Wilfrid M. de Freitas - Bookseller

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Welcome (or welcome back) to our Tennis List!

Generally speaking, we try to offer older material on the assumption that the newer books are often easily obtainable elsewhere. Occasionally, we will include something from the 70s or later, if it appears that the initial distribution was limited, or that the copy is in some way exceptional. We will periodically update this page, adding new items of all sorts ... so keep an eye on the list!

Tennis book shelf

We have a selection of photos of some of the books and ephemera in our stock, linked from their descriptions. You may either view them item by item as you look through the list below, or browse through the images in our Tennis and Racket Sports Image Gallery.

Red dotGeneral Racket Sports
Red dotLawn Tennis
White dotEphemera
Red dotReal Tennis
Red dotSquash Rackets
Red dotBadminton
Red dotTable Tennis

Tennis Cigarette Cards

Red dotGeneral Racket SportsRed dot

Large-Paper Badminton Library
One of 250 copies

A-412
Heathcote, J.M., Heathcote, C.G., Bouverie, E.O.P., and Ainger, A.C. Tennis, Lawn Tennis, Rackets [and] Fives. London: Longmans, Green, 1890. [First edition]. Badminton Library of Sports and Pastimes. #120 of 250 copies of the deluxe large paper quarto edition. 3/4 midnight blue leather and mustard buckram, with the Beaufort coat of arms in gilt on front cover; light overall soiling with spot and smudge on front cover; new spine backstrip with gilt lettering. Armorial bookplate on pastedown; front inner hinge cracked but tight; top edges gilt. Contents clean and fresh; small [private library?] label on rear pastedown. A very good copy.
$150
A-415
Heathcote, J.M., Heathcote, C.G., Bouverie, E.O.P., and Ainger, A.C. Tennis, Lawn Tennis, Rackets [and] Fives. London: Longmans, Green, 1890. [First edition]. Badminton Library of Sports and Pastimes. Original Badminton Library pictorial brown cloth, a bit worn at corners and spine ends, and lightly rubbed at joints; spine somewhat dulled, but lettering and gilt still clear and sharp. Front hinge split but still tight, rear cracked; bookplate and neat gift inscription on front endpaper; lacking plate at p.132, contents otherwise clean and tight. A very good copy.
$60
A-416
Heathcote, J.M., Heathcote, C.G., Bouverie, E.O.P., and Ainger, A.C. Tennis, Lawn Tennis, Rackets [and] Fives. London: Longmans, Green, 1903. New edition. Badminton Library of Sports and Pastimes. Deluxe edition in original 3/4 midnight blue leather and mustard buckram, with the Beaufort coat of arms in gilt on front cover. Expert restoration to head of spine. Engraved (American) bookplate on pastedown; inner hinges perfect; contents fresh and clean, and mostly unopened. Near fine.
$125
A-417
Heathcote, J.M., Heathcote, C.G., Bouverie, E.O.P., and Ainger, A.C. Tennis, Lawn Tennis, Rackets [and] Fives. Southampton [UK]: Ashford Press, 1987. New edition, revised by G.E.H. Ross and Herbert Chipp. "With numerous illustrations" and introductory note, dated June 1985, by the 11th Duke of Beaufort, descendant of the 8th Duke who co-founded the original Badminton Library. A facsimile of the 1903 edition, this time in red cloth lettered and stamped (Beaufort arms) in gilt. A fine, bright copy.
$35

Red dotLawn TennisRed dot

A-592
Applewhaite, Major R.H. Play the Game: Lawn Tennis. London: Educational Productions, 1956. First edition. "Published in collaboration with the Dunlop Sports Company Ltd." Well illustrated with instructional drawings (some b/w, some with courts coloured green). A fine copy in original light yellow boards; in striking pictorial dust jacket a tad rubbed and worn at corners and spine ends with minor loss at foot
$25

