Memorabilia collection - TENNIS VINTAGE MEMORABILIA
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A collection of thirteen vintage tennis memorabilia items spanning from the late 19th/early 20th century to the 1980s, including prizes, documents, equipment, and tournament programs.
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Historical collection of tennis memorabilia
The collection brings together thirteen objects tied to the history and material culture of tennis, with European and American testimonies spanning from the late 19th / early 20th century to the 1980s. It is not solely about sports memorabilia, but an heterogeneous set that documents different aspects of the evolution of the game: early club tournaments, the tools used to mark the courts, the production and stringing of racquets, the major international tournaments, athletes’ personal documents, and the historic packaging of tennis balls.
Particularly significant is the presence of nominative tennis prizes from the early decades of the 20th century, paired with technical documents and official programs that allow crossing almost a century of tennis history.
Belmont Spring Country Club, 1912 — Sterling silver ashtray-prize awarded as second prize in the Open Tennis Doubles to C. R. Currier and H. L. Davenport. Davenport is documented as a competitive player in the Boston area in the same years.
Essex County Tennis Championships, 1933 — Large silver-plated trophy from the Homan Manufacturing Company, intended for the doubles event of the tournament held at the North Andover Country Club, Massachusetts.
Agawam Hunt, 1957 — Elegant Gorham prize for the Member Guest Doubles Tournament, Group “B,” won by Roger W. Shattuck and John W. Staton Jr., preserved in excellent condition.
Lawn Tennis Measure, ca. 1890–1905 — Ancient English brass measure for plotting lawn tennis courts, with the original 78-foot tape, mechanism still fully functional, and likely attributed to A.W. Gamage, London.
Wembley, 1949 — Official program of the Indoor Professional Lawn Tennis World Championships, featuring participants such as Jack Kramer, Bobby Riggs, Don Budge, Pancho Segura, and Fred Perry. Kramer won the singles title of the edition.
Wimbledon, 1983 — Official day-three program of the Championships, with boards annotated during the tournament and three unsigned handwritten signatures: one very likely of Kevin Curren, semifinalist after defeating the defending champion Jimmy Connors; a second compatible with John McEnroe, winner of the tournament; the third unidentified.
Marcello Del Bello, 1939 — Personal card of the Italian Olympic Committee / Italian Tennis Federation, no. 1078, addressed to future Italian champion Marcello Del Bello and bearing his autograph. Personal document dating to the early days of his competitive career.
Internazionali d’Italia, 1964 — Original ticket for the Tribune seating of the XXI Internazionali d’Italia at the Foro Italico, valid for one of the final days of the tournament, edition featuring Fred Stolle, Margaret Smith, John Newcombe and other great names of international tennis.
Crieff Tennis Club, 1926 — Small English prize cup of the Penang Cup, won by J. R. Alexander, with the marks “English Made” and indication Dyer, Crieff, local supplier documented for prizes and commemorative objects.
Louis Rastetter & Sons, 1923 — Original business letter relating to the supply of silk string for racquet strings, with technical details on tension, resilience and humidity resistance. The company historically collaborated with A.G. Spalding in racquet frame production.
Williams & Co., Paris/Bordeaux, early 1900s
Technical sheet illustrated with instructions for the preparation and maintenance of lawn tennis courts, accompanied by a standard-drawn rule diagram.
J. G. Smyth, Lawn Tennis, 1953 — First edition B. T. Batsford with original illustrated dust jacket, conceived as a single continuous graphic composition across front, spine and back. The interior of the volume is preserved in excellent condition.
Lot of five vintage canisters for tennis balls — Set including Tournament Super, Wright & Ditson, Pennsylvania, Fred Perry and Pennsylvania X-76. Two canisters are still sealed and complete with original balls, while two others preserve part of the original contents.
Taken together, the collection offers a reading of tennis history through objects actually used, prizes, personal documents, technical instruments and official tournament materials, alternating memorabilia from major international events with rarer testimonies of club life and the production of sporting equipment.
