An autograph album including the signatures of the British Lions rugby team to South Africa in 1924, neatly signed in ink to one page with manuscript

An autograph album including the signatures of the British Lions rugby team to South Africa in 1924, neatly signed in ink to one page with manuscript legend, the album compiled in Bloemfontein, South Africa, also including the Western Province Touring Team of 1921, the New Zealand Military Rugby Team of 1919, also the English Soccer Team of 1920, the Western Province Soccer Team of 1926, the British Swimming Team of 1929 and the Holland Lady Swimmers of 1931, the album containing various other non-sporting autographs including actors and entertainers, Harry Lauder, Allen Doone, Thurston Hall, Ward McAlister, Zildah Bateman, Amy Coleridge, George de Lara, Douglas Burbridge etc., and the Sistine Chapel Choir soloists It was on the 1924 tour of South Africa that the nickname the 'Lions' was first coined, picked out from the heraldic beast on their neck ties. The official name was the British Isles Rugby Union Team. The team was captained by Ronald Cove-Smith and has the unenviable record of being the least successful Lions team to have toured South Africa, recording only nine victories from their 21 matches played. These autographs were collected on the occasion of the Orange Free State match on 9th August 1924, a game the Lions lost 6-3. By the First World War, South Africa and New Zealand had established themselves as world rugby's two greatest powers. The tour of South Africa by The New Zealand Army Rugby Team in 1919 paved the way for a Springbok Tour of New Zealand in 1921, which was billed as ''The World Championship of Rugby.'' Several members of the NZ Army team went on to become All Blacks internationals. The F.A. touring England soccer team of 1920 included the internationals Ephraim Longworth & Jack Bamber (Liverpool), Joe Smith (Bolton), Bobby Turnbull (Bradford P.A.), Harold Gough (Sheffield United), David Mercer (Hull) and Jack Mew (Manchester United).