A-421
Austin, "Bunny" (Henry Wilfred). Lawn Tennis Made Easy By the Austin-Caulfield System. New York: Macmillan, 1935. First U.S. edition. Original green-lettered, variant smooth grey cloth (also issued in fine-grained cloth), with faint ghosting of dust jacket fault to front cover. Peach-coloured dust jacket (bright orange inside) printed and photographically decorated in green, unfortunately, lacks a large (3" x 1") piece at front and is edgeworn, also lacking small pieces at top rear and spine ends; with some creasing to front panel as well; faded on spine, but printing still dark. A near fine copy in good dust jacket.
$25
A-422
Austin, "Bunny" (Henry Wilfred). Lawn Tennis Made Easy By the Austin-Caulfield System. London: Methuen, 1935. Second edition. Green-lettered white cloth soiled on covers, and browned and marked on spine; 2/3 of rear joint split and neatly re-glued; spine ends worn. Apart from occasional minor foxing, internally fine. Overall a good copy.
$10
A-424
Beasley, Mercer. How to Play Tennis: The Beasley System of Tennis Instruction. Garden City, New York: Doubleday, Doran, 1934. 3rd revised edition. "In collaboration with Milton Holmes." Illustrated with diagrams and action photographs. Black cloth, lettered in green, now a bit rubbed and slightly worn at corners and spine ends. Contents clean and tight. Very good.
$10
A-426
Burrow, F.R. The Centre Court and Others. London: Eyre and Spottiswoode, 1937. First edition. "Being a chronicle of the principal events of the last fifty years (1886-1936) of the lawn tennis championships at Wimbledon ..." With a dozen illustrations (drawings, photos, signatures, etc.) relating to the author and the Wimbledon players. Bright green cloth lettered in gilt on spine; severely and unevenly faded, and lightly soiled overall, gilt spine lettering still surprisingly bright; tiny white marks to front fore edge. Ink ownership name and number on front endpaper; contents tight and clean. A good, sound copy.
$40
A-428
Burrow, F.R. Lawn Tennis: The World-Game of Today. London: Hodder and Stoughton, [n.d., 1922]. [First edition]. Spectacularly decorated (crossed rackets and winner's wreath in gilt with four white balls) and gilt-lettered rich forest-green cloth a trifle rubbed at lower front corner and near top of spine; spine ends creased. Review slip laid in. Institutional library ink stamp with small white label at lower corner of front endpaper and oval stamp on title page; no other library markings. Profusely illustrated with action and instructional photographs. A near fine copy of, in our opinion, the most attractive lawn tennis book.
$175
A-429
[----- Another copy]. This one also bright and sharp; lightly rubbed along joints and edges, with minor wear at spine ends and corners; with almost imperceptible 1" shadow (from old label?) across base of spine. Front endpaper unevenly toned, with faint evidence of label removal; rust marks, from square paper clip on half title, affecting endpaper through recto of frontispiece; oval dampstain at hinge of rear endpaper (no other pages affected); text clean and tight. A near fine copy.
$125
A-430
Burrow, F.R. Lawn Tennis: The World-Game of Today. London: Hodder and Stoughton, [n.d., ca.1922]. Possibly a remainder binding, or later issue. Publisher's light apple-green cloth (lettered in black) now sunned to yellowish-green, unevenly so on rear; some spotting, with dark streak across title on spine; spine ends creased, and a bit worn at lower joints; 2" repair to upper rear joint. Endpapers a bit age-toned; rear hinge partly cracked but strong; light foxing, plates faintly cockled at lower edge; last page unopened. A good copy.
$50
A-435
Clerici, Gianni. The Ultimate Tennis Book. Chicago: Follett Publishing Company, 1975. First US (and first English language) edition. Cover subtitle: "500 Years of the Sport." Translated by Richard J. Wiezell. "With 1,200 black and white illustrations and forty color plates." A spectacular 300+ page folio book, presenting the entire history of tennis from its early roots to the modern game; first published in Italy in 1974 as 500 Anni di Tennis. In original publisher's shrink-wrap, with remnants of price label removed at upper front. Original black lettered orange cloth; with full colour pictorial (American champions of the 70s, and tennis art) dust jacket. Book and dust jacket are fine, bright and crisp.
$50
A-440
Dewhurst, Evelyn. Lawn Tennis Guaranteed: How to Teach and Play It. London: Sir Isaac Pitman & Sons, 1939. [First edition]. Illustrated with action photographs of champions, each accompanied with how-to sketches or photo-series. A very good copy in original green cloth lettered in white, sunned to dull green on back cover and spine; corners and spine ends slightly rubbed.
$10
A-594
Doherty, R.F. and H.L. R.F. & H.L. Doherty on Lawn Tennis. London: 'Lawn Tennis', 1903. [First edition]. Illustrated with photographic plates of champions and strokes, as well as original photographs of the authors and dedicatee. Publisher's blueish-grey cloth lettered in white, a bit dusty, especially on spine, lettering still nice and bright; rubbing to extremities, especially the lower edge and rear joint. Bookplate; neat pencilled name and date (Oct 1903) on front free endpaper; light foxing throughout, especially endpapers and adjacent leaves. Near fine.
$225
A-442
[----- Another copy]. This copy's blueish-grey cloth lettered in white, now heavily soiled at margins of front cover and on spine, though lettering still clear; corners and spine ends creased and worn; light bubbling to rear panel. Internally lightly foxed; several pages dusty; text cracked at p.16, but strong; dedication page and plate 18 edgeworn. Very good.
$125
A-443
