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Newsletter 64
- May 2007
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I try to ensure that all books are presented in as near as is possible to their original condition, save for the usual stress placed on the older books because of their already long life. Where there are obvious deficiencies, these are described. The following details are quite short. Further information and photographs of any of these titles are available. Many of the items on this list are illustrated with photographs. (P). For more information on Real Tennis in general, click here NEWS * The Boomerang Cup was played at the Royal Melbourne Tennis Club in mid-January, and teams from most of the Tennis clubs in the world took part. Petworth House Tennis Court sent two teams and we engaged in an almost daily series of high pressure handicap doubles matches in 90 degrees of heat. The Tennis seemed non-stop from 8 in the morning till 8 at night. We managed to engender a huge team spirit, but did not do as well as we had hoped. But it was a wonderful three weeks of cricket, golf (don’t tread on the snakes!), tourism and of course tennis, both lawn and real. Some of us were guests at the Australian Open. We are hugely indebted to our Australian hosts and organisers, and already we are planning our campaign for 2009!
* World Open Championship for Men: I hear that the next title challenge is probably to be held in Paris in April/May 2008, and that it is quite possible that not a single match in the challenge series of four players will be held in England. Unthinkable! * Hardwick House Tennis Court Centenary: This lovely Real Tennis court, one of two overlooking The Thames near Reading, celebrates its centenary this summer. Celebrations include The Centenary Ball on 9th June, a Centenary Handicap Doubles Tournament from 7th to 10th June, and there will be a range of celebratory merchandise including tennis clothing and a special collector’s racket. Enquiries to sarah@brownlee-home.co.uk * The Dutch Real Tennis Association announces a new web address at www.real-tennis.nl * Sterling prices in this list have been converted into US$ at a rate of £1 is US$1.80; this is a concessionary rate for customers primarily in the USA but available to all customers worldwide provided payment is made by personal US$ check payable to Alan Chalmers. Please note that postage and packing are additional as incurred. ORDERING ITEMS OFF THIS LIST Payment can be made by Visa or Mastercard. Please remember to include the 16 digits AND the expiry date AND the three figure security code on the signature strip. Also accepted are Paypal (please ask for a Paypal invoice), AND sterling cheques, AND US$ checks made payable to Alan Chalmers. A NEW TITLE FROM AN AUSTRALIAN PROFESSIONAL 01: “Out There And Back: The Story of the 25000 km Great Australian Cycle Expedition” by Kate Leeming, Tennis Professional at the Royal Melbourne Tennis Club. In 1993, she became the first woman to cycle the breadth of the New Russia, completing the 13400 km Trans-Siberian Cycle Expedition to aid the children of Chernobyl. Ten years later she organised the Great Australian Cycle Expedition (GRACE), a 25000 km journey, 7000 km of which were off road. This book is her personal story of the amazing journey, warts and all. Copies can be ordered from me for action on publication date, or through www.gracexpeditions.org which will be live in June; the cost plus postage is £20/US$35 IMAGES
