Major New Titles; Tennis Stamps; Silver Items; Printed Ephemera; A Pony-Boot!

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INTRODUCTION: The Honda Challenge finished off my year on a high! During the same week, we had here in the UK the final challenge round of the Men's World Real Tennis Singles, played on the Royal Tennis Court at Hampton Court. In conjunction with the three legs played, David Best launched his excellent history on Real Tennis at Hampton Court (item 002). Bob Everitt also launched his amazing new title on collecting racket sports items (item 001). Satisfying e-mail orders for these large titles has kept me busy. Andre Agassi won the Australian Open, including one match in which he lost the first game and won the next 18! It's very good to see an over-30's player still winning Grand Slam events. Serena completed her Grand Slam, but what has happened suddenly to Capriati, who was so competitive in 2002? GB had a predictably dire Davis Cup match against Australia. Is it Bob or David for the LTA job after Patrice?

THE HONDA CHALLENGE, played over 5 action-packed days at the Royal Albert Hall in December, was a most enjoyable and successful event. Well done to John Beddington! Two busy sessions a day with The Tennis Bookshop situated in the main entrance lobby ensured a steady flow of books being sold for Christmas presents. From my point of view, the major disappointment was the substantial let-down feeling being displayed by so many McEnroe fans at his failure/refusal to do more than one short book signing session. I have seldom seen so many acolytes so petrified of one man, and he did not endear himself to the British tennis fans. But new stars are approaching 35 years of age, and I hope they will do more personal PR to repay and respect the long-standing loyalty of their fans. Pat Cash signed 20 copies of his book, but did not feel able to promote it publicly. My thanks to the large number of clients who visited.

DIARY DATES FOR 2003: I have not yet finally decided whether to issue another newsletter between this one and the English tennis season of events in June and July, so here are the dates for your diary. The Tennis Bookshop will be in its usual positions at Queen's Club and Eastbourne. I am rapidly building up my stock of books in anticipation of these two busy and entertaining weeks; the special offers in Newsletter 50 produced substantial gaps on my shelves.
09/15 June: Stella Artois Championships, Men's Event at The Queen's Club, Barons Court, London.
15/21 June: International Ladies' Championships at Devonshire Park, Eastbourne.
24 June: Christie's Tennis Sale; contact Lucy Clark at lmclark@christies.com .
23 June/06 July: Wimbledon Championships, where I will be working once more.

MAJOR NEW TITLES: I want to recommend and emphasise the importance of the following two new titles, both published in December 2002. Each, in its own way, substantially raises the standard of modern tennis literature.
001: "Racket Sports Collectibles" by Robert T. Everitt; 304 pp in large format 4to (it weighs 2 kilos) published in a beautiful dustwrapper. This must have been a labour of love for Bob, as it illustrates in full colour some 1000 of the items from his own magnificent collection. The chapters are arranged in logical groups of tennis memorabilia:
1: Books, Trade Catalogues, Programmes, Newspapers and Magazines.
2: Printed Ephemera, Games and Cards. 3: Photographs, Prints and Original Artwork.
4: Racket Sports Equipment. 5: Porcelain, Ceramics and Glass. 6: Silver and Metalware.
Each chapter has an introduction, followed by many pages of close-up photographs of the objects, each with a description, brief history, dimensions, and a suggested price range. This exceptional new title will make a fascinating source of information and reference for all collectors of racket sports memorabilia. The list price of this book is a hefty £55, so my prices including delivery are: UK £60; Europe air £64; World-wide air £75
002: "The Royal Tennis Court: A history of tennis at Hampton Court" by David Best; 331 pp in large format 4to in highly decorative dustwrapper. This is a marvellous book, describing in great detail the history and development of Tennis at the Royal Palace of Hampton Court. It is copiously illustrated with diagrams, maps and photographs. It was published in 2 editions, a de luxe edition of 70 copies (all sold), and this, the standard edition. Also weighing in at 2 kilos, delivery is as follows: UK £50; Europe air £54; World-wide air £65