Doherty, R.F. & H.L. R.F. & H.L. Doherty on Lawn Tennis. New York: The Baker & Taylor Company, 1903. [First U.S. edition]. Striking original pictorial (player silhouette) gilt and dark green on dull green cloth, somewhat rubbed, and darkened at spine; joints and extremities a bit worn but gilt still sharp. Ink name on front end-paper; faint marginal dampstaining through p.132, p.73 soiled at margin, and some gatherings shaken. A few pages roughly opened; p.99/100 lacking 2" vee from blank margin (not affecting text). A good, yet still striking, copy.
$80
A-595
Doherty, R.F. & H.L. R.F. & H.L. Doherty on Lawn Tennis. London: 'Lawn Tennis and Badminton', 1932. "Reprinted" [i.e. second edition]. A completely different production from the first edition. Cream paper boards bordered in reddish-brown, matching spine cloth, and with b/w photopictorial onlay (The Dohertys - from the first edition frontispiece) on front cover, now evenly dusty overall; very minor rubbing to lower edge of boards. Edges and text block foxed; contents otherwise clean and tight. In our experience the second edition is scarcer than the first. A near fine copy.
$125
A-446
Godfree, Mrs. L.A. Lawn Tennis: How to Improve Your Game. London: Ward, Lock, [n.d., ca.1926]. "Illustrated by 33 action-photographs [of the author] and many diagrams." 6pp. publisher's catalogue followed by 8 pp. glossy tennis ads at rear. Grey-green cloth lettered and decorated (stylized wreath) in black; slightly sunned on spine, but overall bright and crisp; spine ends creased. Frontispiece severely soiled and creased at fore and lower edges; minor foxing; contents crisp and clean. A very good copy.
$20
A-582
Green, Geoffrey. Kitty Godfree: Lady of a Golden Age. London: Kingswood Press, 1987. First edition. Illustrated with several pages of photographs. Original gilt-lettered green boards; long ink gift inscription on front endpaper; small faint stain at bottom of pp. 94-95. Price-clipped photopictorial (Kitty portrait) green dust jacket, with just a hint of creasing at edges; faint mark at top front. A fine copy of this biography.
$25
A-447
Hardwick, Mary and Doust, Stanley. Lawn Tennis: How to Master the Strokes. London: W. Foulsham & Co., [n.d., 1938]. "Foulsham's Sports Library." Minimally "illustrated from action photographs" with in-text diagrams. Original black lettered and decorated (net and racket vignette) green card wrappers, now severely faded at margins and spine; spine and corners creased; evidence of dampstaining to lower spine, not affecting contents. Text much age-toned, yet clean and tight. Very good.
Based on the Fry and Doust's Lawn Tennis ..., but with new Part Two by Mary Hardwick, replacing the Joan Fry section, and with the addition of an appendix.
$10
A-448
Hardwick, Mary and Doust, S.N. Lawn Tennis: How to Master the Strokes. London: W. Foulsham & Co., Ltd,, [n.d. ca 1939]."Foulsham's Sports Library"; "Illustrated from Action Photographs". Original green pictorial (net and racket vignette) wrappers now severely faded, with dent and corresponding stain on front cover (dent also affecting the first few pages). Contents lightly foxed and age-toned; still nice and tight. A good reading copy.
$10
A-449
Hardwick, Mary and Doust, S.N. Lawn Tennis: How to Master the Strokes. London: W. Foulsham & Co., Ltd., [n.d. ca 1940s]."Foulsham's Sports Library"; "Illustrated from Action Photographs". Original plain green wrappers printed in black, nice and bright. Very minor foxing, contents clean and bright. Fine copy
$15
A-452
Hawk, Philip B. Off the Racket: Tennis Highlights and Lowdowns. New York: American Lawn Tennis, 1937. [First edition]. Introduction by S. Wallis Merrihew. Original royal blue cloth, lettered and decorated in gilt; spine a little darkened, with two tiny snags above title; spine ends a little rubbed. Contents clean and tight; original ink-stamped price on front endpaper. An entertaining account of the early players and championships, profusely illustrated with photographs and cartoons of same. A fine copy.
$65
Heathcote, J.M., Heathcote, C.G., Bouverie, E.O.P., and Ainger, A.C. Tennis, Lawn Tennis, Rackets [and] Fives.
A-455
Hierons, Charles. How to Learn Lawn Tennis: A Simple Instructive Treatise. London: Ward Lock & Co., [n.d., ca.1920]. With contributions by C.P. Dixon, J.C. Parke, A.E. Beamish [et al.]. "Illustrated from photographs." Original red cloth, lettered and decorated (crossed rackets and balls) in black; spine sunned, covers faded and soiled, especially on rear; corners and spine ends bumped and a touch worn. Fore edge and a few pages faintly foxed; contents clean and tight. Ads on endpapers and 8 pp. at rear. A very good copy.
$12
A-458
Hillyard, G.W. Forty Years of First-Class Lawn Tennis. London: Williams & Norgate, 1924. [First edition]. Well illustrated with photographs of many of the early male and female stars of tennis. Original grey-green cloth ruled in purple and green (AELTC colours) across top and bottom of spine and front cover, green lettering to front and gilt to spine both nice and sharp; rear cover a trifle spotted, spine ends lightly creased; un-cut fore and bottom edges. Hinges perfect, light foxing to first and last few pages; one or two leaves roughly opened, but not affecting text; contents otherwise clean, bright and tight. A fine copy of this early classic by the secretary of the AELTC.
$165
A-459
Hillyard, G.W. Forty Years of First-Class Lawn Tennis. London: Williams & Norgate; New York: American Lawn Tennis, 1924. First US edition. Original blue-black cloth ruled in green and blue, lettered in green on front and in now-dulled brown on darkened spine; corners and spine ends a little worn; covers a little marked. Errata slip inserted at p.249; illustrated with photographs of tennis notables and champions. A near fine copy.
$125

