Rare cricket memorabilia of icons like Sachin Tendulkar, Sir Donald Bradman, Richard Hadlee and Brian Lara up for auction in Mumbai

Rare memorabilia related to cricket and associated with icons like Sachin Tendulkar, Don Bradman, Garfield Sobers, Richard Hadlee, Dennis Lillee and Brian Lara among others will go under the hammer here on July 4. This is the second sale by auction house Osian's, which held what it claims to be India's first ever auction of cricket memorabilia in September 2013.

The upcoming "Icons: 2nd Cricketing Heritage auction" features items like the first Indian (1959) Test Blazer offered at public auction and various items pertaining to the 1983 World Cup.

The woolen jacket with an embroidered pocket sourced from former Indian cricketer Abbas Ali Baig's collection has been estimated to sell between Rs 3 lakh to Rs 4.5 lakh.

The memorabilia would be exhibited at an Opening Auction Preview scheduled to be held at Tao Gallery here from June 20 to June 29 with the final auction scheduled at the CK Nayudu Hall at the Cricket Club of India, the auction house said.

A catalogue publication edited by Osian's chairman Neville Tuli with contributions from Boria Majumdar, Gulu Ezekiel, emeritus professor Brian Stoddart accompanying the sale and has detailed nuggets of the history of the game along with pictures of all the items on sale.

The lots include a several items from cricket fan and collector Gulu Ezekiel's collection. This includes a small collection of letters from famous cricketers and signed memorabilia like cricket bats, books, newspapers, photos and a video collection digitalised into DVDs.

An offset print on paper action caricature of Sachin Tendulkar hand signed by the cricketer along with an unsigned action caricature on verso of Sunil Gavaskar from Ezekiel's collection has been estimated to sell between Rs 10,000 to Rs 15,000.

Other Tendulkar memorabilia from the collection include an unsigned colour postcard of Bradman and Tendulkar on the former's 90th birthday showing Bradman signing the bat for Tendulkar as well as a black and white pencil sketch of the little master.

Souvenir magazines like the Cricketer as well as an autographed copy of the book "Cricket" by DR Jardine are also featured.

"Osian's auction for sporting memorabilia last year in September helped generate a serious appreciation for India's test cricketing history. Increasing awareness regarding the difference between genuine historical memorabilia and contemporary merchandising posing as such is one healthy influence of the progress," auctioneers said. The opening preview of the Icons has been scheduled to coincide with the exhibiton of another auction the second Osianama Series.

The series includes important artworks from modern Indian masters such as the Tagores - Abanindranath, Gaganendranath and Rabindranath, Jamini Roy, Hemendranath Mazumdar, Tyeb Mehta, Ganesh Pyne, Atul Dodiya and Sudhir Pathwardhan, among others. Antiquities and a world class 120 metres Biblical Scroll from master craftspeople – Bhanu Dudhat assisted by his wife Prabha Dudhat is among the highlights of the sale set for July 12.