INTRODUCTION: Here in the UK, we are approaching our peak few weeks of the 2004 tennis season, with all the usual keen anticipation for Wimbledon. As usual, The Tennis Bookshop will be on parade at Queen's Club and then at Eastbourne, where I will be offering for sale an even greater number of tennis titles than ever, titles for all levels of expenditure, from the rarest to the most recent publications, all very keenly priced!

*** The Mullock Madeley auction on 3rd June will consist of the bulk of Lionel Bradford's huge collection of tennis memorabilia, which he and Pat spent so many years building. Following Lionel's death in 2002, Pat has decided that much of the collection must be dispersed, so there may be many good buying opportunities for keen tennis collectors.

*** The Sotheby's Olympia auction on 9th June will contain a number of personal items consigned by Christine Truman, Wimbledon finalist in 1961.

*** I was delighted to read recently of the engagement to be married between Penny Perry, FJP's lovely daughter, and Drew Evert, Chris Evert's elder brother. Definitely the coming together of two great tennis dynasties!

*** It is good news to hear that Stella Artois have extended their sponsorship at The Queen's Club until 2009.

*** I read somewhere that Greg Rusedski might be writing a detailed account of his recent brush with the drugs tsars.

*** But I also hear that the plans for a book on Vitas Gerulaitis have been abandoned, which is a pity.

*** As I am at Queen's, Eastbourne and Wimbledon from 5th June to 5th July, I will not be attending to e-mails, book orders and general correspondence, but I hope to be back fully on-line etc by about 10th July.

JOHN PARSONS, (born 20th Feb 1938; died 26th Apr 2004). JP was the much respected lawn tennis correspondent of The Daily Telegraph. He did not enjoy good health, owing to a variety of daunting medical problems, but he never complained and was always cheerful. It has been both a privilege and a pleasure for me to have known JP since the early 1970's; I enjoyed many phone conversations with him through the winter on a wide variety of tennis topics. As he was the senior British tennis correspondent at Wimbledon, we worked very closely throughout the Championships over seating of tennis journalists on Centre Court. His tennis knowledge was encyclopaedic, and his writing was honoured by many international awards.

E-MAIL ORDERS: This month, the number of client e-mail addresses on my huge list has for the first time passed the number of client mailing addresses. Following the mailing of newsletters, there is now a clear majority of e-mailed orders over mailed orders. And of course phoned orders also outnumber mailed orders. This is the way of the world today. I await my first cell-phone text order!

"A SUMMER SHOWER", an oil painting on wood panel, originally by Edith Hayllar (1860-1948)
I generally stick to the printed world as far as tennis is concerned, but this painting fell into my hands and I could not resist it. This is a marvellous copy of original oil painted by Edith Hayllar entitled "A Summer Shower". The painting's first exhibition date is at the Royal Academy (London) in 1883. The scene shows the interior of a Victorian house, possibly the hallway with doors out into the garden, where presumably the tennis court is situated. Just now it is raining, so the young are in the hallway chatting and drinking lemonade. They are dressed in their tennis clothes, and tennis rackets and balls are lying about, while waiting for the rain to stop. The original oil measures 53.4cm x 44.2cm and was auctioned at Christie's as part of The Forbes Collection on 20th February 2003. With a presale estimate of £150,000 to £200,000, the hammer price (to Andrew Lloyd-Webber) was £320,000. I have available a lovely copy, executed in oil on board, measuring 74cm x 100 cm or 2 feet 5 inches by 3 feet 3 inches. This is much larger than the original but it has lost none of its charm. There is a couple of minor differences from the original, but this much larger version is a most imposing painting, and needs a large room or hallway with a high ceiling. I can email or mail a photograph of the painting to serious enquirers.

THE NEW ILIE NASTASE BIOGRAPHY…you can order a signed copy now!
001: "Mr Nastase: Talented, Tempestuous and Totally Outrageous" by Ilie Nastase with Debbie Beckerman; HB in DW. Due out in June, here is the book which looks closely into the soul of one of the most gifted tennis players of the last 50 years. His Wimbledon final with Stan Smith will stand out in many people's memories, but there is much more to Ilie than just tennis, which he still plays so well. I will not be able to deliver copies by mail until after my return from Wimbledon (i.e. after July 6th). But Ilie will be signing at Eastbourne, so let me know if you want a personal dedication. Generally speaking Ilie is very good at signings, so the chances appear good. My price signed or unsigned will be £18/$30

THE NEW BORIS BECKER BIOGRAPHY…you can try to order a signed copy now!
002: "The Player" by Boris Becker; 329 pages. This new book is in fact a translation from the original German edition published a year or so ago. It is a complete record of his life and tennis career, but it continues after the end of his tennis career and deals quite extensively with his marriage, the break-up and the notorious "broom cupboard" affair. The book is described as a "no-holds barred autobiography". The book will be launched during the Stella Artois and I will be stocking it then. I will do my best to obtain some signed copies for sale after Wimbledon and you are invited to order a signed copy now. I am not filled with over-whelming confidence that I will get signed copies, but signed or unsigned, the price is £18/$30

THE NEW JIMMY CONNORS BIOGRAPHY: My friend Joel Drucker, a well-known American tennis journalist, has told me that he has recently completed a new book to be called "Jimmy Connors Saved My Life". The book is due out in August. I once asked JC in Antwerp if he planned a life story, to which he replied that everything he wanted us to know was already in the public domain, anything else was his business and nobody else's! I have always thought that a definitive biography on Connors was needed, and now here it is. Reading the pre-publicity, it would seem this is not so much an authorised biography, rather it is about one astute tennis observer's twenty years relationship with Connors and his observations taken from previous interviews and articles. Joel was closely involved with Connors in the 1980's and the experience has clearly left its mark. I hope to be able to offer copies of this new book in my September newsletter.

