Sport, cricket, 1897, antique print, Australian Harry Trott, J.R. Mason, photogravure

Antique Photogravures (double-sided) of Australian Cricketer, G. H. S. Trott, one side & Winchester Captain, J. R. Mason on the other, from photographs by E. Hawkins & Co. for News of the World, London 1897.

Printed by News of the World, London 1897.

Images 18 x 25.5cm (7 1/6 x 10 1/6 inch)

Condition = Excellent

Each image has a short cricketing & character synopsis beneath:

G.H.S. Trott (Australian Victorian Bowler) has a thick well-considered mustache, has a  posed with his left forearm resting on a stone plinth while holding a bat handle and a cricket ball in his right hand resting on his knee - "…Under a multiplicity of initials it might be…difficult for some to recognize…who is known in England and the Colonies as ‘Harry” Trott one of quite their best all-round Cricketers…Harry Trott has been one of the must useful bowlers Victoria has had…slow bowler with a big break from leg…particularly deadly…"

J.R. Mason is clean-shaven & posed as a batsman, padded-up with bat in hand, on the oval at the crease, leaning forward as if to play a shot- "the Winchester Captain, beyond doubt the best School Player of the year…a leading amateurs of the day…played for the Gentlemen against Players…” (Photographed signature)"

The new technology of photogravuring revolutionized the printing industry. For the first time a photographic image could be printed onto paper. News of the World, chose the sport of cricket to showcase this new printing technique first used by the Americans to illustrate a sport close to their hearts, photographs of the American yacht designs by Nathaniel L.Stebbins, 1889.