I just created thisAcount
New User
This is probably one of if not the most rarest racquet I have, it's a true wonder to the sport and a real piece of history.
Extremely rare, vintage and historic tennis racquets from the beginning of modern tennis, late 1870s to 1904
- Thread starter I just created thisAcount
- Start date
I just created thisAcount
New User
I know very, very little about this racquet. Except it has many unique features, some I have never seen before on any racquet. But the most notable is it has not a four hole wedge, not a six hole wedge, but a SEVEN hole wedge. I have never seen, heard or even imagined a tennis racquet having something like this yet, this one exists. I have no idea how you would even effectively string this. It also has what looks to be some type of carving on the wedge on both sides in the form of an arc. I believe it is factory, not custom. This appears to be a flat top model, I do not believe it is a lop sided model or tilt top. This racquet also possesses a copper collar, yet the leather is blue not black. The racquet also has another extremely odd and unique feature that I have never seen before. The handle that would be wooden, has a leather wrapping that covers the entire handle and is fitted to the end cap creating a seamless finish. It feels very comfortable to hold. No doubt this racquet would've been extremely expensive to buy and create back in the day due to the amount of custom detailing and work this would've taken to make. I cannot find any indicator of a maker name or a model, so I've dubbed it "The Hope" due to the racquet having a very rare blue leather collar and the Hope Diamond being blue, extremely rare and one of the kind.
I just created thisAcount
New User
I believe this racquet is from the 1870s, but possibly is from the early 1880s. If anyone on here has any information about this racquet or has even seen anything similar to some of the features on it, please let me know and respond here! This is one of my many old and odd wooden racquets that I have from around this time period. I promise to add more on here soon :j
Henry Hub
Hall of Fame
What a beauty! It’s certainly chock-full of contradictions…
I would put its age as late 1880s/early 1890s - but, as you’ll know, this is not an exact science and I would be delighted to be put right on this. The rounded handle and collar are both indications of an early frame but, as I have discovered to my chagrin in the past, these features persisted well into the 1890s on certain rackets. The head shape and size and the scalloped wedge are both, to my mind, suggestive of an 1880s racket at the absolute earliest. I am struggling to recall a straight-headed 1870s racket that didn’t have a concave wedge and that wasn’t significantly less substantial than your fantastic example.
The full leather grip is really quite something. This kind of binding was the preserve of real/court tennis rackets so the manufacturer may have been in that business too or had access to a lot of cheap leather (whereabouts are you based, if you don’t mind me asking?). Alternatively the racket’s owner might have done it, I suppose? As you say, it’s pretty seamless so, if the owner had slapped it on, they must have known what they were doing. Leather, rubber and surgical tape were all used back then by players who wanted a bit more traction than was afforded by the combed wood.
I would put its age as late 1880s/early 1890s - but, as you’ll know, this is not an exact science and I would be delighted to be put right on this. The rounded handle and collar are both indications of an early frame but, as I have discovered to my chagrin in the past, these features persisted well into the 1890s on certain rackets. The head shape and size and the scalloped wedge are both, to my mind, suggestive of an 1880s racket at the absolute earliest. I am struggling to recall a straight-headed 1870s racket that didn’t have a concave wedge and that wasn’t significantly less substantial than your fantastic example.
The full leather grip is really quite something. This kind of binding was the preserve of real/court tennis rackets so the manufacturer may have been in that business too or had access to a lot of cheap leather (whereabouts are you based, if you don’t mind me asking?). Alternatively the racket’s owner might have done it, I suppose? As you say, it’s pretty seamless so, if the owner had slapped it on, they must have known what they were doing. Leather, rubber and surgical tape were all used back then by players who wanted a bit more traction than was afforded by the combed wood.
I just created thisAcount
New User
Sorry for my late reply, I am located in the US. I found this racquet online at an auction. The more I look at it, the more it impresses me that this could even be made by hand. It is truly one of a kind. I believe there is a chance it could've been made around 1878 or 79, only because there seems to be a few models, like the F H Ayres maker, that seemed to have made similar looking racquets around 1877 and up. I found them on this page here https://jimstennis.com/contextRoot/html/racketsCollection1/rackets.html. However, there is definitely a chance that it was made in the 1880s. I have a few racquets from that time, yet this one seems a little older. But hey, that's why I'm here to learn as much about it as I can :j
I just created thisAcount
New User
Another racquet I can add here is this one! It appears to be made by Feltham and is named "Extra Quality". Believe to be created around 1880 to 1882. Another one I can't find anywhere online.
Feltham wooden tennis racquet 1880 to 1882.
The logo and the weight of 14 1/2 OZ carved into the throat above the collar
This is the handle and the end cap. The handle is completely round and smooth, unlike some of the other racquets that I have. Possibly due to it pre-dating the others that I have, except for the racquet above this, as that one even though wrapped in a leather handle, is still very round like this one. It also shares a similar end cap, which looks like to be a different type of leather binding.
A picture of the logo"Extra Quality" and the strings. Appears to be a four hole wedge.
Here is a picture of the collar and the binding. Instead of being leather, it seems to be some type of copper or silver wrapped around the handle.
I have others I will add on here later!!
Feltham wooden tennis racquet 1880 to 1882.
The logo and the weight of 14 1/2 OZ carved into the throat above the collar
This is the handle and the end cap. The handle is completely round and smooth, unlike some of the other racquets that I have. Possibly due to it pre-dating the others that I have, except for the racquet above this, as that one even though wrapped in a leather handle, is still very round like this one. It also shares a similar end cap, which looks like to be a different type of leather binding.
A picture of the logo"Extra Quality" and the strings. Appears to be a four hole wedge.
Here is a picture of the collar and the binding. Instead of being leather, it seems to be some type of copper or silver wrapped around the handle.
I have others I will add on here later!!
rodracquet
Rookie
Both very nice models and in very good condition given their age. As already mentioned dating can be difficult. The Feltham l would place at 1885 and the other more 1888 purely because the marker was trying to differentiate from the normal market product and went to great lengths to shape the throat and add the grip. However, it maybe earlier due to shaft collar which tended to disappear in the early 1880's
