Brownlow master auctions three Australian Rules football medals

As one of only four men in Victorian Football League/Australian Football League history to win three Brownlow Medals for the best and fairest player – and the only one to do so at two different clubs – Ian Stewart stands on a lone pedestal in Australian Rules folklore.

Acknowledged in 1987 with Legend status for his contribution to Aussie Rules, Stewart also is the only Brownlow winner to achieve premierships at two different clubs – St Kilda in 1966 and Richmond in 1973.

All three Brownlow Medals (lots 611, 615 and 636), each with a catalogue estimate of $50,000-$75,000, will be auctioned as part of Melbourne-based Leski Auctions two-day Sporting Memorabilia sale from 12pm Wednesday February 12 and Thursday February 13 at 727-729 High Street, Armadale.  

Now 81, Stewart (whose was born Ian Cervi but took his mother’s maiden name after his parents divorced) was a gifted centreman for St Kilda, for which he debuted in 1963.

Two years later, he won the first of his Brownlow Medals on a countback, after tying with North Melbourne’s Noel Teasdale, as the team reached its first Grand Final for 52 years.

Stewart backed up his Brownlow performance in 1966, winning by four votes (21) from Carlton star John Nicholls and adding St Kilda’s only premiership glory to date to his repertoire.

The Grand Final win is one of Aussie Rules most celebrated games as St Kilda, the league’s least successful club, pulled off a remarkable one-point win over its most successful, Collingwood.

After an indifferent year in 1970, Stewart was swapped the following year with Richmond star centreman Billy Barrot in what was unchartered territory for Australian Rules football.

Stewart starred at his new club and quickly gained Brownlow favouritism to win the medal three votes clear of Hawthorn star full-forward Peter Hudson, St Kilda’s John McIntosh and Essendon captain Barry Davis, all of whom finished on 18.

In a further nod to Australian Rules football, the historic 1876 Carlton Football Challenge Cup (lot 539) – won by Geelong’s William “Trusty” Hall for his 68-yard (62-metre) drop kick – is up for grabs with a $25,000-$35,000 catalogue estimate. Hall remains Geelong’s only five-time premiership player.

The auction contains other significant sporting memorabilia including left-arm pace bowler and orthodox spinner Bill Johnston’s Australian 1947-48 somewhat battered baggy green Test team cap (lot 309).

Best known as the spearhead for Don Bradman’s undefeated 1948 touring team known as “The Invincibles”, Johnston headed the wicket-taking lists in both Test and first-class matches and was the last Australian to take more than 100 wickets on a tour of England.

Johnston, who died in 2007 aged 85, played 40 Tests from 1947 to 1955.

English 19^th century batting sensation W.G Grace is featured through various cricket memorabilia items such as an original Vanity Fair chrome-lithograph published in June 1877 with an accompanying ‘father of cricket’ autograph (lot 107).

William Gilbert Grace (18 July 1848-23 October 1915) was an English cricketer widely considered one of the sport’s all-time greats. His first-class career spanned a record-equalling 44 seasons (1865-1908) and he represented England in 22 matches from 1880-1899, playing his last game aged 60.

Memorabilia from the home of Australian and world billiards champion Walter Lindrum (1898-1960) is another drawcard including an 18-carat solid gold cigarette case (lot 36), estimated at $15,000-$25,000, and a nine-carat gold case with a collapsible travelling clock (lot 37).

Another memento from his billiard room is a circa 1920 antique Australian blackwood hall bench with lift up compartment seat (lot 42).

Lindrum, who held the World Professional Billiards Championship from 1933 to 1950, was one of billiards most successful players with 57 world records to his credit.

Other auction attractions include 1956 Melbourne Olympic medals including the gold medal awarded to Australia’s Anthony “Tippy” Marchant in the 2000-metre tandem cycling final (lot 1026) which he won with Ian “Joey” Brown (1931-2023).