03: “Serment du Jeu de Paume (20 Juin 1789)”: A very nice image of the famous meeting of Deputies on the court at Versailles. Although not technically a Tennis scene, it does show the interior of the court with the penthouses and a very wide dedans! The image measures 21.5cm x 17.5cm and is ready for matting and framing. The item is original and probably taken from a book published in the early 1790s. (P) £150/US$270 04: “Serment du Jeu de Paume le 20 Juin 1789”: Another view of the famous Tennis Court Oath, this time taken from the dedans looking down the court. The image measures 16cm x 11cm and is ready for matting and framing. The item is original and probably taken from a book published in the early 1790s. (P) £150/US$270 05: “Differentes Venues” by I. Silvestre; c1650. An original engraving from Italy from a series of 12 showing various pastimes of the titled and landowning gentry of Italy. This is a splendid view of Longue Paume, certainly the earliest I have ever seen and it is in superb condition. It measures 35cm at its widest and 28cm at its deepest top to bottom, is mounted onto a backing parchment, loose and ready for matting and framing. (P) £3500/US$6300 06: “M. Edmond Barre, Ancien Paumier de la Cour de France”; an original engraving dated around 1870 showing the famous Barre nonchalantly leaning against a pillar, his racket in hand and tennis balls at his feet. The maximum dimensions of this oval picture are 13.5cm wide and 17.5cm tall. It is already matted and is ready for framing. (P) £150/US$270
07: “Pelota Oil Painting”: A delightful and highly coloured view (c1930) of a Pelota fronton, presumably in a little village somewhere in the Basque country with the Pyrenees in the background. The picture speaks for itself. It is oil on a board, the image measuring 37cm wide and 23cm tall. No artist’s signature is visible, and the board is set into what appears to be a contemporary frame. Both are in very good condition. (P) £500/US$900 LITERATURE 08: “ACADEMIE UNIVERSELLE DES JEUX”; French language edition of 1825; 460 pages in very small format hardboards marbled internally. An edition of this very famous book on games and sports; Longue Paume is at pages 169 to 172 and Paume is at pages 202 to 209. (P) £300/US$550 09: “The ANNALS OF TENNIS” by Julian Marshall; facsimile edition of 1973 in small 4to format green boards, externally gilt decorated with 226 pages. This is the definitive English language book on Tennis in the 19th century by a master of the game and expert historian. £135/US$240 10 (A): “The ART OF CONJECTURING” by Jacob Bernoulli; 1st English translation of 2006 of the Latin/Italian edition of 1713; 430 pages. This series of mathematical essays includes one on the odds for scoring in Tennis at the start of the 18th century. (P) £100/US$180
11: “The ART OF THE TENNIS-RACKET-MAKER AND OF TENNIS” by A. de Garsault; facsimile USA edition of 1977 of the Hampton Court edition of 1938; 45 pages, 5 plates in red boards (small 4to) in card slip-case. The game at the middle of the 18th century. See also the original German edition of 1768 at Item 46. £125/US$215 12: “BOOMERANG CUP 2007 OFFICIAL PROGRAMME”: The very detailed programme for the Australian Real Tennis Carnival played at the RMTC in January. It is a large paperback tall 4to format with 48 pages listing all the teams etc. £10/US$18 13: “A CHASE DOWN UNDER: a history of royal tennis in Australia” by Michael P. Garnett; 1st edition of 1999 (320 copies); 502 pages; large 8vo in pictorial hardboards. Garnett’s profusely illustrated and thorough study of Tennis in Australia and elsewhere in the world. (P) £55/US$100 14: “ELOGE DE LA PAUME, et de Ses Avantages,” by M. Bajot; 4th French edition of 1854 in 8vo paper covers with 255 pages (page edges typically rough cut). Bajot’s book went into at least 4 editions, starting with the 1st edition of 1800. His book is not so much an instructional book on the game; rather it is designed to show you how good the game is for your physical and mental well-being. The rules of Longue Paume are also included and there are two illustrations showing court layout. This copy is in exceptionally good condition bearing in mind its age and format. (P) £500/US$900