TWO SUPERB "ARTHUR ASHE" AUTOGRAPHED BOOKS: Arthur Ashe came into The Tennis Bookshop in Frankfurt during the ATP Finals early in the 1990's and gave me a personal dedication in one of his books. A few years later, when I reread the dedication, I realised that he knew privately that he was HIV+, but it was not yet public news.
003: "Arthur Ashe off the Court" written with Neil Amdur; 1st USA edition of 1981; 230 pp in 8vo hardboards and dustwrapper. There are now something like 20 Ashe titles in the bibliography, mostly for young readers and fans. I consider this to be just about the best. Internally, it is signed "Arthur Ashe" in his distinctive hand-writing, and as he has not added "Peace", which he did latterly, I assume this signature to be from the 1980's. £175
004: "Arthur Ashe Portrait in Motion" by Frank Deford; 1st USA edition of 1975; 272 pp in 8vo hardboards and dustwrapper. This was the first major Ashe title, written just after he won that amazing Wimbledon final against the hot favourite Jimmy Connors. Deford did biogs on BJ King and Bill Tilden, and is a much admired sports writer. This book has a personal dedication by Ashe, dated 2 Feb 1976, and it is the earliest Ashe autograph I have seen. £200

REAL TENNIS MATTERS
*** I am told the Australian Royal Tennis Association has changed its name to the Australian Real Tennis Association. Do I have the temerity to ask if the USCTA will do the same and follow suit? On second thoughts, no I don't!
*** I had the thrill and privilege of watching three matches in the recent World Real Tennis Challenge. The first was at my own club Petworth when our Professional, Chris Bray comprehensively beat Mike Gooding at the quarter-final stage; then I was at Petworth again when New York's Tim Chisholm took the first leg of the semi-final against Bray. And I was at Hampton Court in December to watch the first leg of the final as the challenger, Chisholm, took on the champion, Rob Fahey from Melbourne. I was delighted to be asked to supply the web reports on these matches, and my reports were posted on the web within 4 hours of the end of the matches. And well done to Chisholm for that epic recovery on the third day, keeping the match alive until Fahey eventually won in the deciding 13th set. What a match!

REAL TENNIS ENGRAVINGS: These original engravings are ready for framing and glazing.
005: "The Court at Lord's", taken from Henry Downes Miles' large volume of many sporting engravings; c1870. The court shown was later demolished. The image (25cm x 19cm) is of a men's doubles in play, looking from the dedans and showing the full extent of the court, which has a tiled floor. This engraving is in its original state. £195
006: "Interior of the Fleet Prison, The Racket-Court"; c1850; image 20.5cm x 15cm. This is a well-known view (c1800) of the early form of Rackets/Racquets, played by the inmates of the Debtors' Prison. It is later but very tastefully hand-coloured. Has anyone yet decided if Rackets had a separate origin other than the Debtors' Prison? £110
007: "M. Edmond Barre, ancien paumier de la cour de France". This is an original oval engraving c1885, presumably taken from a French book or magazine. Measuring 13cm x 17.5cm, it shows M. Barre leaning nonchalantly on the base of a pillar, his tennis racket in this right hand, wearing a very fancy pair of pointed tennis shoes! £195
008: "Pierre Etchebaster Hiram Walker's Imperial Whiskey"; a full-page magazine colour advertisement showing Pierre with a glass of whiskey, his racket and some tennis balls and a four line tribute to him as world champion. It was published in the mid 1950's in the USA; measures 25.5cm x 35cm. £35
009: "Poster for The World Championship 2000". In this series, Rob Fahey was being challenged by the winner of Chris Bray and Wayne Davies; it was at the Hobart Tennis Club in Tasmania; measures 59cm x 39cm. £25
010: "Opening of the New Prince's Club, Knightsbridge, by the Prince of Wales. The Tennis Match between Mr. A. Lyttleton and C. Saunders". Taken from The Graphic of May 25, 1889, the image measures 22cm x 18cm. The interior of the court is shown from the grille, with an alert marker at the net, and crowded galleries. £75

REAL TENNIS BOOKS: Here are some recent titles and some rather older.
"The J.T. Faber Book of Tennis & Rackets" by Lord Aberdare; 2001; 415 pp. Both editions listed below are large format 4to titles. This book is the much applauded, revised and updated edition of the book originally published in 1980 as "The Willis Faber Book of Tennis & Rackets". Here can be found the history of both games, the updated record of the major events world-wide, and an updated section on each Tennis and Rackets Club in the world. The book is copiously illustrated and certainly the major title on the two games of the last 50 years. The 2 editions are as follows:
011: "Leather-bound edition" in card slip-case, (150 copies only) signed by the author; gilt lettering. £300
012: "Standard edition" in hardboards and dustwrapper. £50

