With the Bookplate of A. E. Winder
The Story of the Charasmatic Collector who Acquired the John Arlott Cricket Library
By David R. Allen
August 2008
J.W. McKenzie
ISBN: 9780947821234
Distributed by Trans-Atlantic Publications
283 pages, Illustrated
$112.50 Hardcover
This is the story of Tony Winder, a Yorkshire businessman and fanatical collector of cricket books and cricketana. During the 1970s Winder amassed one of the finest cricket collections, including books, prints, pictures, ceramics, autograph letters, scrapbooks, postcards and photographs. He bought throughout the decade from major auction houses and book dealers and was also fortunate that at this time several major collections came onto the market which he bought privately. This culminated in the purchase in 1979 of the superb cricket collection belonging to the legendary cricket writer and broadcaster John Arlott. The full story of this purchase is detailed. In 1985, Winder's business empire collapsed. He was declared bankrupt and the A E Winder cricket collection was sold by auction at Phillips in November 1985.
Tony Winder died six years later, aged only 47. This book gives an insight into his passion for cricket and collecting and most importantly, includes a complete listing of the books in his library, recording details of each title with its purchase source, purchase date and the cost, all details which Winder had meticulously kept on his card index. The list also includes details of items from the other aspects of his cricket collection. The book also includes a facsimile of the Phillips catalogue of the Winder auction, together with a list of the prices realised. This book records the accumulation and dispersal of a great cricket collection and should be in the library of any cricket lover, both for its poignant story and the invaluable reference material it contains. It incorporates a listing of many rare cricket books together with the prices paid for each item.