16: “An EXHIBITION OF TENNIS AND RACKETS” as organised by Jonathan Edwardes at The Queen’s Club in London 9th to 17th October 2004. The illustrated catalogue (A4) of Edwardes’ exhibition listing books, images, antique rackets, silver trophies etc. £15/US$25 17: “The FIELD: The Country Gentleman’s Newspaper Saturday March 28 1868”. This is the entire edition of 34 pages in large folio format, containing a myriad of articles on all sorts of field and athletic sports. Page 252 has a short match report on the Cambridge University Challenge Cup at Racquets; and page 253 has another short match report on the Oxford University Racquet at Tennis. The final page is called “Croquet Tactics” being four coloured diagrams of various Croquet problems. The newspaper has the occasional torn edge and some minor damage to the front page, but otherwise is in splendid condition. £50/US$90 18: “The FIELD BOOK or SPORTS AND PASTIMES OF THE BRITISH ISLANDS”; 1833; 563 pages in 8vo green boards. A pre-Victorian A-Z dictionary of sports etc, including one line on Racket (sic) and 1 ¼ pages on Tennis. Note “chaces”! £150/US$270 19: “FIFTY YEARS OF SPORT AT OXFORD AND CAMBRIDGE”; two massive folio sized leather bound volumes of 332 and 325 pages; 1913. Certainly the most impressive books I have seen, these are exhaustive reports on all the sports in which Oxford and Cambridge Universities have competed since the middle part of the 19th century right up to the date of publication. All the racket sports are very thoroughly covered including Real Tennis and Rackets. These are stunning volumes. £600/US$1100
21 (A): “FRED COVEY: WORLD CHAMPION OF TENNIS” edited by Neil Covey; 1st de luxe edition of 1994 in large 4to format leather hardboards, internally marbled, all page edges gilt, in an edition limited to 60 numbered copies signed by Neil Covey. This is a reproduction of Fred Covey’s scrapbook of press cuttings describing his many championship and other Real Tennis matches in the first 20 years of the 20th century. There are many photographs. £75/US$135 21 (B): “FRED COVEY: WORLD CHAMPION OF TENNIS”, as above but in a standard edition of 100 copies, in large 4to hardboards and dust-jacket. £30/US$50 22: “The GAME OF TENNIS: ITS HISTORY AND ITS DESCRIPTION” with an introductory essay by Edouard Fournier, translated from the French of 1862 by Richard Travers; large 8vo in boards the front board externally gilt decorated; no dust-jacket issued; 94 pages plus photos. This is the rarest of 19th century French titles on paume describing the manner and style of play in both Courte and Longue Paume. (P) £70/US$125 23: “HAZARD CHASE” by Jeremy Potter; 1st edition of 1964; 192 pages in 8vo hardboards and dust-jacket. This is a murder/mystery novel about all sorts of devious doings on and around a mythical Real Tennis court in England. Potter also wrote the Oxford history. (P) £125/US$220 24: “The HISTORY OF THE LEAMINGTON TENNIS COURT CLUB 1846-1996” by Charles Wade; standard edition of 1995 (550 copies); 213 pages; 8vo in hardboards and dust-jacket. Detailed and scholarly history of the oldest Tennis club still in existence. £65/US$115 25: “A HISTORY OF THE ROYAL GAME OF TENNIS” by Albert de Luze; English translation 1979 from the French of 1933; 395 pages in large 4to format in dust-jacket and blue card slip-case; in an edition limited to 500 numbered copies, each signed by the translator Sir Richard Hamilton. It is astonishingly detailed history and account of Le Jeu de Paume in France through the ages. It is beautifully illustrated with engravings. The book is as near to mint as possible. (P) £225/US$400 26: “JEUX DES ROIS ROI DES JEUX: Le Jeu de Paume en France”; the catalogue of the great exhibition held at Le Château de Fontainebleau from 2 October 2001 to 7 January 2002. This exhibition celebrated the reopening of the old court after renovation. The presenters of the exhibition, who also compiled this catalogue, were Yves Carlier and Thierry Bernard-Tambour. Their exhibition brought together a fascinating selection of artefacts related to the French game, and each is dated, described and photographed. There are also chapters describing the history of the game. (P) £50/US$90
