Memorabilia from the Worlds of Film, Football and Comedy

A colourful patchwork suit worn by the larger-than-life comedian Roy ‘Chubby’ Brown is amongst a broad range of memorabilia from the world of Film, Football and Comedy on offer at Tennants Auctioneers’ Toys, Models, Collectables and Sporting Sale on 30^th July.  Middlesbrough born Brown was well-known for his bawdy and often offensive comedy, and distain for political correctness. A distinctive figure, he always wore a clown-like stage costume consisting of a bright patchwork suit and slippers topped with a leather flying cap and goggles. The suit is now up for auction with an estimate of £400-600 plus buyer’s premium and is accompanied by a photograph of the comedian holding the jacket in 2001 and an advertising poster for a Roy ‘Chubby’ Brown show at South Pier, Blackpool.

From the Sporting world comes the Harry Swales Collection of memorabilia. Harry Swales MBE (1926-2019) was a well-known and respected sport’s agent who was one of the first individuals to see the potential in sponsorship and enabled such teams as Leeds United, Liverpool, Celtic and Southampton football clubs to benefit from it. He worked as an agent for the English team for ten years and for footballers such as Kevin Keegan, Bryan Robson, Ryan Giggs and Paul Scholes. Aside from his work in the sporting world, Swales led a varied career. After serving in WWII, he worked for Warner Brothers / Pathé News for 22 years. During this time, he came in contact with many individuals in the world of show business who would later become essential in his work for the Variety Club of Great Britain. He worked tirelessly for over 30 years to raise money for this children’s charity and often called on his acquaintances in the worlds of sport and film to support fund raising events which often included members of the Royal family. After a long and successful career, he finally retired at the age of 86.

Highlights of the Harry Swales Collection on offer in the sale include a Lladro Model of the FIFA World Cup designed by Bertoni of Italy, which is sold with a FIFA Mexico 1986 England brochure signed by Bobby Robson and the England squad and photographs with an estimate of £500-800. Further lots include a 1979 England v. Northern Ireland Shirt, signed by the likes of Kevin Keegan, Emlyn Hughes, Steve Coppell, Ray Clemence and Peter Barnes (estimate: £70-100), and a 1976 Autographed Cricket Bat, signed by the Yorkshire, Northampton and England teams (estimate: £100-150).

Also up for sale is a Private Collection of vintage film posters and limited edition reproduction posters. Highlights of the collection include a poster for The Lavender Hill Mob (1951) starring Alec Guinness and Stanley Holloway (estimate: £1,200-1,800), Kind Hearts and Coronets (1949) starring the likes of Joan Greenwood and Alec Guinness (estimate: £800-1,200), and ‘The Man in the White Suit’ (1951) (estimate: £600-900).

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