With an Extra Chapter on Hard Courts!

A-460
Hillyard, G.W. Forty Years of First-Class Lawn Tennis. London: Williams & Norgate, 1925. Cheap Popular [i.e.second UK] edition. "With an extra chapter on hard courts." A fine copy in grass green cloth lettered in black; corners a touch bumped, one slightly worn. Contents clean and tight. Illustrated with 24 photographic plates.
$95
A-463
Jacobs, Helen Hull. Gallery of Champions. London: Alvin Redman, 1951. First UK edition. Original gilt lettered black boards just a trifle rubbed at spine ends and corners, and small "ding" at top corner of front cover. Black and green pictorial (tennis match) dust jacket badly creased at edges near tears and lacking a few chips at spine ends and corners.Nicely illustrated with 28 action photographs; the author covers all the great lady champions with personal reminiscences and revealing behind the scenes happenings. Near fine.
$20
A-470
Lenglen, Suzanne. Lawn Tennis: The Game of Nations. London: Harrap, 1925. Second impression. Fine copy in original denim blue cloth, printed in black on spine and blind on front; edges ad a few margins a bit foxed. Ink ownership inscription inside front cover; private library stamps on front free endpaper and title page. Published in the same month as the first edition. Near fine.
$30
A-471
Lenglen, Suzanne. Lawn Tennis: The Game of Nations. New York: Dodd, Mead and Company, 1926. Second printing. "With Appendix containing the Amended Rules of the International Lawn Tennis Federation etc." Nice photographic illustrations of Mlle. Lenglen in action. Original pale green cloth, lettered and decorated (rackets) in dark green; covers lightly soiled, with a hint of sunning to spine; minor rubbing at spine corners. Small ink gift inscription on front end paper; prelims and title foxed; pages age-toned; contents otherwise clean and tight. Very good.
$20
A-596
Lerry, Ronald. Cradle of Lawn Tennis: The Story of Warwickshire and Its Clubs. Birmingham: Stanford & Mann, [1946]. Edition. "Written for the Warwickshire L.T.A. with a Foreword by P.H. Stone ..." Well illustrated with b/w historical photographs. Original gilt-lettered bright orange cloth, clean and bright; minor toning to endpapers, contents otherwise excellent. Photo-pictorial (1937 match at Priory Lawn Tennis Club) white dust jacket printed in green, now dusty overall; minor chipping at corners and spine ends; a couple of short closed tears. A fine book in near fine dust jacket.
$50
A-476
Marble, Alice. The Road to Wimbledon. London: W.H. Allen, [n.d., 1947]. [First UK edition]. Illustrated with several photos of the author and her contemporaries. Original black cloth lettered in gilt on spine; rubbed and spotted; spine ends worn and corners bumped; lettering dulled to grey. "Xmas 1947" gift inscription on front endpaper; faint ghost of damp-staining to lower corner of text. A good copy of the autobiography of this tennis champion turned singer.
$5
A-477
McLoughlin, Maurice E. [and Lewis, Sinclair]. Tennis As I Play It. New York: George H. Doran Company, 1915. [First edition]. "Preface by Richard Norris Williams ... Illustrated with Seventy-two Reproductions of Photographs in Action." Publisher's textured green cloth, brightly lettered in gilt; spine corners a touch rubbed, faint semi-circular mark on front. Contemporary ownership inscription on front endpaper; text excellent; printed on heavy quality semi-gloss paper, this book is often found in poor condition. A fine copy of this instructional work, ghost-written by Sinclair Lewis.*
* Letters by Lewis owned by the Port Washington [NY] Public Library confirm his authorship of this book.
$135
A-478
[----- Another copy]. This one with covers now lightly speckled, especially at lower front (from poorly dyed cloth?); spine corners a touch rubbed. First and final leaves faintly foxed; text otherwise excellent, clean and tight. Because of the speckling, a very good copy of this instructional work, ghost-written by Sinclair Lewis.
$100
A-583
Myers, A. Wallis. The Complete Lawn Tennis Player. London: Methuen & Co., 1908. "Second edition".* "With ninety illustrations, including many special action-photographs", many by G.W. Beldam. Original dark red cloth, lettered and rulled in gilt; lightly soiled overall, with minor sunning and 2" mark to spine; light wear at corners, rubbing at joints, and creasing at spine ends. Endpapers dusty; pencilled name on recto of first three leaves; some pages lightly foxed; 40 pp. publisher's catalogue dated November 1907 at rear. A very good copy.
* The second edition was published in May 1908, one month after the first.
$75
A-480
Myers, A. Wallis. The Complete Lawn Tennis Player. London: Methuen, [n.d., 1914]. Fourth edition. "With ninety illustrations, including many special action-photographs." Deep red cloth lettered in gilt (now a bit dulled) on spine and blind on front; covers worn, soiled and spotted; spine faded and worn at corners; joints rubbed with 2" split at front center. Frontispiece a little browned; lacks plate at p.248; otherwise clean and tight. Very good.
$50
A-482
Myers, A. Wallis. Fifty Years of Wimbledon: The Story of the Lawn Tennis Championships. London: Published for The All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club by the Proprietors of "The Field", 1926. [De Luxe edition]. "With Eighty-Five Illustrations", mostly photographs of players, officials and matches. Original dark green leather, lettered in gilt with purple triangle containing "AELTC" on front cover; corners rubbed, exposing underlying board; sunned to brown along front edges and spine; upper half of spine untidly reinforced with black adhesive tape. Order form bound in at rear still present; light toning to endpapers; contents clean and tight. A good copy
$75
A-584