28: “The MANCHESTER TENNIS AND RACQUET CLUB” by Nigel Kenyon et al; 1st edition of 1980 in an edition of 350 numbered copies; 97 pages. A great history of the famous north of England racket club, well illustrated. £250/US$450 29 (A): “MELBOURNE TO MYOPIA: Reflections on my visits to the Real Tennis Courts of the 20th century” by George Limb; 1st de luxe edition of 60 copies in leatherette boards in a blue card slip-case; 2002 with 170 pages. Limb fulfils every tennis player’s dream by visiting all and playing on nearly all the extant courts of the world. £150/US$270 29 (B): “MELBOURNE TO MYOPIA: Reflections on my visits to the Real Tennis Courts of the 20th Century” by George Limb; 1st standard edition of 470 copies with 170 pages in large 8vo hardboards; 2002. £75/US$130 30: “MORE THAN A YARD WORSE” by Jonathan Howell; 1st de luxe 8vo edition of 1995; 173 pages. Jonathan describes the entertaining characters he has met, the tournaments he has played and the courts where he coached and competed. (P) £75/US$130 31 (A): “PIERRE’S BOOK: The Game of Court Tennis” by Pierre Etchebaster; 1st USA edition of 1971; 78 pages; 4to in hardboards and pictorial dust-jacket. Coaching advice of the undefeated World Champion 1928/54. His opponents write about him and his game. (P) £125/US$225 31 (B): “PIERRE’S BOOK: The Game of Court Tennis” by Pierre Etchebaster; 1st USA edition of 1971; as above but this copy has been handsomely inscribed and signed by Etchebaster in his very characteristic hand-writing. (P) £300/US$540 32: “The QUEEN’S CLUB STORY 1886-1986” by Roy McKelvie; 1st edition of 1986; 306 pages; 4to in hardboards and decorative dust-jacket. This famous London club is the home of Tennis and Rackets, but many other sports have been played throughout its 100 years. £35/US$60
33: “RACKETS CHAMPIONSHIPS PROGRAMME 1934”; the programme for the Tennis & Rackets Association Amateur Doubles Championships of Doubles plated at The Queen’s Club from Monday March 5th to Saturday March 10th 1934. This is a slender folding sheet with internally the draw for 12 doubles pairs. All the match winners are nicely inked in and the champions were Lord Aberdare (Clarence Napier Bruce) and P W Kemp-Welch, beating Ken Wagg and Ian Alers-Douglas. No game scores are shown. This is a very rare rackets item. (P) £100/US$90 34: “RACKETS, SQUASH-RACKETS, TENNIS, FIVES & BADMINTON”; The Lonsdale Library; 1933; 328 pages in hardboards and dust-jacket. A thorough description of the history and technique for each of these racket sports written by several distinguished players. (P) £80/US$145
Items 39, 59, 54, 34, 25, 26, & 10A 35: “RACQUET & TENNIS CLUB (NY) MEMBERS BOOKS” for 1914/ 1936/ 1939/ 1940/ 1943/ 1944/ 1945/ 1946/ 1947/ 1948/ 1949/ 1950/ 1951/ 1954/ 1955/ 1956/ 1957/ 1960/ 1961/ 1962/ 1963/ 1965/ 1966/ 1975/ 2004. Lists of members, rules, champions etc. Each at £10/US$18 36: “The RACQUET CLUB OF THE CITY OF PHILADELPHIA”. Club Books showing lists of Officers, Members, Charter and By-Laws. The Club emblem of crossed rackets within a shield is on the front cover. Here are editions for 1936 and 1940, each offered at £30/US$55
38: “RAILING TENNIS COLLECTION CATALOGUE”; for the auction on 17th November 2005. A collectible for the future. £10/US$18 39: “REAL TENNIS” by K. McNicoll; 2005; 40 pages small 8vo. Brief informative pocket book on the game. (P) £5/US$10 40: “The ROYAL TENNIS COURT: A History of Tennis at Hampton Court Palace” by David Best; 2002; 331 pages; large 4to hardboards, decorative dust-jacket. Highly recommended, beautifully illustrated history of the tennis courts at Hampton Court. (P) £30/US$55 41: “The ROYAL TENNIS COURT HAMPTON COURT PALACE” by Lord Aberdare and A Negretti; small format paper covers with 12 