"Real Tennis in Cambridge: the first six hundred years" by Roger Morgan; 2001; 60 pp in large 4to hardboards. The title very succinctly describes the contents of this learned book about a Real Tennis location, which is as old as any you will find in the world. This book was published in 2 editions and is still available as such.
013: "de luxe edition", signed by the author and limited to only 60 copies. £80
014: "Standard edition" of only 450 copies. £20
015: "The Racquet Club of Philadelphia Handbook 1936". List of Members, Rules etc. £40
016: "The Queen's Club Story 1886-1986" by Roy McKelvie; standard 4to edition of 1986; 306 pp in decorative dustwrapper. This lovely book is a detailed history of The Queen's Club, and the many different types of sports played there through its century, all profusely illustrated. This was a book for which I did much of the research for Roy in the squash section. The price represents an excellent buying opportunity, as I have acquired several copies. £25
017: "The Racquet & Tennis Club (NY)" handbooks; 1939, 1964, 1967. List of Members, Rules etc. Each £40
018: "Tennis: A Cultural History" by Heiner Gillmeister; 1998; large format 8vo paperback edition; 452 pages. This translation from the original German is a very detailed examination of the development of Tennis in Europe from the early Middle Ages to date. It is a major title on European ball play. A special purchase enables me to offer it at £12
019: "400 Years of Tennis"; 1937; 24 pp in small 8vo format. This is an advertising leaflet by the Thompson Manufacturing Co. of Chicago. Its pages are a fascinating potted history of Tennis, mostly taken from Malcolm Whitman's book "Tennis Origins & Mysteries" of 1932 (450 copies only). This booklet is well illustrated, and its final section is called "The Catgut Mystery" explaining the use of catgut for racket strings. Its condition is very good. £150
020: "La Pelota Basque: Ses Jeux" by A. Tournier; French edition of 1958; 47 pp in small 8vo paperback; illustrated. This very rare little book describes the various forms of Pelota as played in the Payees Basques. £50

TWO SIGNED TITLES FROM FORMER WIMBLEDON CHAMPIONS:
021: "Champion in Exile" the autobiography of Jaroslav Drobny Wimbledon Champion 1954; written by Roy McKelvie; 1st edition of 1955; 249 pp in small 8vo hardboards and dustwrapper. He received one of the biggest cheers when the Champions recently reunited on Wimbledon's Centre Court, but he has since sadly died. I have possession of his International Tennis Hall of Fame induction certificate, beautifully framed and glazed, available for sale. £125
022 "Court Hustler" an autobiography by Bobby Riggs with George McGann; 1st USA edition of 1973; 203 pp in small 8vo hardboards and dustwrapper. The Love Matches against Margaret Court (he won!) and against Billie Jean King (he lost!) certainly revived his public profile. He was always a man who courted controversy, and his performance at The Queen's Club in 1939 has not been forgotten. This copy has a personal dedication and signature dated July 1 1995. £75

023: "ATP Player Guide 2003";
024: "WTA Tour Media Guide 2003". Both are now available, each at £20

SOME RECENT PLAYER BIOGRAPHIES
025: "Kimiko Date" with photographs by Takeo Tanuma; 1997; 118 pages in large 4to with dustwrapper. This is a large, full-colour photographic record of Date's major tennis matches through the 1990s, until her early retirement. £40
026: "Rocket to the Top: On the Road with Pat Rafter" by Leo Schlink; 1999; 212 pp in large 8vo paperback. He remains as popular as ever. His book came out before the amazing Wimbledon final in 2001, but it is still a very entertaining tennis story and a much asked-for book. His is a style of play, which we now sorely miss. £20
027: "Serious: The Autobiography of John McEnroe", with James Kaplan; 2002; 346 pp in 8vo hardboards and dustwrapper. He is pretty frank in his opinions of other players and some of the major events of his life. The book would have been improved if it had an index. All true McEnroe fans will want to own this informative book. £12
028: "Uncovered: The Autobiography of Pat Cash" by Barry Flatman; 2002; 333 pp in 8vo hardboards and dustwrapper. Like John McEnroe in his new book, Cash is also frank in his views and opinions on his fellow professionals, at least one of whom has found it difficult to accept what was written about him. Cash is now distinguishing himself on the Senior Tour. These copies are all signed by Pat Cash. £20
029: "Venus & Serena: My Seven Years as Hitting Coach for the Williams Sisters" by Dave Rineberg; USA edition of 2001; 181 pp in 8vo hardboards and dustwrapper. This book concentrates more on the early years of the careers of the Williams sisters, when their father's ambitious plans for them were beginning to take shape. £20
030: "Venus Envy: A Sensational Season Inside the Women's Tennis Tour" by L. Jon Wertheim; USA edition of 2001; 225 pp in 8vo hardboards and dustwrapper. This book follows the women for a year and studies the lives of the women both on and off the court. The life of a tennis player is definitely not all glamour and privilege. £20