Myers, A. Wallis. Lawn Tennis - Its Principles & Practice: A Player's guide to modern methods. London: Seeley, Service, 1930. [First edition]. "Lonsdale Library, Volume V." "With over seventy illustrations": this classic historical and instructional work is profusely illustrated with 65 photographs of great players in action and 11 sketches and diagrams. Original gilt-stamped golden-brown buckram bright and clean, with just a hint of sunning at tail of spine. A touch of tanning to endpapers and light foxing to edges; neat ink name inside front cover. Price clipped buff dust jacket printed in red, with photopictorial (Borotra's hook volley on front; Alvarez's leap to return on spine) onlays; dusty overall, spine tanned with lettering faded; corners and ends creased, with tiny chips. A fine volume in near fine dust jacket.
$60
A-484
[----- Another copy]. This one lacking the dust jacket. Original golden brown buckram lettered and decorated (Lonsdale coronet) in gilt; very light creasing at spine ends and minor "ding" at top of front board. Endpapers and edges foxed, some marginal yellowing to plates; front endpaper glued to pastedown; contents otherwise clean and tight. A good copy.
$20
A-585
Patterson, Norman H. Lawn Tennis Courtcraft: Tactics and Psychology. London: Eyre & Spottiswoode, 1946. "New and Enlarged Edition." "With forewords by F.R. Burrow and G.P. Hughes. Complete with Twenty-one Diagrams." Original green cloth, with gilt spine lettering now dulled; cloth sunned at spine ends (corresponding to chips in dust jacket) and along lower edge. Neat ink name and date on front endpaper; minor foxing to edges. Pictorial (player in The Thinker pose) dust jacket evenly soiled; edgeworn with several closed tears and creases; small pieces lacking at spine ends and upper rear corner. A near fine volume in very good dust jacket.
"... entirely revised and brought up to date, and also enlarged by the addition of new chapters ..."
$15
A-495
Patty, Budge. Tennis My Way. London: Hutchinson's Library of Sports and Pastimes, 1951. First edition. "With 24 Illustrations [of champions in action] and 72 'Flicker' Photographs [of the author]." Original dark green cloth, gilt lettering on spine now a touch rubbed and dulled; corners bumped. Ink ownership name on front endpaper, blue pencil mark on bottom edge. Green, black and white pictorial (author at Wimbledon) dust jacket soiled and edgeworn; lacking small pieces at corners and hinges. Very good.
$20
A-586
Payn, F.W. Secrets of Lawn Tennis. London: L. Upcott Gill; New York: Charles Scribner's Sons, 1906. [First edition]. Illustrated with many in-text stroke and court diagrams. Original very dark green textured cloth, with gilt lettering and decoration (racket); very light rubbing to head of spine and lower edge of boards; top edge of block dusty. Free endpapers foxed. Publisher's 18 pp. catalogue of "Practical Handbooks published by ... Gill and ... Scribner's ...", dated "7/06", at rear. Near fine.
$375
A-498
Perry, Fred J. Perry on Tennis: Expert Advice for All on Lawn Tennis. Philadelphia: John C. Winston Company, 1937. [First US edition]. "Thirty-six Photographs" of Perry and his contemporaries. Original green cloth, lettered in black, nice and bright; top corners bumped. Ink ownership name on front end paper; pages a touch age-toned. A fine copy.
$25
A-499
Perry, Fred J. Perry Wins! Expert advice for all on Lawn Tennis. London: Hutchinson & Co., [n.d., 1934]. [First edition]. Illustrated with action and instructional photos of the author. Original blue and black pictorial (author carrying rackets) boards a bit rubbed at edges and joints; chip lacking from top rear exposing paper beneath; vertical creases to spine; very light diagonal fading along front fore edge, up to 1/2" deep at top; "Reduced to 6D" sticker on front. A few photo captions trimmed or shaved; pages clean and tight. Very good.
$20
A-501
Potter, Edward C. The Davis Cup. South Brunswick and New York: A.S. Barnes, 1969. [First edition]. Illustrated with photographs of Davis Cup champions and matches. Bright blue cloth, lettered in silver on spine. Blue, black and pink pictorial (Rod Laver and Neale Fraser) dust jacket a bit surface rubbed, corners and spine ends a tad rubbed. A fine copy of this excellent history of this most famous of trophies.
$20
A-502
[----- Another copy]. This one a bit faded at top and bottom edges; jacket somewhat more surface rubbed, and lightly edge-worn. Very good.
$15
A-503
Potter, E.C., Jr. Kings of the Court: The Story of Lawn Tennis. New York: Charles Scribner's Sons, 1936. [First edition]. Original green cloth lettered and decorated in silver and black; sunned almost to brown on spine and rubbed affecting rules and lettering thereon; light soiling around edges of covers; head of spine creased, tail a bit frayed;corners bumped. Neat ink ownership name on front endpaper; text and extensive photo illustrations clean and tight. A very good copy of an excellent, well-illustrated, history of the game told through the stories of its stars.
$15
A-504
Price, Hamilton. Lawn Tennis (As it is Played To-day). London: Renwick of Otley, [n.d. ca 1924]. [First edition?].* Spalding's Athletic Library, Group IV No. 11. With 36 illustrations of leading players, most in action. Usual Spalding's midnight blue pictorial wrappers, with player and front cover lettering in white; a little rubbed at edges, with minor loss at head of spine; corners and edges a bit creasd. Tidy ink ownership initials at top of title page; several leaves creased near gutter (binding fault); attractive equipment ads (many rackets) at rear. Near fine.
* Phelps and Sabine list two first editions, one 1916 (Renwick of Otley) and one 1924 (British Sports Publishing). We believe the duplication is due to the printer's 1916 registration date on title page and the copyright statement on its verso naming the BSP. This copy has ads and rules clearly dating it to 1924, and carries the Renwick imprint.
$45
A-505
Rendall, Major J.C.S. Lawn Tennis: A Method of Acquiring Proficiency. London: Cassell and Company, 1930. 3s.6p. [i.e.second] edition. "With Sixteen Plates" of action photographs; and cancel title. Original greenish-grey cloth, lettered in black, front cover a trifle spotted at lower corner. Edges foxed; a bit of "thumbing" to front free endpaper; contents otherwise clean and tight. A fine copy.
$45