003: TENNIS BIBLIOGRAPHY 1874-2000 compiled by Frank Phelps (in PA) and Gordy Sabine (in CA); 377 pages in large format 4to, no DW issued. At last this magnum opus has arrived, and I am delighted to have my own copy on the shelf. All serious collectors of tennis books will want a copy as soon as possible, as it is an amazing source of information. It lists over 3200 English language books, booklets and pamphlets. The five chapters list the books in A-Z order of author, category of book (i.e. biography, history etc.), and A-Z order of title, and year of publication. The final chapter has a selective list of magazines and annuals. Frank and Gordy are to be congratulated on a wonderful job. £75/$130

NEW AND RECENTLY PUBLISHED TITLES
004: "ATP/WTA Player Guide 2004": ATP and WTA have combined their player guides into one large paperback volume of some 800 pages. Demand has already been strong. Post included cost is: UK/Europe £30/$50; World-wide air £35/$60
005: "Being John McEnroe" by Tim Adams; 2003; 144 pp in small format. This is a quirky, alternative view of McEnroe, concentrating more on what is in his brain and how it dictates his thoughts, words and actions. £10/$18
006: "Book of Tennis Rackets, Supplement to 2003"; 92 pages in large format paperback. This update to Kuebler's massive original work quickly sold out, and has just been reprinted. The new stock is here from Germany and the new price is £30/$50
007: "First Lady of Tennis: Hazel Hotchkiss Wightman" by Tom Carter; 2001; 217 pp in paperback. Here is one I did not spot earlier but several copies are available. This is a charming book about a lady who was not only a fine tennis player, but whose name is now that of tennis immortal with The Wightman Cup. She won two Olympic gold medals at tennis, and was a very successful doubles partner of Helen Wills. £15/$25
008: "Language of Tennis (The)" compiled by Ossian Shine; 2003; 160 pp in paperback. This is an A-Z of every term used in the game (and many I did not know) with a full explanation of the meaning of each word and term. This book is an education for all tennis players. £10/$18
009: "My Life with Lew" by Jenny Hoad & Jack Pollard; 2002; 228 pp in large PB. The tennis Adonis from Australia who won Wimbledon in 1956 and 1957. This book concentrates more on his life after tennis mostly in Spain at the tennis ranch. £15/$25
010: "Newk: Life on and off the court" by John Newcombe with Larry Writer; 2002; 270 pp in large PB. Newk was one of the greatest players of the 1960's and 1970's. He was also a great Wimbledon champion and servant to Australian tennis. £15/$25
011: "Open XXXVl" by Eugene L Scott; 2004; 160 pp in large format hardboards and dustwrapper. Here is Gene's annual account of the US Open, with feature articles from many great tennis writers, illustrated with black and white photographs of the action. £25/$40
012: "Serious" by James Kaplan; 2003; 346 pp. This is the recent autobiography of the great John McEnroe wherein he recounts in quite forthright manner how the many contentious occurrences were from his point of view. He does not hold back on his personal opinions on his fellow players. This book is currently available in hardboards and dustwrapper at £15/$25 and in paperback at £5/$8
013: "Server (The)" by Spencer Vignes; 2003; 268 pp in paperback. As John Inverdale said: "A sideways, exuberant and perceptive journey through the underachieving world that is English tennis." A trifle unfair I think but very amusing as Vignes takes his racket across England. £8/$15
014: "Tennis's Strangest Matches: Extraordinary but true stories from over a century of tennis" compiled by Peter Seddon; 276 pp in paperback. A very entertaining compilation of quirky tennis tales, which strain the credibility barrier! £8/$15
015: "Total Tennis: The Ultimate Tennis Encyclopedia" by Bud Collins; 2003; 938 pp in large format hardboards and dustwrapper. This is the fourth edition of Bud's feast of tennis facts and figures. It's a fantastic source for all tennis fans, and a must for all pub quiz addicts. £30/$50

FITZWILLIAM LAWN TENNIS CLUB was formed in Dublin in November 1877 as the Dublin Lawn Tennis Club. After leasing some ground in Upper Pembroke Street, just off Fitzwilliam Square, it was decided a few weeks later to change to name of the club to Fitzwilliam. It became the home of Irish lawn tennis, and in 1879 the first national championships were played there. As far as I know, two histories have been published.
016: "Fitzwilliam's First Fifty 1877 to 1927: Half a Century of Irish Lawn Tennis" by J.J. Tracey; 54 pp in large magazine format. I have never seen an original edition of this book, but this is a photocopied facsimile, very well prepared. It is illustrated with black and white photographs, has biographies of leading lights at the club, and describes many famous matches played there up to 1927. £30/$45
017: "The Fitzwilliam Story 1877-1977" by Ulick O'Connor; 92 pp in large format hardboards. This book brings the story upto date as far as 1977, recounting the story in 016 above, but with many new and fascinating anecdotes. It is printed on light cream paper with brown ink, similarly to the newsletters from The Tennis Bookshop. This copy is signed by the club secretary. £30/$45

A VICTORIAN PHOTOGRAPH ALBUM WITH EARLY TENNIS SCENES AT HASLEMERE IN SURREY
018: This lovely old photograph album contains nineteen original black and white photographs (15cm x 12cm) from the 1880's. Some are captioned and these indicate that they were taken in or around Haslemere in Surrey, England. In checking with the Haslemere historical society, I have found that several of these are already in their archive. The result of that research is that I can now identify the location and the people shown in about half the photographs, which adds greatly to their interest. Of the nineteen photographs, eleven have a tennis content in that the people shown are carrying old tennis rackets, or there is a court in the background, or rackets are shown lying on the ground. The earliest caption date is Aug 2 1880, and the latest is 1888. Other rural scenes are shown. I have added to this album the details obtained from the Haslemere historical society, and a map of the area wherein can be seen the location of the house. £200/$350

FAREWELL "FRED" (Frederick William) HOYLES: born 1st October 1923, died 25th March 2004. Fred was the well respected Wimbledon Referee from 1976 to 1982, having taken over from the ebullient Mike Gibson. Fred was always quietly firm, anxious to keep in the background, but as Alan Mills will tell you, that is not always possible, as Fred found out during the early McEnroe period. It was in 1981 that their famous "pits of the world" confrontation took place in a 1st-round match against Tom Gullikson. McEnroe then used a four letter word to "Fearless Fred", who fined him £750. Fred told me several years ago that he was planning a book about his time as Wimbledon Referee, but I heard no more.

