Introducing the Ottorino Barassi Collection
A treasure trove of history from the man who famously kept the Jules Rimet trophy under his bed to protect it during WWII is going under the hammer in our Sports Memorabilia Auction on the 5th & 6th of December for an estimated £70,000-100,000. The collection comprises 33 lots, including two rare World Cup medals from 1934 and 1938 (estimated at £10,000-20,000 each).
Ottorino Barassi first came to the attention of the football world in 1934, with a highly prominent position organising the World Cup tournament in Italy. From that point onwards, Barassi played a pivotal role in football history, having been appointed to the FIFA Executive Committee and helping set-up UEFA in 1954.
Graham Budd, Chairman of Graham Budd Auctions, commented:
“Ottorino Barrassi dedicated his life to football, working his way up from a player to the FIFA Executive Committee and beyond.”
“One particularly interesting lot is a rare World Cup medal presented to Barassi for his help organising the event in 1934, estimated at £10,000-20,000. The 1934 World Cup was the first time that teams had to qualify in order to participate, meaning this medal is not only significant for any football memorabilia collector but proof of the mark that Barassi left on the beautiful game.”
In 2011, Ottorino Barassi was posthumously inducted into the Italian Football Hall of Fame. Ottorino Barassi's granddaughter, his only living relative, remarked: "In regards to him, football was his life. His inclusion in the Hall of Fame is richly deserved for dedication, especially as his early career was in challenging circumstances during the Fascismo reign and the Second World War.
“Although he officiated at the highest levels of the sport with FIFA and FIGC, he never lost his passion for football at its grass roots. I know he was immensely proud of the work he did in Italy at amateur, youth and regional levels of the game. Completely impartial to all, he always did what he thought was best for football."
The collection will go under the hammer as part of our highly anticipated Sports Memorabilia Auction, which will take place on December 5th and 6th online and at our auction house.
Explore the Ottorino Barassi Collection: https://bidlive.grahambuddauctions.co.uk/auctions/8743/srgrah10060?term=Barassi
Browse the full auction catalogue now: https://bidlive.grahambuddauctions.co.uk/auctions/8743/srgrah10060