Lawn Tennis in Dutch !

A-506
Scheurleer, G.J. Lawn-Tennis. Rotterdam: Nijgh & Van Ditmar's, 1927. Third edition. Foreword by J.B. Kan. Text in Dutch; well illustrated with several action photographs of matches, and a few diagrams. Original green cloth lettered in gilt on front cover and spine; a few faint spots thereon. Heavy foxing to edges and first few leaves, a few others faintly so; contents otherwise clean and tight; green pastedowns tanned, free endpapers unaffected. A near fine, sharp and attractive copy of an unusual item.
$65
A-508
Sherman, Harold M. The Tennis Terror and Other Tennis Stories. New York: Goldsmith Publishing, 1932. First edition. Possibly the worst copy of this collection of short stories: original purplish-brown cloth, lettered in black, now worn at corners, bottom edge and spine ends; 2.5" tear at top of rear joint crudely reglued; rubbed overall. Christmas gift sticker on front endpaper; two gift inscriptions on flyleaf; hinges broken but re-glued; acidic paper browned and brittle. A starting copy only.
$10
A-513
Talbert, William F. and Old, Bruce S. The Game of Doubles in Tennis [with] The Game of Singles in Tennis [with] Stroke Production in the Game of Tennis. Philadelphia & New York: J.B. Lippincott Company, 1956, 1962 & 1971. Third, seventh and first printings, respectively. Diagrams by Stephen P. Baldwin, illustrations by Ed Vebell and Katherine D. Old. The end-papers of the third-mentioned volume replicate the illustrated Letters Patent for Walter Wingfield's "A Portable Court for Playing Tennis". 3 vols. in original blue, green and white cloth, lettered and decorated (court diagram) in gilt; slight rubbing to lettering of one volume. A fine set. in near fine original mustard-yellow decorated (court diagram) slip-case, now a touch scuffed and very lightly dusty.
$30
A-515
Tilden, Wm. T. Aces, Places and Faults. London: Robert Hale, 1938. [First edition]. Original green cloth, spine gilt bright; covers somewhat mottled with a few light stains, 3/4" worn through at lower fore edge of front cover, and 1" tape stain at centre; corners and spine ends a touch rubbed. Internally tight and clean. A very good copy.
NB - This title not published in the U.S.
$85
[Tilden, William T., 2nd]. Tennis, Squash and Badminton Rackets ... Pawtucket: Bancroft Racket Company, 1935. "With A Short Resume of the Game By William T. Tilden, 2nd
A-518
Tilden, William T. The Common Sense of Lawn Tennis. London: Methuen & Co., 1924. First UK edition. "With twenty-seven illustrations" of Tilden and other US and international champions. Publisher's bright blue cloth, lettered in gilt dulled over all and sunned to blue-grey on spine, gilt still sharp; corners and spine ends bumped and a bit worn. Neat ink name on front endpaper; contents excellent; 8 pp. publisher's ads dated "1124" at rear. Very good.
$40
[Tilden, William T., 2nd] Schaad, Cornelius G. Ping-Pong .... Boston: Houghton Mifflin, 1930. "With introductory comment by William T. Tilden, 2nd (2 pp.), and Francis T. Hunter."
A-524
Tilden, William T. Singles and Doubles. London: Methuen & Co., 1923. First UK edition. "With twenty-one illustrations" of international stars. A near fine copy in publisher's original red cloth, lettered in gilt on spine and blind on front; spine lightly sunned, gilt still bright; a few faint spots on rear; corners bumped, spine ends a touch worn. Contents excellent; 8 pp. publisher's ads dated February, 1923 at rear, 4 pp. Spring 1923 laid in.
$50
A-525
[----- Another copy]. This one much faded on spine, less so around edges; covers spotted; blind lettering on front partly pencilled in, gilt on spine still sharp; faint ink number mid-spine; corners rubbed, spine ends worn with minor loss at head; edges a bit foxed and dusty. Endpapers soiled, ink ownership name and stamp on front endpaper, note at top of p.21; plate at p.80/1 mis-inserted; light internal foxing; rust stains to p.4/5 of 8 pp. undated publisher's ads at rear. A good reading copy.
$25
A-528
Tilden, William T. Tennis A to Z. London: Victor Gollancz Ltd., 1950. First edition. "Drawings by Frederick E. Banbery." Original rust brown cloth lettered in gilt on spine; tail of spine creased and dusty, publisher's name dulled. Contents otherwise clean and tight. Buff dust jacket printed in brown, soiled, especially at margins and spine; spine ends frayed with minor loss; top edge creased; price-clipped. A very good copy.
$20
A-597
Travell, G.H. Courtcraft and Tactics in Lawn Tennis. London: Link House Publications, [n.d., 1934?]. [First edition]. "With a Foreword by P.W. Rootham ... Also a Preface by the Editor of 'Lawn Tennis and Bodminton'"; with many tennis equipment ads. Green, black and white pictorial (rackets and net) wrappers, dusty on rear and rubbed along spine folds; small chips at spine ends, lower rear joint split 3/4"; small remnant of adhesive (label?) at lower right front. Ink "D" at top of title page; rubber stamp (LTA Library) on verso; contents clean and crisp. Near fine.
$25
A-530
Tuckey, C.R.D. Lawn Tennis for Men. London: Blackie & Son, 1937. First edition. A "flick" book, with four sets of moving pictures. Original red cloth, lettered in black, now sunned around spine, but lettering still sharp; covers a little spotted; corners bumped and spine ends and joints a bit rubbed. Endpapers a trifle soiled at edges (from "flicking"), text clean and bright. Very good.
$10
A-534
Vaile, P.A. Modern Lawn Tennis. London: William Heinemann, 1907. New [i.e. second] edition. "Illustrated by Explanatory Diagrams and by Action Photographs taken expressly for this Work by G.W. Beldam." Gilt lettered olive green cloth nice and bright; slight "ding" under title; corners a touch rubbed; spine ends creased. Light foxing to endpapers and adjacent pages; contents clean and tight. A fine, bright copy.
Note: The title page of this edition identifies the photographer as G.W. Beldam, the author of Great Lawn Tennis Players: Their Methods at a Glance (with Vaile) and Great Golfers: Their Methods at a Glance. In the first edition he is named only in the preface.
$95
A-535
Vaile, P.A. Lawn Tennis von Heute. Prag: Heinr. Mercy Sohn, [1905]. [First German edition]. Modern Lawn Tennis translated into German by Dr. Rosenbaum-Jenkins and Frau H. Rosenbaum; illustrated with 35 photographic plates of champions at play. Original slate cloth, lettered in gilt now faded from spine and rubbed - though clear - on front, racket decoration in tan, brown and red still sharp on front; corners and spine ends a touch worn, with very minor loss. Hinges cracked but holding tight; 2 pp. Slazenger & Sons advert at rear; a few marginal ink marks. A near fine copy.
$85
A-598
Wilberforce, H.W.W. Lawn Tennis. London: George Bell & Sons, 1904. [Later printing]. "All-England Series; "With a Chapter for Ladies by Mrs. Hillyard ... With Illustrations." 12 pp. (including endpapers) of ads for tennis equipment and clothes, and for the series. Original dark red cloth, lettered and decorated (backhand) in black, moderately dusty; small "ding" at lower rear, corners bumped. A few final leaves, once stuck together, are now separated, resulting in adhesion of the corner of p.67/8 to the following leaf (affecting only the page number), and a couple other leaves showing chaffing. But for the torn corner, a near fine copy.
$95
A-538
Wilding, Anthony F. On the Court and Off. London: Methuen, 1921. Eighth edition. "With thirty-six illustrations". Chapters by Mrs. Larcombe "Advice to Ladies", and André Gobert "France to the Front". Original dull-blue cloth, lettered in gilt on spine, and in blind on front; gilt school crest on front cover and school prize label inside. Contents clean and tight; 2 pp. publisher's ads at rear. Fine, tight and crisp.
$4 5