pages, published first in the early 1905s, but here probably 1970s (undated). It is a tourist hand-out which describes in simple terms the history of the game and the manner of play. (P) £10/US$18 42: “ROYAL TENNIS FOR THE RECORD” by Michael Garnett; 1st edition (Australia) of 1991; (500 copies); 110 pages; small 8vo. Garnett’s most useful reference book, especially for collectors of Tennis literature. The book also lists the courts in the world. (P) £100/US$180 43: “ROYAL TENNIS IN RENAISSANCE ITALY” by Cees de Bondt; 1st English edition of 2006; 290 pages in hardboards and dust-jacket. The latest book from Cees which closely studies and illustrates the history of Tennis in the Renaissance period. £80/US$145 44: “RULES & PRINCIPLES OF TENNIS” by Pierre Barcellon; 1st English edition of 1987; 47 pages in hardboards and dust-jacket. The translation of Barcellon’s elusive French title of 1800 in which he recounts the method of playing Le Jeu de Paume. 15/US$25
45 (B): “TRATTATO DEL GIOUCCO DELLA PALLA” by Antonio Scaino da Salo; facsimile edition of 1968; 500 copies in a card slip-case, the book in brown ¾ morocco boards internally marbled. This is a very little known edition and extremely hard to find. £500/US$900 45 (C): “SCAINO ON TENNIS” by Antonio Scaino da Salo; 2nd English translation of 1984 in a standard edition of 400 numbered copies; 197 pages in large 4to format. Here is a revised and improved English translation of the 1555 Italian original. (P) £150/US$270 46: “SCHAUPLATZ DER KUNSTE UND HANDWERKE” (Showcase of the Arts and Crafts); volume Vll of a large run of volumes here in German (1768) but originally in French (1767). The volume contains a series of authoritative essays on a wide range of crafts, and prominent amongst these in this very rare volume is “Die Kunst der Ball-und Raquettemacher und vom Ballspiele” by Herrn von Garsault. This is better known in English as “The Art of the Tennis-Racket-Maker and of Tennis” by de Garsault, usually seen in large folio size. Here in the German the size is standard 4to, and this is bound into what appears to be its original leather boards and ribbed spine. The effect of the reduced size is that the French text of some 38 pages is now extended to about 50 pages. In addition, the 5 large plates are now folded and extend out from the book in landscape format. There is a very small element of water staining at the top of some of the pages though this seems not to extend into the plates. I have never seen an entire volume and I have only ever seen one of the German texts which had been extracted/removed from the original full volume. (P) £4500/US$8100 47: “The SPORTSMAN’S MAGAZINE: Life in London and the Country”; edited by “Miles’s Boy”, the third volume published in 1847; 300 pages in original large 4to hardboards. This is a sports magazine which only went into three years of publication; this volume contains many articles on a wide variety of athletic and country sports. The volume contains 8 parts of a connected work on Tennis at pages 181/2, 196/7, 210/11, 225/6, 232/3, 244/5, 256/7, and 268/9. The interior of the earlier court at Lord’s is beautifully illustrated. Probably the first major article seen on the game of Rackets (dated October 10 1846) is at pages 61/2 and this includes a wonderful engraving. Articles can also be found about Cricket at pages 22/3, 45, 57, 67, 79, 149/50, and 165/6. The Real Tennis bibliography previously lacked any major titles between the Lukin of 1822 and the Marshall of 1878. This volume with its text on Real Tennis in the mid-1840s there represents what is at the moment the only known English text on the game of the early Victorian period, and as a bonus it also contains a series of articles on Cricket. The book is in good condition, the boards a little eased. (P) £1000/US$1800
