Brian Lara's Signature: Collecting Signed Lara Memorabilia

Why Lara's name carries weight

Lara's 400 not out against England in Antigua in 2004 remains the Test record, and his 501 not out for Warwickshire in 1994 is still the highest score in first-class cricket. Few batsmen have owned two records of that scale. For collectors of West Indies cricket, and cricket fans generally, a signed Lara piece captures an era of flamboyant, attacking batting.

That popularity extends well beyond the Caribbean. English county cricket fans remember his Warwickshire season, which is one reason Lara items turn up regularly in the UK.

The formats Lara signatures appear on

Signed photographs, framed displays, cricket bats, shirts and programmes are the common formats. Each has its own considerations. Photographs and displays are straightforward to judge from clear images. Bats are harder: a bat may carry many signatures from a whole touring party, and wood takes ink differently from paper, so strokes can look broken or patchy even when they are genuine.

Our current Lara piece is a signed display presented to celebrate his career, photographed so you can see the signature clearly.

• Photographs and displays: easiest to assess from good images
• Bats: often multi-signed, and wood makes ink look uneven
• Shirts: check the signature sits naturally on the fabric
• Programmes: signatures should suit the paper's age

Printed and copied signatures

Printed Lara signatures appear on souvenir bats, posters and merchandise sold at grounds. Those are legitimate souvenirs, but they are not hand signed. A magnifier will usually show the dot pattern of printing, and a printed signature on a bat sits perfectly evenly on the grain in a way real ink rarely does.

Because Lara is still signing, forgers cannot rely on scarcity the way they do with players who have died. Instead they rely on volume and low prices. A large number of identical signed items at bargain prices is a warning sign.

What to ask a seller

Ask where and when the item was signed, and whether there is any supporting evidence such as an event, a photograph or a named source. Ask what happens if a doubt is raised later.

It also helps to know what the piece is meant to be. A signed display built around a photograph is a different object from a bat signed by a full touring squad, and each should be priced and described on its own terms. If a listing is vague about what exactly carries the signature, ask the seller to point it out before you commit.

Anything we sell comes with the WDW Certificate of Authenticity, signed by Derek Warwick, and that guarantee stays in force for as long as the piece is yours.

Caring for a signed Lara piece

Keep signed displays out of direct sunlight, behind ultraviolet-filtering glazing if possible. Bats should be kept at a steady temperature and humidity, away from radiators and conservatories, because wood movement can crack the surface and take the ink with it. Avoid oiling a signed bat.