031: MICHAEL CHANG BIOGRAPHY: Chang's book "Holding Serve: Persevering On and Off the Court", was published in the USA in 2002. The paperback edition will be published in the UK in June. I can take orders for it now for delivery probably just after Wimbledon. Chang's tennis career, which promised so much in the early days bringing him the French Open at just 17 years, is now drawing to a close. He is a man who has found religion in a big way. £8

THREE DIVERSE CLUB HISTORIES:
032: "The Hurlingham Club 1869-1953" by Captain Taprell Dorling; 1954; 69 pp in small 8vo and dustwrapper. The famous London sports club, home for many years to polo; squash, golf and lawn tennis are also keenly played. £28
033: "The West Side Tennis Club Story 60th Anniversary 1892-1952" by Edward C. Potter; USA edition of 1952; 46 pp in small 8vo and original (damaged) glassine dustwrapper. Forest Hills was just one of the 4 sites occupied by the famous US tennis club in its short history. It was sad for tennis that the venue for the US Open moved. £75
034: "Wimbledon of the North, 100 Years at the Northern" by David Allaby; 1981; 183 pp in 8vo hardboards and dustwrapper. This club was the scene of one of the great lawn tennis championships in the English calendar, which was played by just about every great tennis star who lived. It is redolent of tennis history. £25

ENGLISH HALLMARKED (BIRMINGHAM) SILVER TENNIS TROPHIES: I particularly like the English silver trophies constructed in the form of a bowl set on a stem, the stem supported by three silver tennis rackets. These trophies are lovely examples of this style and are very collectable. It is difficult not to be charmed by English silver.
035: height 12.5cm; internally gilt; inscribed for 1933; "Rover Challenge Ladies"; 1931 (?). £175
036: height 8.5cm; internally gilt; inscribed "Palace Hotel Torquay"; 1938. The same as 035 above but smaller. £135

ENGLISH HALLMARKED (BIRMINGHAM) SILVER TENNIS TEA-SPOONS: Cheaper than trophies but just as attractive in their own way are these lovely silver tea-spoons with decorative tennis finials (handle ends).
037: length 11.5cm; net & crossed rackets on ornate scrolls at handle end; 1948;
038: the same for 1953. Each at £45
039: length 10.75cm; men's singles across net at handle end; inscribed NKLTA; 1936. £40
040: length 11.5cm; male player on court at handle end; inscribed SPLTC; 1948. £40
041: length 12.5cm; woman player in long dress at handle end; 1915. An early tennis piece. £85
042: length 11.5cm; male player volleying at handle end with twisted stem; 1931. £50
043: length 11cm; crossed squash rackets and ball at handle end; 1961. Most unusual. £45
044: length 10.75cm; "Alford Lawn Tennis & Bowling Club" in text surrounding club crest; 1931. £30

045: EPNS TENNIS TEASPOONS: These spoons have the silver appearance but are made from EPNS. Each is 11cm to 12cm in length, and the finials contain crossed rackets in varying colours and designs. They would have been presented as tennis club prizes, and all are very attractive. I have 14 examples and each is offered at £20

MORE SIGNED TITLES
046: "Hana an Autobiography" with Malcolm Folley; 1st edition of 1989; 184 pp in 8vo hardboards and dustwrapper. Hana Mandlikova remains one of the nicest women on the circuit, despite having to live with the fact that at her peak, the other Czech was generally just a bit better. This book has her full signature on the title page. £25
047: "Match Point: A Candid View of Life on the International Tennis Circuit" by Marty Riessen with Richard Evans; 1st USA edition of 1973; 285 pp in 8vo hardboards & dustwrapper. Marty was there when the game went Open; he was part of the troop of players who steered the Open game. This copy is inscribed and signed by him. £35
048: "My Aces, My Faults" by Nick Bollettieri and Dick Schaap; 1st USA edition of 1996; 346 pp in 8vo hardboards and dustwrapper. This man is a motivator with a proven track-record in tennis. The list of top players through his hands is legendary. This copy is inscribed by both Nick Bollettieri and Dick Schaap. £30