FAREWELL ERIC WILLIAM STURGESS: born 10th May 1920, died 14th January 2004. Sturgess was one of the great post 2nd World War tennis players from South Africa, known as a most elegant stylist, reminiscent of players from an earlier era. He never won a Grand Slam singles title, but he did win the Mixed Doubles at Wimbledon in 1949 and 1950, and was runner-up with Jaroslav Drobny in the 1951 Wimbledon Men's Doubles.

FARWELL SIR PETER USTINOV: died April 2004. Ustinov was a dedicated Wimbledon fan, and many was the time that I saw him wandering the corridors. He was very knowledgeable about the game. Many years ago I went into the Players' Restaurant for a cup of tea and a bun, when I saw him sitting on his own. I asked if I could sit with him, whereupon he looked round the room in that rather imperious manner and said: "Dear boy, if I am the highest form of humanity present, then you are very welcome." It was an enchanting twenty minutes in which he did not draw breath and I, uncharacteristically, kept quiet!

DIARY DATES FOR 2004
Jun 03 Thursday: Mullock Madeley tennis auction at Ludlow, Shropshire.
Jun 07 to Jun 13: Stella Artois Men's Championships at The Queen's Club, Barons Court, London.
Jun 09 Wednesday: Sotheby's Olympia tennis auction.
Jun 14 to Jun 19: Hastings Direct International Championships (Ladies) at Devonshire Park, Eastbourne.
Jun 21 to Jul 04: The Championships at the All England Lawn Tennis & Croquet Club, Wimbledon.
Jun 22 Tuesday: Christie's South Kensington tennis auction at their Old Brompton Road saleroom, London.
Nov 30 to Dec 05: The Champions Tour Masters at the Royal Albert Hall, London.

REAL TENNIS
I had the thrill of attending the UK leg of the World Singles eliminator match at Seacourt on 22nd March between Petworth's Chris Bray and Tim Chisholm from the Racquet & Tennis Club (NY). An enthralled audience watched Chisholm get the upper hand in 3 long and closely fought sets 6/5 6/4 6/3. As I said in my internet report for www.irtpa.com, Chisholm's relentless forcing for the dedans was the deciding factor. Indeed so hard was Chisholm's forcing, that on two occasions, the ball rebounded so far back into the court that it landed into the hazard side without touching in the service side, although on one of those occasions, the ball actually rolled down the side penthouse gallery roof to fall off around hazard the door.

REAL TENNIS BOOKS
019: "TRAITE SUR LA CONNAISSANCE DE LA ROYAL JEU DE PAUME" by de Manivieux. I mentioned the facsimile reprint due out in the Spring in a de luxe edition of about 50 copies (c£200/$350), and a standard edition of about 250 copies (c£75/$130). Mike Garnett has informed me that the text and setting are complete but that publication has been put back to the summer, as he is still seeking confirmation on several points, which can only be cleared up satisfactorily by a short trip to France. The print run will be specific to pre-orders. It may still be possible to get a de luxe edition; most of the standard editions are sold, so if you have not already ordered a copy, please don't delay.

TRATTATO DEL GIUOCO DELLA PALLA by Antonio Scaino da Salo; 1st edition of 1555. I said in Newsletter 54 that Christie's were due to auction a copy of this oldest of books on tennis. I made a special trip to inspect their copy. It was quite the best copy I have seen of some ten copies traded in seventeen years. Not only was it in superb condition, but also its six wood engravings were presented as fold-outs, rather than bound-in at the gutter. I had not seen this before in a Scaino. It also had a lovely book-plate from the Library of the Princes of Lichtenstein. The estimate was £4000/$6500 to £6000/$11100. I suggested that a buyer should expect to pay well over £10000/$18500. And so it proved, as the hammer fell at £16000/$29600, plus about 19% buyer's commission. And it was bought by a dealer on commission for a client.

