English Lithograph: Football 1881!

Superb and extremely rare original English lithograph at the end of the 19th century of the very first English football players. This is a very rare document, one of the very first depictions of English football players, if not the first! This is the first published color depiction of Association footballers. It is curious that it appears in the Boys own paper, a stronghold for students and rugby. In the years this lithograph was made there is no mention of a football association, just a regular article on football and rugby. The main sports covered in news articles were lawn tennis and cricket, but certainly not football. The previous year, Willat and Grover Lithos edited “Famous English Cricketers 1880” for the same publication. Folds and foxing. Dimensions: total: 56 x 46.5 cm excluding frame: 39 x 27 cm