Basque pelota - 1990 - Racket

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Traditional Basque pelota / frontón set, consisting of 2 beech wood paddles (palas) and 2 balls, from Deportes Aitor, Leioa, Biscay.

The paddles retain the original seal of:

Deportes Aitor - Avda. Amaia nº 22 - Leioa

They also feature another circular seal related to Basque paddle manufacture. They are made of beech wood, with solid construction, good thickness and considerable weight.

Each paddle measures approximately:

50 cm long
14 cm maximum width
Total weight of the two paddles: 1.15 kg
Average weight approx. 575 g per paddle

Given their dimensions, weight, wood and finish, they appear to be paddles for serious play, possibly intended for federation, semi-professional or professional use, not simple decorative lightweight pieces.

The lot also includes 2 balls:

1 light-colored leather/skin ball, hand-made traditional craftsmanship, with visible stitching.
1 black ball, probably rubber, also in very good visual condition.

The light-colored ball seems to correspond to the traditional type of leather ball used in classic Basque pelota modalities. These balls are handmade through a complex process, with an inner core, layers of thread, wool or other traditional materials, and an exterior leather cover hand-sewn. It is a manufacturing method very different from that of a modern industrial ball.

Pelota vasca is one of the great sporting traditions of the Basque Country. The frontón has for generations been a place of competition, social gathering, local pride and popular culture. The pelotaris are athletes of enormous strength, precision, reflexes and endurance, capable of imparting great speed to the ball in physically demanding modalities.

This set nicely embodies that tradition: beech wood, solid paddles, traditional balls, Basque origin and excellent state of preservation. It is an appealing lot for collectors of traditional sports, Basque culture, frontón, Basque pelota and sports memorabilia.

Condition: excellent, virtually unused, with minimal signs of storage.

The photographs are an essential part of the description.