020: "Ball, Bat and Bishop: The origin of ball games" by Robert W. Henderson; 1st edition of 1947; 220 pp in hard boards, no dw. Besides the normal and well-known ball sports, he covers also stoolball, bridal ball (!), hurling, and knappan and shinty. Somehow he manages to show how all these games, and the more common games of tennis, football etc came into being and that most of them are still being played today, even if only in small local pockets of population; it is well illustrated also. £50/$85
021: "Emblemata et Aliquot Nummi Antiqui Operis" by Johannes Sambucus; facsimile edition of 2002 of the 2nd edition of 1566; 293 pp in small format hardboards. As in item 026 below, the Perriere, this is a 16th century Emblem book. Emblem Books in the 16th century were rather like today's holiday postcards. Travellers drew scenes they saw in the various towns and cities they visited and composed a suitable text or verse about it. There is a particularly fine scene of tennis-play in this edition. £125/$225
022: "Jeux des rois, roi des jeux: Le Jeu de paume en France" by Yves Carlier and Thierry Bernard-Tambour; 2001; 181 pp in paperback. This superb book is mostly a catalogue of artefacts exhibited at the recent re-opening of the old court at Fontainebleau. The book is very well researched and beautifully illustrated with prints, maps, drawings etc. £30/$45
023: "Racquet Game (The)" by Allison Danzig; 1st USA edition of 1931; 283 pp in small 8vo; no DW; includes the large fold-out photograph at page 52. This is a very important book in the bibliography of American rackets sports, with emphasis on Court Tennis, Racquets, Squash-Tennis and Squash-Racquets. It recounts the history of these games in the USA from inception, the great clubs, the exciting matches and the leading personalities. He was a very astute observer of racket sports. This copy in nice condition is offered at quite a low price of £75/$130
024: "Sports et Jeux d'Exercice (Les)" by J.J. Jusserand; 3rd edition of 1901; 474 pp in paperback. This is one of the great French language books on sport through the ages. Besides jousting tournaments and swordplay/duelling, there is also a good section of some 70 pages on games of paume. It is well illustrated with old engravings and prints. This copy is largely still uncut which always presents an owner with a dilemma. Personally I think the pages should be cut so the book can be read. £175/$300
025: "Tennis, Hockey, Paumes, Balles, et Boules" by Decugis, Crivelli, de Fleurac etc; 1980 reprint of the 1913 edition; 375 pp in paperback. Another French language book on ball sports, this one has substantial sections on Lawn Tennis, Hockey, Cricket, Baseball, Basket-Ball, Longue Paume, Courte Paume, Croquet, and Paume Basque. It is illustrated with diagrams and rather quaint action photos. £60/$100
026: "Theatre des Bons Engins (Le)" by Guillaume de la Perriere; 214 pp in HB 8vo. I sold the 1978 facsimile edition of this 16th century emblem book, but failed to make a note of two other buyers who came for it. Looking through the book more carefully this time, I find there are in fact two tennis emblem pictures. Here is another copy at the original price of £150/$250

AN EARLY KAATSEN BOOK, A VERY OLD DUTCH BALL-GAME, ONCE TRIALED IN THE OLYMPICS
027: "Het Kaatsspel: Verklaard en van Teekeningen voorzien" by B S Hylkema; 1st Dutch edition of 1892; 16 pages in original red cloth boards, richly decorated with ornate black scrolling and gilt tile. This exceptional little book includes three full pages of court diagrams. Fives Ball Play is described with the rules of play, how to score etc. This very old game is still played in the Netherlands and it is alleged started in Egypt centuries before. I believe Kaatsen was a trial sport in the Amsterdam Olympics in 1912. £165/$290

REAL TENNIS ENGRAVINGS AND IMAGES
028: "Edgar M Baerlein" tobacco card from series "The World of Sport" by Lambert & Butler; full length photocard. £15/$25
029: "The Racquet Club, New York" drawn by H.D. Nichols and published in Harper's Weekly on February 18th 1893. This engraved series of views is framed and glazed. It depicts an original full page from the newspaper showing several internal views of the club, including Tennis-Court, Sparring-Room, Gymnasium, Lounging-Room, Main Stairway, Racquet-Court, and a Portion of the Billiard-Room. The image size is 25cm by 38cm and overall (including the wooden frame) it measures 32cm by 46cm. £250/$425
030: "Tuxedo Club Tennis Court"; a view from mid-court in the service side looking at the hazard end. This is one of an edition of 200 copies, each signed by the artist Mario Stasolla. The image measures 53cm x 38cm. This item, on art quality card and ready for framing and glazing, is a very detailed black and white drawing, and is a rare view of a nice old tennis court. £150/$250
031: "Tuxedo Park NY, showing the Indoor Tennis Building". A coloured postcard (lacking a slender portion at one edge) showing the front exterior view of the old Tuxedo Park Court Tennis court. £15/$25
032: "Tennis Court & Border". Black & white postcard with the exterior of the Royal Tennis Court (Hampton Court). £15/$25
033: "Studenten beim Ballschlagen"; no 9 in a series of sports cards from Germany; showing a highly coloured scene of play on a rudimentary Real Tennis court from the period 1550-1610. The galleries are full of enthusiastic spectators. £15/$25
034: "Le jeu de paume a Franeker"; an original engraving, c1880, (probably later hand-coloured) showing an energetic game of hand-ball or possibly Kaatsen, being played in the town of Franeker, close to the border of Belgium and Holland. Image measures 15cm x 12cm. £75/$130
035: "Le Serment du Jeu de Paume" after Jacques-Louis David; an original engraving c1790, (24cm x 16cm) showing the Deputies on the Versailles court on 20th June 1789. (See "Jeu des Rois, Roi des Jeux" page 162). This is the famous and definitive version, showing a crowded court from the dedans, the side galleries partly visible, with a basket of balls and a racket on the floor. £100/$175
***see also item 148***