EVENT PROGRAMMES AND OTHER PRINTED EPHEMERA
049: "Beckenham Open". This was always a major pre-Wimbledon grass court event, with men's and women's draws. Here are programmes for 1991, 1992, 1993, 1994, 1996. The lot for £10
050: "Benson and Hedges Championships". Wembley. This was a very popular men's professional event. Here are programmes for 1981, 1983, 1984, 1985, 1988. The lot for £12
051: "Budleigh Salterton Open Lawn Tennis Tournament 1927". Programme. £10
052: "Davis Cup 1973". Semi-final programme Australia vs Czechoslovakia at Kooyong, signed on the cover by Rod Laver, Colin Dibley, John Newcombe, Ken Rosewall, Neale Fraser, Mal Anderson, and Greg Masters. £35
053: "Davis Cup 1979". Colombia vs United States in Cleveland, Ohio. Programme signed internally by J. McEnroe, Peter Fleming, and Ivan Molina. £35
054: "Eastbourne Ladies Championships". Programmes for 1985, 1986, 2001. The lot for £10
055: "Exmouth Open Lawn Tennis Tournament 1927". Programme of 8 pages. £10
056: "French Open 1992", played at Roland Garros. Programme of 178 pages. £8
057: "Honda Challenge 2000 & 2002". Played at the Royal Albert Hall; programmes. Each at £5
058: "Marlboro Australian Open 1984". Played at Kooyong; programme of 106 pages. £8
059: "Reigate Open Lawn Tennis Tournament 1929". Programme of 16 pages. £10
060: "Royal Tunbridge Wells Open Lawn Tennis Tournament 1928". Programme. £10
061: "Sutton Hard Court Open Lawn Tennis Tournament 1927". Programme. £10
062: "Torquay Open Lawn Tennis Tournament 1934". Programme of 16 pages. £10
063: "U.S. Open 2001", played at Flushing Meadows. Programme of 208 pages. £8
064: "Women's International Tennis Tournament", played in the Brighton Centre in Sussex, under various sponsors. Here are programmes for 1982, 1983, 1984, 1987. The lot for £10

065: LAWN TENNIS CHAMPIONSHIP OF THE UNITED STATES, Men's Singles, September 14-19 1925, official program; played at Forest Hills, N.Y. This contains an inserted draw-sheet complete upto and including the semi-finals, in which William Johnston beat Bill Tilden 3 sets to 2. The front cover is detached and slightly torn but present. The program consists of 80 pages (4to) containing articles, photographs etc. This is an early and rare item. £125

WIMBLEDON LAST DAY EDITIONS are complete with all results except for the few matches to be played that day. 1982 was the first year that Finals day was officially moved to the 2nd Sunday.
066: 12th day (Saturday): 1959, 1960, 1965, 1968, 1979. Each at £8
067: 13th day (Sunday): 1982, 1984, 1985, 1986, 1987, 1988, 1989, 1990, 1991, 1992, 1993, 1995, 1996, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001. Each at £5

WIMBLEDON FINAL PROGRAMMES: Here is a selection of these much sought-after Final editions, published after the Championships, and with every result listed. They are not printed in great numbers.
068: 1955 at £20
069: 1965, 1969, 1970, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1978, 1979, 1980, 1981, 1983, 1984, 1986, 1987, 1988, 1989, 1990, 1992, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, each at £15
070: 1998, 2000, 2001 2002, each at £10

WIMBLEDON PROGRAMMES PRE-1940: These are always very hard to find in good condition and are equally much in demand. They contain some wonderful historical names.
071: 1933 2nd Monday; winners will be Jack Crawford of Australia and Helen Wills Moody. £100
072: 1934 2nd Thursday; winners will be Fred Perry and Dorothy Round, both of England. £100
073: 1935 2nd Tuesday; winners will be Fred Perry and Helen Wills Moody. £100
074: 1937 1st Tuesday; winners will be Don Budge and Dorothy Round. £95

075: INTERNATIONAL PROFESSIONAL INDOOR LAWN TENNIS 1952, 1953, 1956, 1957, 1958, 1960, 1961, 1962, 1964, 1965. Programmes for the event played at London's Empire Pool, Wembley. Players included Kramer, Budge, Perry, Riggs, Segura, Gonzales, Sedgman, Mottram, Trabert, Hoad, & Rosewall. Each at £8; the lot for £50

076: THE GOLDEN RACQUET TENNIS TOURNAMENT 1964: played at London's Empire Pool, Wembley. Laver, Gonzales, Rosewall and Hoad played in the presence of H.R.H. The Duke of Edinburgh. Gonzales beat Hoad in what that great boxing and lawn tennis correspondent Peter Wilson described as a thrilling final. £10

