1924 Olympic Cycling Medals up for Auction
The 1924 Paris Olympics saw the participation of semi-finalist Herbert Fuller (1902-1993). He was awarded many gold medals for cycling competitions and now his grandson has decided to sell the collection to allow enthusiasts the opportunity to view and bid for them.
A century before this year’s Olympic Games in Paris, 1924 heralded the addition of track events in cycling, Fuller qualifying singularly in the British team for the sprint semifinals at the Velodrome de Vincennes.
Fuller’s Olympic participation badge of bronze and red enamel stands out in the collection alongside his Olympics Diploma in wonderful Art Deco style. Fuller rose to success at age 19, winning a 1-mile handicap race at the Uxbridge Sports in 1921 and in 1923 Fuller was selected for the World Championships in Zurich. This collection depicts in detail Fuller’s early triumphs, through the photographs at races and trainings, as well as two letters of praise dating 1921 and 1922. According to these, H. W. Bartlett, leading cycling historian and member of the exclusive 1940s ‘Pedal Club’, considered Fuller ‘the “star” we have been seeking for years’.
This collection contains 9 gold medals awarded to Fuller by the National Cyclists Union as well The Marlborough Club’s Denton Cup, won by Fuller three years consecutively for the 10 Mile Path Championship. In 1924, he won both the NCU London Centre 1-mile Championship, and the NCU quarter-mile title at Manchester, beating the holder Albert White, with the fastest time seen in the event since 1914. Included are more pins and badges related to Fuller’s promising career as a cyclist of Olympic standard, among which newspaper clippings, sponsorship letters, and a 1923 certificate of appreciation from the NCU, demonstrates the familial pride Fuller raised in an unusually athletic family, his sister Florence emerging as an Olympic runner, and sister Ethel representing England at Monte Carlo sports.
The collection will be for sale by auction at Plymouth Auction Rooms on 8th October, with an estimate of £1,500 to £2,000. It will be on view at the saleroom by appointment. For further details please call 01752 254740 or email info@plymouthauctions.co.uk.
