Tennis Collectables

Real Tennis & Other Racket Sports, And Croquet Books

This section has been subdivided into the following categories - Real Tennis (also known as Royal Tennis and Court Tennis), Fives, Rackets & Squash Rackets, Table Tennis, and Croquet. The books are listed in alphabetic order of title within each category.

All books are British hardback editions without dustwrapper (D/W) unless otherwise stated. A description of the condition of each book is given using the following terms/abbreviations:
Mint - as new; VG - very good condition; Good - obviously used but complete with no major faults; Ex library - from a public or school library and may contain the occasional stamp or label but in many cases this is the only indication.

As stock is continually changing please email Tennis Collectables with a list of the item(s) you are interested in, and which country you are based in. We will then get back to you with details of postage costs. All prices include postage within the UK; overseas customers will be charged postage – it costs around $6 to send an average hardback book by Priority Airmail to the USA. We can accept payment by PayPal, Sterling cheques and Postal Orders, and International Money Orders in sterling.

REAL TENNIS
A HISTORY OF ROYAL TENNIS IN AUSTRALIA – MICHAEL P GARNETT. Historical Publications; 1983 1^st Australian Edition; 224 pages. Comprehensive history of real tennis in Australia. Illustrated by colour and b&w photos and line drawings.
VG in VG D/W £45.00 (approx $76.50) SOLD OUT

ANNALS OF TENNIS - JULIAN MARSHALL. The Field/Racquet Sports Information; 1973 US Facsimile Reprint Edition; 226 pages. An essential book for the Real Tennis collector. This edition is a facsimile of the 1878 edition. The book covers Tennis Abroad, Tennis in England, The Court and Implements, The Laws and their History, and a coaching chapter entitled The Game. Attractively bound in green cloth with gilt and black decoration to front board and spine.
VG £100.00 (approx $170.00)

ART OF THE TENNIS-RACKET-MAKER AND OF TENNIS - M DE GARSAULT. Racket Sports Information Service; 1977 US Second Edition; 45 pages plus plates. An English translation of the classic French work originally published in 1767. At the time of publication this book contained the most detailed descriptions available of every aspect of the game.
Mint in Mint slip-case This is copy 679 from a limited edition of 750. £90.00 (approx $153.00)

A SUMMER OF CELEBRATION: OXFORD UNIVERSITY CELEBRATES. Oxford University; 1995 1^st Softcover Edition; 44 pages. Magazine format book celebrating 400 years of Real Tennis, 150 years of Cricket, and 100 years of  Transatlantic Athletics at Oxford University. Includes 1 page articles on Real Tennis by Jeremy Potter, and Ham Richardson on Tennis at Oxford in the 1950s, plus lots of articles on sport at Oxford.
VG £7.50 (approx $12.75)


BADMINTON LIBRARY - SEE 'TENNIS, LAWN TENNIS, RACKETS, FIVES - BADMINTON LIBRARY OF SPORTS & PASTIMES' WITHIN THIS SECTION

HAMPTON COURT PALACE – MATTHEW STURGIS. Channel 4 Books; 1998 2^nd Printing; 192 pages. A behind-the-scenes look at Hampton Court Palace capturing the incredible history of this remarkable building. Includes a 6 page section on Real Tennis at Hampton Court.
VG in edgeworn D/W £15.00 (approx $25.50)

MANCHESTER TENNIS AND RACQUET CLUB 1876-1980: AN ILLUSTRATED HISTORY. Manchester Tennis & Racquet Club; ?1980 1^st Edition; 97 pages. A comprehensive history of the Manchester Club founded in Salford in 1876 - looks at the founding of the club, the champions, off-court activities, management of the club, the professionals. Lavishly illustrated throughout.
VG but covers lightly marked/faded £45.00 (approx $76.50) SOLD OUT


MORE THAN A YARD WORSE… - JONATHAN HOWELL. Ronaldson Publications; 1995 1^st Edition; 173 pages. Autobiography of Jonathan Howell who took up his first post as a real tennis professional in 1978 and has built up the clubs in Moreton Morrell, Bordeaux and The Oratory. The book is a lively and amusing account of his own career, the characters he has encountered, the courts he has played on, the tournaments he has entered, and the clubs where he has worked. Former World Champions (Howard Angus, Chris Ronaldson, Wayne Davies, Penny Lumley, Sally Jones, Rob Fahey and Amateur Champion Julian Snow) offer their own stories and insights into the game of Real Tennis. Photographs throughout the book.
Near Mint in Near Mint DJ £40.00 (approx $68.00) SOLD OUT


RACQUET & TENNIS CLUB BOOK. Racquet & Tennis Club; 1973 1^st US Edition; 160 pages. These Club Books are published by the Racquet & Tennis Club, 370 Park Avenue, New York. They Contain Certificate of Incorporation; Officers, Committees & Managers; List of Members; By-Laws and Rules; Roll of Officers & Managers; Winners at Games
VG (minor marks to front cover) £15.00 (approx $25.50)


RACQUET GAME - ALLISON DANZIG. Macmillan; 1930 1st US Edition; 283 pages. A history of the sports of court tennis, racquets and squash racquets in the USA. Gives details of the origins of the games together with profiles of the leading players.
An ex library copy which has lightly rubbed boards, bumped corners and spine worn at top and bottom. The brown cloth is decorated in gilt with library number on spine in white. Internally the hinges have been strengthened and ticket holder removed. All plates are present although the fold-out photo has some small tears. A scarce book. £80.00 (approx $136.00) SOLD OUT