TWO LATE 19TH CENTURY AMERICAN LAWN TENNIS MAGAZINES: These remarkably well preserved editions are from the "Official Lawn Tennis Bulletin". Each is of about 16 pages, 8vo, in soft covers, containing photographs, match and event reports, & advertisements.
077: Edition for July 18 1895;
078: Edition for November 5 1896; Each at £95

079: "Architectural Digest September 1986". This is a large magazine showing mostly the interiors of the homes of the rich and famous. This edition contains a 7 pages full-colour photographic tour of Martina Navratilova's house in Fort Worth, Texas. She is shown sitting in several of her rooms, which are definitely decorated in the modern idiom! £35

TENNIS MAGAZINES: I don't usually offer tennis magazines, as they are printed in such large numbers. But here is a small selection, some of which are really quite ancient.
080: "British Lawn Tennis": 34 single issues; 1961 to 1975. The lot for £17
081: "Lawn Tennis & Badminton": 9 single issues from 1927. The lot for £20
082: "Lawn Tennis & Badminton": 9 single issues from 1952 to 1957. The lot for £5
083: "Tennis Week" (USA): 10 single issues from 2001 to 2002. The lot for £20
084: "Tennis World" (UK): 1974 x9 issues; 1975 x10 issues; 1985 x9 issues. The lot for £25

SIGNED PLAYER CARDS: These USA player cards, in colour, are nicely signed.
085: Roscoe Tanner & Marty Riessen;
086: Andres Gimeno;
087: Pam Shriver;
088: Guillermo Vilas;
089: John Newcombe.
Each at £20; the lot for £70

VARIOUS TENNIS ANNUALS: These are generally in good condition.
090: "Annuaire de la Federation Russe de Lawn Tennis 1933". Now here is something unusual, written in the Russian script, but the photographs are in English! £50
091: "Ayres Lawn Tennis Almanack 1936" A nice copy of this excellent tennis annual. £50
092: "Daily News Cricket & Tennis Annuals" 1921, 1922, 1924, 1926. These small, very rare booklets are predominately on Cricket, with just a few pages on lawn tennis. Each at £45
093: "Spalding's Lawn Tennis Annuals" 1920, 1923, 1925, 1928, 1929, 1930, 1931. Each at £45
094: "Volvo Grand Prix Yearbook 1983"; an early ATP Player Guide. Connors is on the front cover. £25
095: "Wright & Ditson Lawn Tennis Guides" 1933, 1934, 1935, 1938, 1940. Each at £45

TENNIS POSTERS: I recently acquired these modern, full-coloured posters with a large collection of tennis books. Each will be delivered rolled into a postal tube.
096: "Andre Agassi"; Nike multi-views and full-length backhand; landscape; 88cm x 58cm. £5
097: "Andre Agassi Rules"; full-length double handed backhand; 88cm x 58cm. £5
098: "Anna Kournikova"; a three-quarter length, glamour bikini view (!); 86cm x 61cm. £5
099: "Anna Kournikova"; a three-quarter length view, in a tennis dress; 86cm x 61cm. £5
100: "Bjorn Borg"; a dramatic, three-way impressionist, view; 93cm x 62cm in landscape format. £10
101: "London Standard 1986"; newspaper hoarding for tennis correspondent Peter Blackman; 19cm x 76cm. £15
102: "Martina Navratilova"; Denon CD player poster; she is heavily made-up and looks stunning! 44cm x 61cm. £25
103: "Monte-Carlo Open 1999"; on the golden Cote d'Azur; 40cm x 59cm. £5
104: "Pete Sampras"; by Nike; full-length serving; 88cm x 59cm. £5
105: "Peugeot World Team Cup"; editions for 1995, 1996, 1999; 50cm x 70cm. Each at £5
106: "Roland Garros 2000"; modernistic art French Open poster; 75cm x 57cm. £10
107: "Wimbledon Official Posters"; 1996, 1998, 1999, 2000; 51cm x 70cm. Each at £5
108: "Wimbledon Official Poster 1990"; an early edition; 51cm x 76cm. £10
109: "Wimbledon Trophies"; shows recent champions holding trophies. 42cm x 59cm. £5

110: "BUSTER": A Swedish magazine/comic aimed at the young sports fans, so it has lots of sporting cartoons and articles. The front colour pages of these three editions show Ivan Lendl and 2 of John McEnroe. The lot for £15