Red dot Ephemera  Red dot

19th Century Tennis in Turkey!

A-543
[Double page wood engraving]. Lawn-Tennis at Constantinople contained in The Graphic, August 26,1882. Complete issue, including six column inches of text and a 16"x21" two-page engraved spread featuring main picture of a group watching a doubles match, surrounded by 22 vignettes depicting planning, clearing and building the court, explaining he game to the locals, and the European players and observers. Pages clean and tight, lower corners thumbed; faint foxing. A fine copy.
$75

A-549
[Programme]. Lawn Tennis - Oxford v. Cambridge; Friday & Saturday, May 25, 26, 1934; Second Day. 8 pp. stapled booklet, plus pale blue-grey light card wrappers, now sunned to tan on front and near spine on rear; short closed tear at top front. Light internal foxing, mostly to centre (match) spread; a few pencilled marks near some players' names. Contains a selection of local ads, most non-tennis. Very good.
$75
A-550
[Programme] Wimbledon Programme. Wimbledon: All England Club, Friday 26th June, 1959 Fifth Day. A fine copy. Owing to a labour dispute in the Printing Trade, the Order of Play, etc., was not included in the programme but issued separately and is here present; most results completed in ink (2 items).
$30
A-551
[Programme] Wimbledon Programme. Wimbledon: All England Club, Tuesday 4 July, 1961 Eighth Day. The 75th Anniversary Championship; a near fine copy.
$15
A-552
[Programme] Wimbledon Programmes. Wimbledon: All England Club, various dates. Except where noted, all issues complete and generally in very good condition, some with light soiling to covers; several with results completed in ink.
$10 each
A-553
[Rulebook]. Lawn Tennis: Rules by Permission of L.T.A. London: W.B. Tattersall "The Sports Press", [n.d., 1940s?]*. "The 'Sports Trader' Series". Small (approx 4" x 2.75") 31 pp. booklet, with rules for Singles and Doubles games, Odds and an Appendix. Blue and white paper wrappers, just a touch rubbed at cornes; staple rusted, affecting some leaves at gutter; overall nice and clean. Near fine.
* Latest datable mention is a 1929 re-interpretation of a rule.
$10

H.L. Doherty Vanity Fair

[Vanity Fair Prints]. Tennis players, such as H.L. Doherty, A.W. Gore, and the Bishop of London, will be added to the Vanity Fair Image Galleries sports and games pages as and when available. Please enquire or check regularly to ensure you don't miss the one you want!

SquareReal TennisSquare

Clerici, Gianni. The Ultimate Tennis Book. Chicago: Follett Publishing Company, 1975. First US edition.

A-555
Covey, Neil (ed.). Fred Covey: World Champion of Tennis. Oxford: Ronaldson Publications, 1994. First edition. A fine copy in gilt-lettered textured red "leatherette" and white pictorial (Covey with racket on front, Lady Wentworth's Court on rear) dust jacket. A compendium of newspaper articles, photographs and political cartoons relating to Covey's real tennis career.
$95
Heathcote, J.M., Heathcote, C.G., Bouverie, E.O.P., and Ainger, A.C. Tennis, Lawn Tennis, Rackets [and] Fives.

Red dotSquash RacketsRed dot

A-559
Barker, Arthur. Squash Rackets. [London]: Eyre & Spottiswoode, 1936. First edition. "The Aldin Series." Illustrated with photographs of players and courts. Near fine volume in original red boards printed in black; light vertical crease along spine; contents excellent; publisher's advertising postcard laid in. Orange, white and black pictorial (forehand volley) dust jacket by Cecil Aldin lightly and evenly soiled; archival tape repair to long closed tear along front hinge and across spine, lacking 3/4" "V" at top front; small chips from corners and top rear hinge; front panel creased at top edge, lightly so at bottom; overall, dust jacket in good condition only, yet bright and sharp.
$15

