Ben Barnett's Sensational Autograph Book with Arthur Mailey's Illustrations

Ben Barnett's Sensational Autograph Book Featuring the Work of Arthur Mailey An autograph book titled 'Australian Cricket Tour - England 1934' on the first page, followed by 18 full-page illustrations of the team members and officials in the touring party, each initialled 'A.M.' or signed 'Arthur Mailey' and all with the original signatures of the cricketers; followed by many pages of autographs, often illustrated by other artists, including 'Tasmania - Launceston 10/3/34 - 13/3/34' illustrated by Harry Campbell with the 12 signatures of the local team; Hobart 15/3/34 - 17/3/34 with 12 signatures; Perth illustrated by Harry Wann, with 12 signatures; Tennis players - including the Davis Cup Team aboard 'S.S.Orford' with 8 signatures including Crawford, Nell & Harry Hopman, Quist, etc.; Ceylon - Colombo illustrated by Harry Wann, with 11 signatures; a page headed 'Continental Trip 19/4/34 to 26/4/34' with the signatures of 9 participants including Chipperfield, Bromley, Barnett and Brown; Worcestershire 2/5/34 - 4/5/34 illustrated by Wann, with 12 signatures; Leicestershire with 15 signatures; Cambridge with 11 signatures; M.C.C. 12/5/34 - 15/5/34 with 11 signatures including Hendren, Chapman, Wyatt, Valentine; England - 1st Test Nottingham with 12 signatures; England - 2nd Test Lords with 13 signatures; England - 3rd Test - Old Trafford; Yorkshire 14/7/34 - 18/7/34 with 12 signatures; England - 4th Test Headingley with 12 signatures; Scotland - Edinburgh 27/7/34 - 30/7/34 illustrated by Bramley, with 12 signatures; The Army - Aldershot 15/8/34 illustrated by Wann with 11 signatures; England - 5th Test The Oval with 13 signatures; North of Scotland - Forres 14/9/34 - 15/9/34 illustrated by Harry Campbell, with 12 signatures plus many other county and similar teams. A delightful and unique personal collection of Australian Test cricketer, Benjamin Barnett. Barnett (1908 - 1979) played in four Tests in 1938. He was educated at Scotch College in Melbourne. One of six siblings, he played cricket for Hawthorn/East Melbourne and Victoria during the 1920s and 1930s. He toured England as reserve wicket-keeper with the 1934 Australian Test team (participating in 22 County and other matches) and his subsequent selection as wicket-keeper for the 1938 team attracted some controversy, other contenders being the aging Bert Oldfield and the contemporary Don Tallon. Barnett's cricket career was interrupted by World War II, during which he volunteered for the army and served with 8th Divisional Signals in Singapore. When Singapore fell to the Japanese in 1942, Barnett was incarcerated first in Changi Gaol and subsequently in Thailand on the railway. Acting as adjutant for 8th Div Sigs, Barnett maintained records which are now held in the Australian War Memorial (Canberra) and also the Signal's Museum in Wantirna, Melbourne.