Historical collection of tennis memorabilia
The collection brings together thirteen objects tied to the history and material culture of tennis, with European and American testimonies spanning from the late 19th / early 20th century to the 1980s. It is not solely about sports memorabilia, but an heterogeneous set that documents different aspects of the evolution of the game: early club tournaments, the tools used to mark the courts, the production and stringing of racquets, the major international tournaments, athletes’ personal documents, and the historic packaging of tennis balls.
Particularly significant is the presence of nominative tennis prizes from the early decades of the 20th century, paired with technical documents and official programs that allow crossing almost a century of tennis history.
Belmont Spring Country Club, 1912 — Sterling silver ashtray-prize awarded as second prize in the Open Tennis Doubles to C. R. Currier and H. L. Davenport. Davenport is documented as a competitive player in the Boston area in the same years.
Essex County Tennis Championships, 1933 — Large silver-plated trophy from the Homan Manufacturing Company, intended for the doubles event of the tournament held at the North Andover Country Club, Massachusetts.
Agawam Hunt, 1957 — Elegant Gorham prize for the Member Guest Doubles Tournament, Group “B,” won by Roger W. Shattuck and John W. Staton Jr., preserved in excellent condition.
Lawn Tennis Measure, ca. 1890–1905 — Ancient English brass measure for plotting lawn tennis courts, with the original 78-foot tape, mechanism still fully functional, and likely attributed to A.W. Gamage, London.
Wembley, 1949 — Official program of the Indoor Professional Lawn Tennis World Championships, featuring participants such as Jack Kramer, Bobby Riggs, Don Budge, Pancho Segura, and Fred Perry. Kramer won the singles title of the edition.
Wimbledon, 1983 — Official day-three program of the Championships, with boards annotated during the tournament and three unsigned handwritten signatures: one very likely of Kevin Curren, semifinalist after defeating the defending champion Jimmy Connors; a second compatible with John McEnroe, winner of the tournament; the third unidentified.
Marcello Del Bello, 1939 — Personal card of the Italian Olympic Committee / Italian Tennis Federation, no. 1078, addressed to future Italian champion Marcello Del Bello and bearing his autograph. Personal document dating to the early days of his competitive career.
Internazionali d’Italia, 1964 — Original ticket for the Tribune seating of the XXI Internazionali d’Italia at the Foro Italico, valid for one of the final days of the tournament, edition featuring Fred Stolle, Margaret Smith, John Newcombe and other great names of international tennis.
Crieff Tennis Club, 1926 — Small English prize cup of the Penang Cup, won by J. R. Alexander, with the marks “English Made” and indication Dyer, Crieff, local supplier documented for prizes and commemorative objects.
Louis Rastetter & Sons, 1923 — Original business letter relating to the supply of silk string for racquet strings, with technical details on tension, resilience and humidity resistance. The company historically collaborated with A.G. Spalding in racquet frame production.
Williams & Co., Paris/Bordeaux, early 1900s
Technical sheet illustrated with instructions for the preparation and maintenance of lawn tennis courts, accompanied by a standard-drawn rule diagram.
J. G. Smyth, Lawn Tennis, 1953 — First edition B. T. Batsford with original illustrated dust jacket, conceived as a single continuous graphic composition across front, spine and back. The interior of the volume is preserved in excellent condition.
Lot of five vintage canisters for tennis balls — Set including Tournament Super, Wright & Ditson, Pennsylvania, Fred Perry and Pennsylvania X-76. Two canisters are still sealed and complete with original balls, while two others preserve part of the original contents.
Taken together, the collection offers a reading of tennis history through objects actually used, prizes, personal documents, technical instruments and official tournament materials, alternating memorabilia from major international events with rarer testimonies of club life and the production of sporting equipment.
Details
Number of objects
13
Subject
Sports
Type
TENNIS VINTAGE MEMORABILIA
Condition
Very good
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