48: “STICKE TENNIS” by Graham Tomkinson; 1st paperback edition of 2004; 35 pages. Here is a brief description of an obscure offshoot of Real Tennis that is still played by a small number of English eccentrics! (P) £15/US$25 49 (A): “The STORY OF TENNIS” by Lord (Morys) Aberdare; 1959; 180 pages in hardboards and repaired decorative dust-jacket (small 8vo). His first book telling how Real Tennis gave birth to Lawn Tennis. This copy has a heavily repaired dust-jacket. (P) £50/US$90 49 (B): “The STORY OF TENNIS” by Lord (Morys) Aberdare; 1st pre-publication paperback edition in rather worn dust-jacket with 173 pages. The layout is slightly different from the true 1st edition. It gives 18th May 1959 as the provisional date of publication. (P) £50/US$990
51: “TENNIS AND OXFORD” by Jeremy Potter; 1994; 152 pages 8vo. There has been a Tennis court at Oxford since 1450, and this book celebrates the 400th anniversary of Tennis in Merton Street. Potter describes Tennis at the various courts in the city through the ages. (P) £25/US$45 52: “TENNIS BIBLIOGRAPHY 1874-2000” compiled by Frank Phelps and Gordy Sabine; large 4to; 2004; 377 pages. Lists over 3200 English language tennis titles in A-Z order of author, category of book (biography, history, novel etc), A-Z order of title, and year of publication. The vast majority of these books is about Lawn Tennis, but it is a fascinating source of information on racket sports literature. £75/US$135 53: “TENNIS CUTS AND QUIPS IN PROSE AND VERSE, with Rules and Wrinkles” edited by Julian Marshall; 1st edition of 1884 in small format landscape hardboards with 295 pages. This is one of the oddest of Tennis titles, being a collection of verses and torrid tales mostly about Lawn Tennis as edited by one of the greatest names of the late Victorian ear in Real Tennis. He is described not only as the author of the “Annals of Tennis” but also as the Hon. Sec of the All England Lawn-Tennis Club, so he clearly had a foot in both camps. The pages as usual are rather rough cut at the edges. (P) £200/US$360 54: “TENNIS IN NEDERLAND TUSSEN 1500 EN 1800” by Cees de Bondt; 1st Dutch language edition of 1993; 179 pages in 8vo paperback. The story of the game of Tennis as it was played through the centuries in Holland; illustrated with many engravings and photographs. (P) £30/US$55 55 (A): “TENNIS: LAWN TENNIS: RACKETS: FIVES”; the Badminton Library; 1890; 484 pages in decorative brown boards; small 8vo. This excellent volume deals with each of the racket sports as to history, derivation, the court, the implements, the laws, some hints on play. It was published in a number of editions from 1890 onwards and here is a good selection. £150/US$275 55 (B): “TENNIS: LAWN TENNIS: RACKETS: FIVES”; the Badminton Library; 2nd edition of 1891; 484 pages in cloth and leather (de luxe binding); with additions and corrections. This is a particularly rare edition. £125/US$225
55 (D): “TENNIS: LAWN TENNIS; RACKETS; FIVES”; the Badminton Library as above; 3rd edition of 1894; 488 pages. £125/US$225 55 (E): “TENNIS: LAWN TENNIS: RACKETS: FIVES”; the Badminton Library; 4th edition of 1897; 488 pages. £125/US$225 55 (F): “TENNIS: LAWN TENNIS: RACKETS: FIVES”; the Badminton Library as above; new edition 1903; 491 pages. £125/US$225 55 (G): “TENNIS: LAWN TENNIS: RACKETS: FIVES”; the Badminton Library; new impression of 1908; 491 pages. £95/US$170 55 (H): “TENNIS: LAWN TENNIS: RACKETS: FIVES”; the Badminton Library; facsimile edition of 1987; otherwise as above. £15/US$25 56: “A TENNIS MISCELLANY” by Michael P. Garnett; 1st standard edition of December 2006 in brown boards, the front board externally gilt; no dust-jacket issued; 284 pages in large 8vo format. In an edition of only 350 copies, here is Garnett’s latest offering which includes a myriad of short essays on a wide range of tennis topics from the 16th to the 21st centuries. It is very well illustrated with photos and engravings. (P) £45/US$80 57: “TENNIS ORIGINS AND MYSTERIES” by Malcolm D. Whitman; 1932 (1/450); 