PRINTED EPHEMERA
PLAYER AUTOGRAPHS: I guarantee all these autographs are correct, original and genuine; any may be returned for a full refund should you have any doubts.
036: "Lleyton Hewitt" on Wimbledon Daily Order of Play card for Friday 5th July 2002 £50/$85;
037: "Francis X Shields" on white card dated 5/7/74 £40/$70;
038: "Mike Sangster" (come on…this is very rare!) on white card dated 5th April 1980 £40/$70;
039: "Francis Hunter" and "Frank Hunter" on white card dated January 4th 1980 £40/$70;
040: "Rod Laver" on stamped envelope USTA Flushing Meadow dated Sep 2 1994 £35/$60;
041 "Billie Jean King" on white card £25/$35;
042: "Bjorn Borg" on a first day cover of UK racket Sports stamps dated 12 Jan 1977 £40/$70;
043: "Tracy Austin" on stamped envelope Celebration of Women in Sport £30/$50;
044: "Doris Hart" on stamped envelope Father's Day Festival June 15 1986 £35/$60;
045: "Martina" (Navratilova) on white card £25/$40;
046: "Martina" (Navratilova) and "Bjorn Borg" together on stamped envelope for British Post Office Rackets Sports dated 12 Jan 1977 £60/$100;
047: "Hana Mandlikova" on white card £20/$35;
048: "Don P Turnbull" (Australia) on white card 1934 £25/$40;
049: "Bryan Grant Jr" on white card £25/$40;
050: "Adrian Quist" (Australia) on white card £25/$40;
051: "H W Austin" on white card £25/$40;
052: "Jean Borotra" on white card dated Dec 1969 £50/$90;
053: "with many thanks for your kind message J Borotra" written on his personal business card as from Paris £100/$175;
054: "Pam Shriver" on colour photo £20/$35;
055: "Guillermo Vilas" on colour photo £30/$50;
056: "Andres Gimeno" on colour photo £25/$40;
057: "Ken Fletcher" on stamped envelope for Polska '93 World Philatelic Exhibition dated May 1993 £15/$25;
058: "Guy Forget" on stamped envelope for Roland Garros 1928-1978 £20/$35;
059: "Ann Jones" on stamped envelope for Wimbledon Centenary dated 12 Jan 1977 £15/$25;
060: "Guy Forget" on stamped envelope for Wimbledon Centenary dated 12 Jan 1977 £20/$35;
061: "Andrew Castle" on stamped envelope for Lawn Tennis Association Centenary dated 22 March 1988 £10/$15;
062: "Barry Cowan" on stamped envelope for Lawn Tennis Association Centenary dated 22 March 1988 £20/$35;
063: "Scott Draper" on stamped envelope for Polska '93 World Philatelic Exhibition £15/$25;
064: "Guy Forget" on First Day Sheet for Belgian stamps, 2 cycling and 2 tennis dated 21-01-2002 £20/$35;
065: "Charlton Heston" on large colour photo (?? as Ben Hur) £30/$50;
066: "Charlton Heston" on large black and white photo (?? as El Cid) £30/$45;
067: "Pancho Segura" on stamped envelope for Great Sporting Events dated 5th July 1998 £40/$70;
068: "Greg Rusedski" on large colour action photo £15/$25;
069: "To Fred Best Wishes Les" (Stoefen) on large black and white photo £25/$40;
070: "Jason Stoltenberg" on stamped envelope for Australian Bicentenary dated 21 Jun 1988 £20/$35;
071: "Yannick Noah" on large colour photo £25/$40;
072: "Henri Leconte" on montage of 4 colour action photos £25/$40;
073: "Henri Leconte, Guy Forget, Yannick Noah" on large sheet depicting ATP Senior Tour stamps £50/$85;
074: "Tim Henman" on coloured postcard £20/$35.

075: CHAMPIONS' DINNER MENU Lundi 2 Juin 1980: Held after the French Open, this French menu is signed by Don Budge, (Grand Slam winner in 1938), Mariana Simonescu (Mrs Bjorn Borg), Raul Vivier, Lew Hoad (Wimbledon Champion 1956/1957), Harry Hopman (famous Australian Coach), Mike Davies (former top GB player), Lennart Bergelin (Borg's coach), Barbara Jordan (famous for shirt change on court!), and Henri Cochet (French Musketeer and Wimbledon champion 1927 & 1929). These are perfect signatures £300/$500

TENNIS STAMPS:
076: "Australian Sporting Personalities" 3 stamps showing jockey, cricketer and the famous tennis player Norman Brookes £5/$8;
077: "Sydney Paralympics 2000" 2 stamps showing tennis and running £5/$8;
078: "Belgium" one each of new stamps showing Justine Henin and Kim Clijsters £5/$8;
079: "San Marino" for ATP Tour 1997 £10/$15;
080: "Atlanta Olympics 1996" unused block of 9 stamps from Dominica showing nine sports including Steffi Graf playing tennis £20/$35;
081: "Nicaragua Capex '87" single stamp showing tennis £10/$15;
082: "Grenadines of St. Vincent" sheets of 20 stamps each, each sheet showing action shots from Virginia Wade. Wendy Turnbull, Ivan Lendl, Billie Jean King, Anders Jarryd, Pam Shriver, Yannick Noah, Carling Basset, Ilie Nastase, Steffi Graf, Chris Evert, Martina Navratilova, Anne Hobbs, Jimmy Connors. Each sheet at £10/$15;
082: "Paraguay" stamp showing action shot of Heinz Gunthardt £5/$8;
083: "British Racket Sports" 4 stamps showing tennis, table tennis, squash, and badminton, issued in 1977 £5/$8.

SPECIAL FRANKED AND STAMPED ENVELOPES: Each of these special envelopes is offered at £10/$15
084: "British Racket Sports" 4 stamps as in 083 above franked 12 Jan 1977;
085: "Hopman Cup 2004" showing Amelie Mauresmo and Fabrice Santero for France;
086: "Davis Cup final Australia v France" franked 30 Nov 2001;
087: "Lleyton Hewitt Wimbledon 2002 Champion" franked 8 Jul 2002;
088: "Olympic Sports" stamps showing 5 sports including tennis franked 17 August 2000;
089: "Australian Open 2003" showing Martina Navratilova franked 26 Jan 2003;
090: "Australian National Tennis Centre" franked 11 Jan 1988;
091: "Australian Legends" with 4 stamps for Margaret Court and Rod Laver franked 24 January 2003;
092: "Hopman Cup 2003" showing Serena Williams and James Blake for the USA franked 4 Jan 2003;
093: "Wimbledon Mens Single Final 2003" showing Roger Federer franked 6 Jul 2003;
094: "Wimbledon Gentlemens Champion 2003" showing Roger Federer franked 6th July 2003;
095: "Wimbledon Womens Single Final 2003" showing Serena Williams franked 5 Jul 2003;
096: "Australian Open 2002" showing Tim Henman franked 21 Jan 2002;
097: "Hapoel Games 1979" (Israel) with 3 stamps of which one shows tennis franked 23-4-79;
098: "Lleyton Hewitt 2001 Year End World #1" showing Hewitt wrapped in Australian flag franked 19 Nov 2001;
099: "Australian Open 2003" showing James Black franked 20 Jan 2003;
100: "Australian Open 2003" showing Lleyton Hewitt franked 20 Jan 2003.