TENNIS STAMPS:
111: Sheet of 30 stamps from Paraguay, containing 6 designs (Becker, Sabatini, Connors, Pecci, Kohde, Swedish Davis Cup Team) at £20;
112: Sheet of 12 stamps from Kalmykia with 12 different Centre Court scenes from 2000 at £15;
113: Sheet of 4 stamps from Korea showing Suk, Lendl, Graf, and Becker at £15;
114: Sheet of 20 stamps from St. Vincent each showing Virginia Wade after winning Wimbledon 1977 at £15;
115: British Post Office official folder with 4 Racket Sports stamps issued 12 Jan 1977 at £5;
116: Sheet of 20 stamps from St Vincent showing Ilie Nastase at £15;
117: Sheet of 20 stamps from St Vincent showing Carling Bassett at £15;
118: Block of 4 Australian stamps, 2 showing Margaret Court and 2 showing Rod Laver (as 119 below), contained in official folder at £12;

TENNIS ENVELOPES:
119: Australian Legends, FDC with 2 Laver & 2 Court stamps, Kooyong 24 Jan 2003 at £10;
120: Australian 2000 Olympians FDC showing Rafter and Dokic, with tennis stamp franked 17 Aug 2000 at Melbourne Park at £10;
121: Wimbledon Ladies Centenary Year 1884/1984, cover embossed with suitable design but no stamps at £2;
122: British Post Office FDC 12 Jan 1977 with Table Tennis stamp at £5;
123: British Post Office FDC 12 Jan 1977 with Badminton, Squash, Table Tennis, and Lawn Tennis stamps at £10;
124: Wimbledon Lawn Tennis Museum Wimbledon Centenary with Lawn Tennis stamp July 19 1977 at £10;
125: Wimbledon 2002 Lleyton Hewitt Champion franked at Melbourne Park 8 July 2002 at £10;
126: US Tennis 1874-1974 celebrating centenary, embossed with racket-stamp at £5;
127: Sports theme FDC from Germany, with spring-board diver embossed on envelope with 3 stamps of football, diving, and tennis at £10;
128: Davis Cup by NEC final Australia vs France franked 30 Nov 2001 at £12;
129: Wimbledon 1968 specially franked 24 June at the All England L.T.C. at £12;
130: Wimbledon Centenary/World Table Tennis Championships special FDC with 4 stamps Lawn Tennis, Table Tennis, Squash, and Badminton, franked 12 Jan 1977 at £10;
131: Melbourne Stamp Show 2002 FDC with tennis emblem franked 5 Oct 2002 at £10;
132: Martina Navratilova beats Tracy Austin in Avon Women's Tennis Champs at Madison Square Garden, envelope franked 21 Mar 1979 at £20;
133: Martina Navratilova retires, envelope franked 15 Nov 1994, with her playing record at £25;
134: Venus and Serena Williams Australian Open 2001 Women's Doubles Final Winners, envelope franked 26 Jan 2001 at £15;
135: Stella Artois 2002 won by Lleyton Hewitt, franked 16 June 2002 at £15;
136: Martina Hingis wins Toray Pan Pacific Open 2002, franked at Tokyo 3 Feb 2002 at £10;
137: Anna Kournikova and Martina Hingis win Australian Open Ladies' Doubles 1999 at £15;
138: Martina Navratilova wins Australian Open Doubles 2003 at £20;
139: Serena Williams wins Australian Open Singles 2003 at £15;
140: Pat Rafter Tennis Hero, Australian of the Year 2002 at £15;
141: Martina (Navratilova) signed Australian Open 2003 FDC at £50;
142: Venus Williams 2000 Olympic Gold Cover at £15.

143: "Wimbledon Lawn Tennis Museum": An album of covers issued in 1978 as a promotion called "Philatelic Friend of the Museum". Unfortunately it did not seem to prosper, but it did issue this album containing 11 stamped envelopes, either the stamp or the envelope bearing a tennis scene. It includes 2 special envelopes celebrating the 1977 wins of Virginia Wade and Bjorn Borg, and an envelope FDC for the French Open 1978. The album is offered at £50

144: "H.W. Austin Flicker Book" No. 10: Service and Smash; published by Slazengers Ltd in the mid-1930's. This was part of a series of about 12 titles, on various sports, of which 3 or 4 were about tennis. They are quite clever! £65

145: The rare DE LUXE edition of "100 YEARS OF WIMBLEDON 1877-1977" by Lance Tingay. This marvellous official Wimbledon history was published in 2 editions, the standard in a dustwrapper, and this, the de luxe edition. It is of 256 pages in large 4to format presented in luxury green leather boards and spine, externally gilt engraved. Internally the boards are finely marbled, all page edges are gilt; the book is in a green slip-case. It is signed internally by Fred Perry, Wimbledon champion in 1934, 1935 & 1936. Only 100 numbered copies were issued for public sale and I have 3 available. Together with a complementary copy of the standard edition, the 2 are offered at £325