RACQUETS, TENNIS AND SQUASH - EUSTACE MILES. Appleton; 1903 1^st US Edition; 336 pages. An early book looking at the forerunners of the game we now know as Lawn Tennis. 54 photos.
VG with bright lettering to front board and spine. Boards and spine are lightly marked. Otherwise a very nice copy. £225.00 (approx $612.00)


REAL TENNIS IN CAMBRIDGE: THE FIRST SIX HUNDRED TEARS – ROGER MORGAN. CURTC; 2001 1^st Softcover Edition; 60 pages. Large format book chronicling the history of real tennis in Cambridge. Many illustrations and photographs.
Mint £40.00 (approx $68.00) SOLD OUT

ROYAL AND ANCIENT GAME OF TENNIS - LORD ABERDARE. Wimbledon Museum; 1977 Softcover 1st Edition; 28 pages. A scarce booklet outlining the origins of real tennis, written by the renowned expert Lord Aberdare. Illustrated by drawings and photos of courts and equipment.
VG £20.00 (approx $34.00) SOLD OUT

RULES AND PRINCIPLES OF TENNIS - PIERRE BARCELLON. Ronaldson Pubs; 1987 Edition; 47 pages. A first English translation by Richard Hamilton of the 1800 text ‘Regles et Principes de Paume’. This is a manual of tennis with practical advice on all aspects of the game, much of it relevant today.
Near Mint in lightly worn D/W £20.00 (approx $34.00)


TENNIS AND OXFORD – JEREMY POTTER. Oxford Unicorn Press; 1994 1^st Edition; 152 pages. A history of real tennis in Oxford since 1450, set in the wider context of a general history of the game. 8 pages of photos plus many illustrations throughout the text.
Near Mint in lightly edgeworn D/W (long gift inscription to half title page) £40.00


TENNIS, LAWN TENNIS, RACKETS, FIVES - BADMINTON LIBRARY OF SPORTS & PASTIMES. Longman's Green & Co; 1890 1^st Edition; 484 pages. An early classic book on 4 racket sports. The section on Tennis covers the Origins and Early Development of the game, Laws of Tennis, Introductory Coaching, and Records of Matches and Memoirs of Eminent Players. The section on Lawn Tennis covers the Origins of the Game, the First Tournament, Development of Lawn Tennis, the Court and Equipment, Introductory Coaching, Tactics, a Reminiscence of 15 years of Lawn Tennis by Spencer Gore, Ladies Lawn Tennis by Lottie Dod, Lawn Tennis in America, and Handicapping and Management of Tournaments. The section on Rackets covers the origin of Rackets, Professional Players, Amateurs, and Practical Instruction. The short section on Fives covers the history of the game and includes some introductory coaching. B&W plates and illustrations throughout the book.
Standard edition in brown boards with black white and gilt decorations to spine and front board. This copy is in VG condition with minor edgewear to the boards and ends of spine. Internally binding beginning to weaken. £125.00 (approx $215.00)    SOLD OUT


TENNIS, LAWN TENNIS, RACKETS, FIVES - BADMINTON LIBRARY OF SPORTS & PASTIMES. 1987 reissue of the 1903 edition. This is one of the early classic books on tennis which describes the origins and early development of the game together with introductory coaching. Contributions from Lottie Dod, Wilberforce, Lawford, Gore, Sear and Chipp. 491 pages.
Near Mint £15.00 (approx $25.50)


TENNIS ORIGINS AND MYSTERIES - MALCOLM D WHITMAN. Singing Tree; 1968 US Facsimile Edition; 258 pages. This is a facsimile edition of the famous classic text on the history of the game of Real Tennis with two chapters detailing the origins of Lawn Tennis. There is a historical bibliography by Robert Henderson which is described as 'a chronological list of references to the games Court Tennis and Lawn Tennis' - this is a substantial and important part of the book, occupying 93 pages.
VG - very minor marks to front cover £200.00 (approx $340.00)

TENNIS: THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE EUROPEAN BALL GAME – ROGER MORGAN. Ronaldson Publications; 1995 1^st Edition; 259 pages. An authoritative book on the early history of tennis and how it has developed in different ways in different countries. Looks at Tudor Tennis, The Development of the Game, Other Games of Tennis, Origins of the Real Tennis Court, Early Tennis Courts, Scoring Betting & Cheating, Tennis & Billiards, Tennis in England, and the European Ball Game. Many historical illustrations throughout the book.
Near Mint in very lightly edgeworn D/W (tiny tear at top of spine of D/W, small gift inscription) £45.00 (approx $76.50) SOLD OUT


WILLIS FABER BOOK OF TENNIS & RACKETS - LORD ABERDARE. Stanley Paul; 1980 1^st Edition limited to 3000 copies; 368 pages. The complete story of Tennis and Rackets covering the development of the games. There are details, with brief history, of every tennis and rackets club in Britain, USA, Canada, Australia and France. A statistical section lists the winners of the main events in both games since records began. Illustrated throughout by numerous b&w and 4 pages of colour photos.
VG in lightly edgeworn D/W (gift inscription on front endpaper) £100.00 (approx $170.00)
Ex library copy in Good condition with front endpaper removed and 1 inkstamp on title page; hinges have been repaired. Jacket is edgeworn £27.50 (approx $46.75)


WILLIS FABER BOOK OF TENNIS & RACKETS - LORD ABERDARE. Quiller Press; 1998 FACSIMILE Edition; 368 pages. The complete story of Tennis and Rackets covering the development of the games. There are details, with brief history, of every tennis and rackets club in Britain, USA, Canada, Australia and France. A statistical section lists the winners of the main events in both games since records began. Illustrated throughout by numerous b&w and 4 pages of colour photos.
VG in D/W which has small tears and minor creasing to lower edge £65.00 (approx $110.50)