The bat with which Don Bradman performed his Word Record Fifth Wicket partnership of 405 with Sid Barnes, each scoring 234 runs. This Slazenger Don Bradman Autograph Short Handle cricket bat was match-used by Bradman as Captain of Australia and South Australia during the 1946-47 Ashes series, inscribed in ink on the right hand shoulder ‘Don Bradman’, the willow strengthened with two corded bands. Denis Compton’s signature revealed using infrared photography. In poor health, Bradman had chosen this second string willow to play himself in (see Farewell To Cricket, p117), scoring 58 and 62 not out for South Australia v Queensland, 112 v The Services side, and after a shaky start in the First Test v England, scored a match-winning 187 in five hours, playing himself back into form. Ten days later he scored a chanceless 234 in over 6 hours in the Second Test v England, in a partnership of 405 with Sid Barnes (234) that still stands as a World Record for the Fifth Wicket. In the Third Test in Melbourne he scored 79 and 49, and 0 and 56* in the Fourth Test in Adelaide, where he is on the record of greatly admiring Denis Compton’s centuries in each innings (147 & 103*, see FTC, p128). Compton’s signature can be seen and inch Bradman’s on the right shoulder. The Fifth Test in Sydney saw Bradman make 12 and 63, with the Don scoring 1032 runs for the season, with a Test average of 97.14 from 680 Test runs scored. Bradman gave this bat to the Brisbane representative of Don Bradman & Company, and the bat was acquired for the Moyle Collection, Adelaide from Lawsons sale at Moss Vale October 2003, Lot 670. This bat was exhibited at the National Sports Museum at the MCG between April 2009 and April 2012. Historic.