PRINTED EPHEMERA:
101: "Martina Navratilova" Czech stadion player card £5/$8;
102: "Eleanor Tennant" in period costume for Paramount Picture "Emperor Waltz" showing her full length on tennis court £10/$15;
103: "John McEnroe and Fred Perry" in the Wimbledon changing room, colour photo of McEnroe putting on his All England Club tie approx 1981 £10/$15;
104: "Davis Cup Programme" Great Britain vs Czechoslovakia 14/17 May 1949 at Wimbledon £15/$25;
105: "International Professional Indoor Lawn Tennis" programme USA vs Australia 26/29 September 1956 at Empire Pool, Wembley (Gonzales, Mottram, Sedgman, Segura, Trabert etc.) £10/$15;
106: "International Professional Indoor Lawn Tennis" programme Empire Pool, Wembley 22/27 September 1958 (Gonzales, Hoad, Kramer, Rosewall, Segura, Sedgman etc.) £15/$25;
107: "Wightman Cup" programmes 11/12 June 1948 (du Pont, Brough, Todd, Hart etc.), 13/14 June 1952 (Hart, Connolly, Fry, Brough, etc.), 16/17 June 1972 (Evert, Wade, Hogan, etc.) each £10/$15;
108: "Foster's Beer Mug mats", 5 perfect examples each showing Martina Navratilova, Boris Becker, John McEnroe, Chris Evert-Lloyd, Jimmy Connors, the set of 5 for £25/$40.
109: Match cards for 2 matches between the International Club (GB) and the IC of France 1954 & 1955; and one match between London and Paris 1955, all at The Queen's Club, each at £10/$15;
110: Ogden's Tobacco Card showing "W. Baddeley" in the Guinea Gold photographic series c1900" at £15/$25;
111: "Wimbledon journalist passes" for 1949, 1950, 1951, each at £10/$15;
112: "Martina Navratilova" six different player cards of her at £30/$35

WIMBLEDON PROGRAMMES: These programmes are complete, some with results neatly hand-written; a little worn.
113: 26th June 1933; 114: 29th June 1935; 115: 22nd June 1936; 116: 29th June 1939. Each at £35/$60
117: 4th July 1925; Men's Final day on which Lacoste beats Borotra by 3 sets to 1. This is an early edition in very nice condition. £125/$220

SOME RECENT ACQUISITIONS
118: "Anna Kournikova" by Amanda Mawrence; 2001; 48 pages in large magazine format. Profusely illustrated, this is a fan orientated book on a player who has a huge following but who does not seem able to produce the goods, at least on court! £15/$25
119: "Bad Boy of Tennis (The)" by Bob Hewitt and Rory Brown; 1974; 139 pp in hardboards & dustwrapper. Only occasionally available from South Africa, this is the story of one of the best doubles players of the last 50 years. He was also quite a volatile man, especially afterwards in the changing room! This copy is ex-lib but otherwise quite a good copy of a rare title. £25/$40
120: "Legende des mousquetaires (La)" by Gilles Lambert; 1982; 222 pages in paperback. Written in French, this is a good study of those four great French tennis players, Borotra, Brugnon, Cochet, and Lacoste, how they dominated both French and world tennis in the 1920's culminating in exceptional Davis Cup matches against the USA. They accounted for six Wimbledon singles titles in the 1920's and French domination of the tennis world was completed by the incomparable Suzanne Lenglen who took the Wimbledon singles title six times. £20/$35
121: "Lowe's Lawn Tennis Annual and Compendium 1933" edited by Sir F. Gordon Lowe; 546 pp in hardboards. I have always much admired this short run of tennis annuals, most of all for the "Who's Who in Tennis" section, as it usually gave the players' home phone numbers! Can you imagine that today? This copy is, as is often the case, missing the spine covering. £35/$60
122: "Martina Navratilova: The tennis star who chose freedom" by Edward Dolan etc.; 1977; 81 pp in hard pictorial boards. I believe this is the earliest book on Martina (who returns once more to Eastbourne this year). This rare book shows a somewhat chubby young lady, or is that MN heresy? I will be told in due course. This copy is ex-lib and published solely for the USA university library circuit, i.e. not for public sale. £40/$70
123: "Tennis Shoes" by Noel Streatfield; 1st American edition of 1938; 290 pp. This is the first time I have had a copy of the first American edition of this most charming of English tennis stories. It describes the summer holidays of a typical suburban English family and their association with the local tennis club. This edition is illustrated by Richard Floethe, in a style quite different from the UK edition, which was illustrated by D.L. Mays. Externally, both (darkened) boards are nicely decorated with crossed tennis rackets tied with the laces of tennis shoes. £150/$250
124: "Tennis Sourcebook (The)" by Dennis J Phillips; 1995; 530 pp in hardboards. This is an amazing book and a must for all collectors of tennis books as it lists 1000's of literary sources for articles and books on or about tennis in all its many facets. £50/$80
125: "Wer War der Grosste Tennisspieler Aller Zeiten" by Dr. F.W. Esser; German edition of c1950; 62 pp in paperback. This book seems to be a small print run privately published through the Cologne Tennis and Hockey Club. It reviews some of the great players of earlier times such as the Doherty's, Tilden, Lenglen, and Wills, comparing them with some of the great German players. Mostly it is a study of German tennis. £40/$70

