first undergraduate to drive a car through Cambridge (see Alan Ross, Ranji, 1983, p. 45). Ranji introduced the leg glance into cricket, and in partnership with C.B Fry dazzled as a batsman for Sussex, also proving a useful change-bowler and competent slip. Between 1895 and 1904 he was never outside the top five in the county averages, compiling a total of fourteen double centuries. In 1896 he performed the unprecedented feat of scoring two centuries against Yorskshire on the same day. He scored 62 and 154 not out in his first Test, appeared in four Test series for England against Australia, and led a tour to North America in 1899. In 1907 he became jam sahib of the small Indian state of Nawanagar. This took his life back to India and away from the game. His accession had long been a matter of hope rather than certainty, as he was not a direct heir. However, this cane is a wonderful example of the princely style he adopted after coming to England. Light and perfectly weighted, the magical cane was a symbol of the power he might one day assume; it was an opulent fashion accessory for a man who batted in fluttering silk shirts and cared deeply about appearances; and above all it was something to swing joyfully very like his bat.
With 6 framed photographs: ‘K.S. Ranjitsinhji, 1898’, 134 x 94mm; K.S. Ranjitsinhji at Shillinglee Park by Vandyk, London, 276 x 178mm; K.S. Ranjitsinhji, W.G. Grace and their teams at Shillinglee by Vandyk, London, scratch mark in corner of negative, 195 x 251mm; W.G. and Ranji, 275 x 177mm, with the autograph of both sitters inset beneath; Ranjitsinhji and shot Leopard, the mount stamped ‘Nurmahomad Velji Kamadia, photographer, Pancheswar Chauk – Jamnagar’, 214 x 151mm; Ranji and Shooting Party with Leopard, 145 x 195mm. Provenance: from Ranjitsinshji’s own collection at Jamnagar.
AN EVOCATIVE REMINDER OF A GREAT INDIAN SPORTSMAN. Ranjitsinhji Vibhaji -- K.S. Ranjitsinhi to all readers of Wisden – was the first Indian superstar in the history of cricket. Having learned to play at the prestigious Rajkumar College, Rajkot, he became the first Indian to earn a cricket blue, playing 9 matches for Cambridge University in 1893. Supremely style conscious, he also became the first undergraduate to drive a car through Cambridge (see Alan Ross, Ranji, 1983, p. 45). Ranji introduced the leg glance into cricket, and in partnership with C.B Fry dazzled as a batsman for Sussex, also proving a useful change-bowler and competent slip. Between 1895 and 1904 he was never outside the top five in the county averages, compiling a total of fourteen double centuries. In 1896 he performed the unprecedented feat of scoring two centuries against Yorskshire on the same day. He scored 62 and 154 not out in his first Test, appeared in four Test series for England against Australia, and led a tour to North America in 1899. In 1907 he became jam sahib of the small Indian state of Nawanagar. This took his life back to India and away from the game. His accession had long been a matter of hope rather than certainty, as he was not a direct heir. However, this cane is a wonderful example of the princely style he adopted after coming to England. Light and perfectly weighted, the magical cane was a symbol of the power he might one day assume; it was an opulent fashion accessory for a man who batted in fluttering silk shirts and cared deeply about appearances; and above all it was something to swing joyfully very like his bat.