146: A PONY-BOOT! I have, for reasons which escape me for now, always wanted to have a pony-boot in stock. At last I have a lovely (!) example. It's a left-side boot but I can't tell if it is fore or aft. With it are 2 pages from Country Life of September 1987 wherein there is what must be the definitive study on pony-boots. There are photographs of various styles of pony-boots, mostly made in England. These boots were fitted to pony hooves to prevent them marking the grass while pulling the wide rollers. It is made of heavy leather with straps to attach it to the pony's foot. £250

AND YET MORE SIGNED TITLES:
147: "Nastase" by Richard Evans; 1st edition of 1978; 256 pp in 8vo hardboards and dustwrapper. Ilie was certainly one of the great characters and tennis players of the 1970's, especially in that memorable Sunday Wimbledon final against Stan Smith. He now graces the senior tour with his amusing antics and still demonstrates great touch and delicacy, even if the middle is gradually expanding! This copy is signed "Ilie Nastase" on the title page. £20
148: "Twenty Years at the Top" by Ken Rosewall with Peter Rowley; 1st edition of 1976; 252 pp in 8vo hardboards and dustwrapper. Arguably one of the three greatest male tennis players never to have won the Men's Singles at Wimbledon (Gonzales & Lendl in my view; what's yours Joe?), this is his entertaining story of being a travelling tennis Pro when the competition was great but the money was not, at least in comparison to today. He remains one of the most personable & approachable tennis players of recent times. This copy is nicely inscribed, dated May 3rd 1976. £75

SOME BOOKS IN FRENCH, SWEDISH AND GERMAN: Several titles by or about Suzanne Lenglen.
149: "Borotra de Wimbledon a Vichy" by Daniel Amson; French edition of 1999; 288 pp in 8vo paperback. This new title is one I had not seen previously. It seems to deal quite thoroughly with Borotra, the good and the bad. £25
150: "Elements de Tennis: Construction d'un Court, Reglement-Pratique" ; French edition of 1929; 186 pp in small 8vo paperback; lovely coloured front cover. This is a general manual on coaching, equipment, and the court. £35
151: "La Methode d'Initiation au Tennis" by Suzanne Lenglen; French language edition of 1942; 108 pp in small 8vo paperback. This edition published posthumously has contributions from other great French tennis stars. £50
152: "Le Tennis"; published by Dunlop; 32 pp in small paperback format. Here are the rules of tennis at 1923. £20
153: "Le Tennis" by Suzanne Lenglen; French edition of 1923; 97 pp in small 8vo paperback. This is her famous coaching manual, which is brilliantly illustrated with many action photographs of Suzanne and her contemporaries. £90
154: "Le Tennis" by Marcel Vitry; French edition of 1924; 64 pp in small format paperback; beautifully coloured front cover. This is a mass-market coaching manual with many diagrams and illustrative drawings of how to do it. £20
155: "Livre d'Or de la Federation Royale Belge de Lawn-Tennis 1902-1952" ; French language edition of 1952; 140 pp in large 4to paperback. This is an informative and well-illustrated history of lawn tennis in Belgium. £135
156: "Pour Etre Bon Joueur de Tennis" by S. Morel; French edition of 1923; 60 pp in small format paperback. This is another of those lovely little coaching manuals, well illustrated with diagrams and drawings. £20
157: "Suzanne Lenglen" by Claude Anet; French edition of 1927; 196 pp in small 8vo paperback; one of 320 copies. This is the only contemporary biography of "La Belle Suzanne"; it is a rare title and carries the most detailed game-by-game account of the famous confrontation with Helen Wills in Cannes. For what was Lord Charles Hope known? £250
158: "Suzanne Lenglen: Ett liv vigt at tennis" by Claude Anet; Swedish edition of 1927; 144 pp in small 8vo paperback. This is the Swedish edition of 157 above, with a glamorous action photo of Suzanne on the cover. £175
159: "Tennis: Das Spiel aller Nationen" by Suzanne Lenglen; German edition of 1925; 124 pp in small 8vo paperback. This is the German language edition of her famous coaching manual; stunning front cover photo of Suzanne. £65
160: "Weltmacht Tennis" by Roderich Menzel; 1st German edition of 1951; 439 pp in large 8vo hardboards. This is the most detailed history of tennis in Germany that I have ever seen. It is profusely illustrated. £50

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