WORLD OF TENNIS ANNUALS: I continue to lament the passing of the only global tennis annual, following the demise of World of Tennis after the 2001 edition. It seems astonishing that no other person or organisation has stepped in to fill the gap. Here is a good series of editions (mostly 1 of each only) offered at £10/$18 each, £16/$28 for 2, £21/$37for 3, £25/$43 for 4, £30/$50 for 5
126: In soft covers: 1971, 73, 74, 75, 76, 77, 78, 79, 80, 82, 83, 84, 85, 86, 87, 88, 89, 91, 93, 94, 95, 96, 97, 98, 99
127: In hard boards: 1971, 1973, 1978, 1979, 1980, 1982, 1983

ROBERT LARIMORE RIGGS (triple Wimbledon champion 1939) born 25 Feb 1918, died 25 Oct 1995
Much has been written about the rather volatile and eccentric Riggs, who was one of the great tennis showmen. Triple event winner at Wimbledon in 1939, he was one of those players who missed his prime tennis time because of the interruption of the 2nd World War. Some say that Wilding would have won every Wimbledon from 1915 to 1918, similarly with Riggs from 1940 to 1945. It's all speculative of course but it makes a fascinating debating subject. There are three books on Riggs' life, the last of which has just been published. He took the opportunity of launching a second biography after the "Tennis Love" matches, but this new study makes a very good read.
128: "Last Sure Thing (The): The Life & Times of Bobby Riggs" by Tom LeCompte; 2003; 471 pp in hardboards and dustwrapper. Joe Stahl (critic and Anglophilic journalist) was rather grumpy about this new book, but I liked it and I think that students of tennis in the 1930's will find it a good buy. After life as a touring pro, Riggs did rather lose the plot however, as the sections on the Court/King matches show. £25/$40
129: "Tennis Is My Racket" by Bobby Riggs; 1st USA edition of 1950; 144 pp in hardboards (no dustwrapper). This is his own version of the story written while still a touring professional. It is also an appreciation of the other top players of the day, but written from the point of view of a man who somehow thinks he is good enough to beat them all. His achievement record is very strong. This copy is signed "Bobby Riggs 1995". £40/$70
130: "Court Hustler" by Bobby Riggs with George McGann; 1st USA edition of 1973; 203 pp in hardboards and dustwrapper. This is to some extent a reworking of "Tennis Is My Racket"; it covers the notorious Love Matches against Margaret Court, whom he beat, much to the fury of the women players, and Billie Jean King, who beat him. There is also much coaching content. This copy is dedicated and signed by Riggs in 1995. £60/$100

SOME EDITIONS SIGNED BY THE AUTHORS
131: "Off The Court" by Arthur Ashe with Neil Amdur; 1st USA edition of 1981; 230 pp in hardboards and dustwrapper. I consider this to be the best of the very many Ashe titles written with one of the best USA sports writers. Ashe was and remains a much admired USA athlete whose contribution to the progress of tennis in the USA and elsewhere in the world cannot be estimated. He had an excellent Davis Cup record. This copy is signed "Arthur Ashe" on the title page. His signature has become rare and desirable. (I have just bought an Ashe hand-written letter) £125/$210
132 "Tennis for Teenagers" by Pauline Betz Addie; 2nd printing of 1966; 120 pp in paperback with ring binding. This is a routine coaching manual issued in cooperation with the USLTA. It is profusely illustrated with black and white photos, many of herself in action, and the front page is signed "Pauline Betz Addie". She was Wimbledon champion in 1946, and lives in Washington, where she enjoys playing bridge. £50/$90
133: "Weltmacht Tennis" by Roderich Menzel; 1st German edition of 1951; 438 pp in large 8vo format in somewhat frayed but quite rare dustwrapper. This is a major history of tennis in Germany, recounting the triumphs of some of the great names of German tennis including Aussem, Froitzheim, von Cramm, and Henkel. Menzel, himself a very good player, reviews the other leading players of the world including Vines, Wood etc, talks about the major events, and then lays out in some detail his coaching advice. This copy is accompanied by a white card signed "Roderich Menzel". The book is illustrated with lovely pencil drawn vignettes. £75/$130
134: "You Cannot Be Serious" by John McEnroe with James Kaplan; 1st USA edition of 2002; 342 pp in hardboards and dustwrapper. This is the USA title of "Serious" and this copy is dedicated and signed: "To John, God Bless you. Hope u enjoy! John McEnroe". Having seen so many of his signatures, this is just about as good as his hand-writing gets! £60/$100

135: "Wimbledon Championship Souvenir 1931"; 50 pages in magazine format. Edited by Arthur Wallis Myers, and with memorable contributions from such eminent writers as Rebecca West and Beverly Nichols, this was a one-off publication, designed as a lasting memory of the 1931 Fortnight. It is adorned with glamour photographs of some of the top British players and a spectacular aerial photo of the grounds, which have a distinctly rural look about them. The advertisements are of a most luxurious lifestyle. This is quite a rare Wimbledon item. £50/$90

136: "Wimbledon Annual 1983" by John Parsons; 160 pp. This is the elusive first edition of the Wimbledon Annual, now in its 21st edition. It is some time since I have had one of these in stock. The initial print run was not as big as current editions; this is a very hard book to find. £175/$300

TENNIS POSTCARDS: I have heard that a large collection of original tennis postcards may be available for purchase. The collection consists of about 1000 postcards, and these cover tennis in a comprehensive manner. They include views of courts and clubs, glamour and humour cards, as well as Trim player cards. I know no more yet but would be interested in hearing from any clients who might wish to express an interest in them.