258 pages; large 8vo. This book looks at the terms used in Tennis and describes their meaning and derivation. The 2nd and 3rd sections are large bibliographies of Tennis & Lawn Tennis. £875/US$1500 58: “TENNIS: The Development of the European Ball Game” by Roger Morgan; de luxe large 4to; (100 copies); 1995; 259 pages; leather boards and dust-jacket. Morgan identifies and describes many forms of ball play across the centuries as played by Europeans. (P) £125/US$225 59: “TENNIS WITH REAL ATTITUDE” compiled by Richard Seymour Mead; 1st paperback edition of 2005; 64 pages small 8vo. To raise money for the Moreton Morrell club, this is a compendium of amusing cartoons all drawn with Real Tennis content. (P) £10/US$18
61: “TREATISE ON THE ROYAL GAME OF TENNIS” by de Manivieux; from the French 1783, English translation 2004; 8vo green boards; in an edition limited to 350 copies. The state of the game in the mid-18th century in France where it was incredibly popular. (P) £75/US$135 62: “TUDOR TENNIS: A Miscellany” by Roger Morgan; large 4to de luxe edition; (50 copies); 2001; 175 pages; signed by the author, page edges gilt. Morgan on the Elizabethan era and the popularity of Tennis; many town plans, engravings, drawings & photographs. (P) £125/US$225 63: “TWO CENTURIES OF REAL TENNIS” by John Shneerson; 1997; (300 copies); 86 pages 8vo. The story of how the old Tennis court at Newmarket was transformed from a garage repair shop back to its original state as a now thriving Real Tennis club. (P) £75/US$135 64: “The WILLIS FABER BOOK OF TENNIS & RACKETS” by Lord Aberdare; 1st standard edition of 1980; large 4to with 368 pages. Historical report of both sports, reports from the clubs in the world, championships records, etc. £95/US$170 65: “WORLD REAL TENNIS CHAMPIONSHIP 2006 PROGRAMME” played at The Oratory Tennis Court near Reading in Berkshire over the 25th to the 29th April 2006 between the holder, Rob Fahey of Australia and the leading challenger Tim Chisholm of the USA. Fahey won by 7 sets to 0. (P) £10/US$18 66: “YE SETTE OF ODD VOLUMES”; a menu prepared specially for a dinner given at Oddenino’s Restaurant in London to honour E.B. Noel on Tuesday 26th February 1924, to celebrate the impending publication of his magnum opus ”A History of Tennis” in two volumes. A programme of events for the evening is listed, and each event is given a term as used in the game of Tennis. This is a splendid piece of 1920s Tennis ephemera in very good condition internally and externally. (P) £100/US$180 OBJECTS
67: “6 old, solid and hand stitched Real/Court Tennis balls with a white cloth”. I am not sure if any clubs still use white cloth, as opposed to yellow (P). 68: “Leather bound ball” stitched with broad cord, probably for a form of European ball play such as Pelote, Pallone etc. (P) 69: “Pelote Basque Ball” stamped “Pelote Basque Merkina”; made of white leather or skin, hand stitched with quite coarse thread. I can’t put a date on this but will guess 1950s. (P) 70: “Old Rackets/Racquets Ball”; this ball seems to be a Rackets/Racquets ball which is covered in quarters with 4 lines of hand stitching. It is solid cored, and I date it at some time in the 1930s. (P) A STUNNING HALL-MARKED SILVER MCC REAL TENNIS PRIZE 1914 71: “MCC Silver Plaque”: this is a beautiful little English silver hall-marked (London 1913) plaque inscribed “J F Marshall 1914”. That year, the record shows Marshall won the MCC Gold Racquet Cup and I guess this plaque may have been removed from a trophy, as it is slightly bowed and has 4 tack fixing points. Its maximum dimensions are 6.5cm tall and 4.5 cm wide. It contains the MCC crest, crossed real tennis rackets with 4 balls; and it is in excellent condition. £350/US$60 ORDERS
AND PAYMENT FOR MORE DETAILS ABOUT ANY ITEM INCLUDING EXTENDED DESCRIPTIONS, PHOTOS ETC., PLEASE CONTACT ME AT THE ADDRESS ABOVE ALAN
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