In these days of the Twenty20 Big Bash, there are still some cricket enthusiasts more fascinated by the results of the Australian tour of England in 1893. Full scores, bowling summaries and expert analysis of all matches played that year are to be found in vintage copies of Wisden, still considered the world's most authoritative cricket publication.

The correct title for the early editions was John Wisden's Cricketers' Almanack. These were originally published and sold by John Wisden and Co. at their Cricketing and British sports depot, 21 Cranbourn Street, near Leicester Square, London WC. Editions with this information on the cover are now considered increasingly rare and valuable.

Copies of Wisden regularly appear for sale at Charles Leski's auctions of sporting memorabilia in Hawthorn East, Melbourne, with a general value of about $1000 for 19th century examples in original cloth wrappers in fair/good condition. Even those with obvious signs of old age ("spine repaired, wrappers with some silverfish damage") are worth about $500. Wartime editions are scarce and score a premium price. Re-bound copies and modern reprints sell for $100 to $200.

The most valuable of all are almanacks in the original leather hardback format, which usually fetch more than $2000 depending on condition and age. About 10 per cent of Wisden's publications were published as hardback editions.

Another factor is provenance and on Tuesday, February 16, Charles Leski will sell one of the most impressive collections of Wisden he's ever listed. The Hugh Trumble collection comes, via his direct descendants, from the library of a former Australian Test player (see My Collection) who later served as secretary of the Melbourne Cricket Club until his death in 1938. His credentials are impeccable.

When this collection was offered to him by the Trumble family, they were unaware that it would have any great value. They are not avid cricket followers.

Included in the Hugh Trumble collection is a series of the very desirable leather-bound editions (the earliest 1909, the latest 1938) and some of the very rare 19th century almanacks. Some are signed by Trumble and one, from 1894, includes hand-written notes "re his dismissal in Detroit on inside back cover". These personal touches add considerable value. The 1897 edition includes a portrait of Trumble inside.

Most date from Trumble's period as a cricketer and then administrator. Three very early editions (1879, 1880, 1881) have been rebound as one volume. If Trumble bought them at the time, he was barely a teenager.

It's rare to find almanacks of this vintage and Leski says he's never had an original copy of the first 1864 edition come through his auction house - nor seen a copy in the flesh - but estimates it would be worth $25,000-plus if one ever emerged.

There is a small network of serious collectors in Australia - about 100, according to Leski - but he expects a lot of interest in the Hugh Trumble collection to come from Britain. His estimates are conservative, about half of the equivalent prices paid in Britain. Along with the $2500 leather treasures are some potential bargains for collectors on a budget.

Wisden collectors are a mixed bunch. Much of the statistical information available in Wisden is now available from other sources, including the internet, yet the purists will only consult their original copies. It is, as Charles Leski puts it, essential bedtime reading for cricket tragics.

Apart from the stats, readers love the informative articles. Wisden for 1895 includes a scandalous story on "throwing in first-class cricket", while the 1896 edition has a full report on A.E. Stoddart's team in Australia, plus a portrait of W.G. Grace.

There are those who collect Wisden for every year of their life and a few completists want every edition ever printed (the 2010 Wisden is the 147th produced). This becomes a very expensive exercise, especially in hardback.

For those on a limited budget, modern reprints of early editions are available. Even these tend to fetch $100 plus at auction, about the price of a current edition.

Leski doesn't know, or won't reveal, which of the current cricketing fraternity are collectors of vintage Wisden, although, of the Nine Network commentary team, Ian Chappell is often nominated as the historic stats expert and seems to be a traditionalist.

During the recent Sydney Test, Chappell reprimanded Shane Warne on-air for talking about the "rules" of cricket ... "the laws, mate", he said.

In the wide world of cricket memorabilia, it's not only the traditional that is of interest. At Leski's sporting auctions, World Series Cricket memorabilia, including 1970s caps and uniforms, have now started to appear and are selling well.

The sale of Hugh Trumble's collection of Wisden's Almanacks takes place at Leski Auctions on Tuesday, February 16, at 5pm. Catalogues available from Leski Auctions, 13 Cato Street, Hawthorn East, Melbourne or online (leski.com.au).

MY COLLECTION

Hugh Trumble was born in 1867 in Collingwood, Melbourne.

As a cricketer he represented Australia on five tours of England. In 1896 he took 18 wickets in three Tests and on the 1899 tour made "the double" (scoring 1183 runs and taking 142 wickets). It was after this performance that W.G.

Grace called him "the best bowler Australia has sent us". His Test career finished in Melbourne with the 1903-1904 series when he took seven for 28 in England's second innings, including a hat-trick for the final three wickets.

He had joined the National Bank of Australasia in 1887, becoming manager of the Kew branch in 1908. In 1911 he served as secretary of the Melbourne Cricket Club and was responsible for the early development of the Melbourne Cricket Ground into a world-class sporting arena.

Trumble died in 1938. Memorabilia held by the MCG includes his pipe and one of his stetson hats. A more prominent memorial is the Hugh Trumble cafe in the Ponsford Stand near the National Sports Museum.

$200

This 1938 edition of Wisden, the 75th published, shows the new cover design by new publishers J. Whitaker and Sons Ltd.

$400

Hugh Trumble's 1894 edition is a rarity. It includes handwritten details of his "dismissal in Detroit" on the inside back cover.

$2000

Some early editions from the collection, the 1879, 1880 and 1881 almanacs, were re-bound into one volume. Desirable, despite some tone spots.