137: "Ping-Pong: The Game, Its Tactics and Laws" by Cornelius G. Schaad; 1st USA paperback edition of 1931; 96 pages. With an introduction by William T. Tilden 2nd and Francis T. Hunter, this is a splendid piece of 1930's table tennis coaching literature. This little book is illustrated with black and white photographs of various methods of racket grips and top players demonstrating their shots. £35/$60

PAPERBACK TENNIS NOVELS: The four following paperbacks are based, in varying degrees, on tennis. Each at £5/$8
138: "The Cavalier Case" by Antonia Fraser; 1992; 139: "The Deception" by Barry Reed; 1997;
140: "Play by Play" by Collis Barker; 1978; 141: "The Tennis Murders" by Timothy Welch; 1976.

142: "The Total Zone"; this is the first of the Martina Navratilova trilogy of tennis murder mysteries co-written with Liz Nickles. The heroine is Jordan Myles who investigates the disappearance of young tennis star Audrey Armat. I did not know until recently that this book had been put onto audio cassette, and here it is on four tapes in unabridged format as read by Laural Merlington. It gives ten hours of listening. £15/$25

143: "Old Maids, The Favourite Game". This is a lovely bit of tennis memorabilia from c1910. It consists of six sets of playing cards, each set of six cards depicting a sport being played. The six sports are Tennis, Footballing, Golfing, Fishing, Cricketing, and Cycling. Each card is highly coloured and each shows a member of the family, Grandfather, Grandmother, Father, Mother, Son, and Daughter. The figures are amusing vignettes. The box comes with the original rules of play, the purpose of which is to accumulate complete sets of each sport, without picking up the rogue "Old Maid" card. The entire set is in beautiful condition presented in its original box. £75/$130

144: CERAMIC PLATE FOR THE FEDERATION CUP JULY 21-28 1991: I staged one of my earliest exhibitions at the new tennis centre at Nottingham when the Fed Cup was played that week. It was a lovely week with huge crowds and the week was opened by HRH The Princess of Wales. This item is a ceramic hand-painted Denby plate, measuring 26cm across. It shows the cup, two rackets, a ball surrounded by garlands of flowers. It is mainly grey coloured and gives a rather rural air. I have not seen one of these attractive plates previously. £50/$90

TENNIS POSTERS: I have sold quite a lot of tennis posters on the internet recently. Here is a short selection, one example of each.
145: "Pete Sampras serving"; full length action shot of Pete serving. The poster measures 58cm x 89cm. £10/$18
146: "Calendar Girl 1980". This is the iconic and rather rude (!) colour picture of a girl in tennis kit walking away from you (full length) and she has just lifted the back of her short tennis dress revealing what little she is wearing under her dress. It is strangely erotic! £40/$70
147: "The Championships Wimbledon" editions for 1998, 1999, 2002, each measuring approx 50cm x 70cm, each at £15/$25
148: "Real Tennis." The World Championship 2000 in Hobart, Robert Fahey defends against Chris Bray and Wayne Davies. 39cm x 59cm £30/$50
149: "Jana Novotna" 1998 Wimbledon Champion Singles and Doubles; 4 delightful views of the lovely Jana. 48cm x 66cm. £15/$25
150: "Amelie Mauresmo", a Dunlop poster showing Amelie on her knees in triumphant mood! An expressive picture! 42cm x 59cm £20/$35
151: "Bjorn Borg"; a three view poster of BB showing him in the mid 1970's, executed in a futuristic style with Borg playing a double-handed backhand, and on each side a head profile with long blonde hair. This large, dramatic poster is in landscape format. 62cm x 92cm. £20/$35
152: "Andre Agassi Rules"; a large full-length view of AA finishing off a double-handed backhand. This is Nike poster. 59cm x 87cm. £10/$15
153: "Anna Kournikova"; three-quarter length view of a young AK in tennis clothes, racket in hand, pensive look on face. 61cm x 86cm. £10/$15
154: "Andre Agassi"; a full-length view of the Agassi backhand, AA off the ground; background shows many views of him. 59cm x 88cm. £10/$15
155: "Roland Garros" French Open posters for 1994, 1995, 1996, 1997, 2000. These are highly decorative, each year being designed by modern artists. Each has a tennis theme, and the design for each year is used on all tickets, posters, programmes etc. Approx 76cm x 57cm. Each at £30/$50
156: "Tennis Girl Calendar 1948". This is a large (38cm x 50cm) highly colourful picture of a pretty girl in tennis clothes carrying racket and ball, in a delightful garden setting. The 12 months of the year sheets are present. This item will look lovely framed and glazed hanging on a wall. £45/$75

WHO DOES NOT WANT TO BE A MILLIONAIRE? Newsletter 54 contained a true story about a celebrity edition of the TV quiz programme here in the UK. It has happened again! Two contestants were on £8000 going for £16000. The question was "which female tennis star had just won her 46th grand slam title?" Options were Billie Jean King, Martina Navratilova, Chris Evert, and Evonne Cawley. So no pressure there, or so you would have thought, but of course you are a tennis fan, so for you the answer is easy and blindingly obvious. The contestants' reasoning went like this: it cant be Billie Jean King as she is too old, as is Chris Evert, both of whom they guessed correctly had retired years ago. OK so far. It could be Martina, but then who on earth is Evonne Cawley? Neither contestant had ever heard of Evonne Cawley, so they reasoned that this was a trick question, and they went for Cawley. And they promptly dropped £7000! Now there's a surprise.

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