A-560
Cowles, Harry. The Art of Squash Racquets. New York: The Macmillan Company, 1935. [First edition]. Original brown cloth lettered in black; spine a little darkened, covers lightly soiled; worn at head and tail, and less-so at corners; ruthlessly ink-stamped (private club library) on covers, end papers and verso of some plates. End papers a bit age-toned, with foxing to some plates, and corner crease to one. A good, solid reading copy.
$20
A-561
Horry, John. The History of Squash Rackets. Brighton, England: A.C.M. Webb, 1979. First edition. Well, but sparsely illustrated with full-page photographs of top international players. Original light green boards just a hint faded on gilt-lettered spine and along edges; 1-1/2" crease on rear cover (binding fault); contents clean and sharp. Bright green pictorial (historical print of a match) dust jacket. A fine copy of this history written by the chief correspondent of The Squash Player International magazine.
$20
A-562
[----- Another copy]. This one with boards similarly faded; dust jacket a touch creased at edges, and faintly dusty on rear panel. Near fine.
$15
Heathcote, J.M., Heathcote, C.G., Bouverie, E.O.P, and Ainger, A.C. Tennis, Lawn Tennis, Rackets [and] Fives.
A-564
Morgan, Janet. Squash Rackets for Women. London: Sporting Handbooks, 1953. First edition. "Illustrated by 52 photographs and 19 diagrams". Original burgundy cloth, lettered in gilt on spine; internally excellent. Pictorial (author playing) yellow dust jacket a little rubbed and worn at edges and a bit dusty overall. A fine book in near fine dust jacket
$15
A-565
Snell, Edward; Moss, Major T. and Tomkinson, Capt. J.E. Squash Rackets. London: Seeley Service & Co., [1934]. [First separate edition]. "The contents ... are drawn from 'Rackets, Squash Rackets, Tennis, Fives & Badminton,' Edited by Lord Aberdare ..." Illustrated with photographs and diagrams showing grips, strokes and shots." Publisher's black lettered yellow cloth lightly soiled but still bright; contents tight and clean; 8 pp. publisher's and equipment ads at rear. Photo-pictorial (players with shot diagram) dust wrapper lettered and ruled in red; light wear, including a few short closed tears at edges and spine ends; rear panel with a hint of dusting. A near fine copy.
$20
A-566
Snell, Edward; Moss, Major T. and Tomkinson, Capt. J.E. Squash Rackets. London: Seeley Service & Co., [1938]. [Later printing]. "The contents ... are drawn from 'Rackets, Squash Rackets, Tennis, Fives & Badminton,' Edited by Lord Aberdare ..." Illustrated with photographs and diagrams showing grips, strokes and shots." Publisher's black lettered yellow cloth lightly soiled but still bright; contents excellent; shop inkstamp on front end-paper; 8 pp. publisher's and equipment ads at rear. Photo-pictorial (players with shot diagram) dust wrapper lettered and ruled in red; price-clipped with "4/6" price sticker on flap; light wear, including a few short closed tears at edges and spine ends, and small chip at top rear; rear panel with a hint of dusting. A near fine copy.
$10

Red dotBadmintonRed dot

A-568
Devlin, J.F. Badminton For All. New York: Doubleday Doran and Company, 1941. Later edition. "With halftone illustrations" of the author demonstrating strokes, and a 3 pp "Foreword to the American Edition". Original orange cloth lettered and decorated in black on spine; contents clean and tight. Pictorial (author driving) orange and black dust jacket faded at spine, but all lettering still sharp; proce-clipped; spine ends rubbed, top a touch worn; a few short closed edge tears. A near fine copy.
$20

A-569
"Expert". How to Play Badminton. London: W. Foulsham & Co. Ltd., n.d.[ca 1940s]. "Foulsham's Sports Library". "Including Oficial Rules". Original green wrappers, lettered in black; nice and clean. Small ink name on half-title; pages lightly age-toned. Pictorial (two matches) green, black and white dust jacket a little rubbed at edges; with minor wear at spine ends. A fine copy of this little instructional book.
$10
A-570
Ferrers-Nicholson, Mrs. N. and Hedges, Sid G. The Art of Badminton. London: Methuen & Co, 1934. First edition. "With 2 diagrams". Original tan cloth, lettered in black; hint of sunning at spine ends corresponding to dust jacket chips. Endpapers tanned where not in contact with jacket; contents excellent. Decorative (shuttlecock) tan green and white dust jacket. with a hint of tanning to spine; minor loss at spine ends, and a few other edge chips; otherwise nice and clean. A fine copy in near fine dust jacket.
$15
A-571
[----- Another copy]. This one with a hint of fading at edges; endpapers tanned where not in contact with jacket; contents clean and tight. Dust jacket lacking 1" piece at rear, and 1/2" across spine, with a few other chips and edge-tears. A near fine copy in very good dust jacket.
$12
A-572
Mack, Gordon S.B. Badminton. London: George G. Harrap & Company, 1925. First edition. "With foreword by Kathleen McKane and appendix containing badminton records"; illustrated with photographs of various players demonstrating shots. Original lavender cloth lettered in blind on front cover, and black on spine. Colour pictorial dust jacket severely foxed and soiled, but still bright; tiny chips at corners and spine ends, and short closed tear at rear flap fold. A fine copy in the very good, but scarce dust jacket.
$40

SquareTable TennisSquare

A-575
Hyde, Eric. Table Tennis: A Guide for Beginners and Enthusiasts. London: W. Foulsham & Co., Ltd., [n.d., ca 1940s]. [Later printing]. "Fully illustrated with Line Diagrams and 8 Half-tone Plates from specially taken Action Photographs". "Foulsham's Sports Library". Original printed green wrappers, a touch toned; small mark on front. Contents foxed at edges and a few papges, with nickel-sized brown stain to fore edge of a few leaves. Green, black and white photo-pictorial (G.V. Barna at table) dust jacket, rubbed at edges, worn at spine ends, and lightly soiled. A very good copy in the often-lacking dust jacket.
$10

A-579
Schaad, Cornelius G. Ping-Pong ...: The Game, Its Tactics and Laws. Boston and New York: Houghton Mifflin Company, 1930. "With introductory comment by William T. Tilden, 2nd (2 pp.), and Francis T. Hunter." Cover note in red: "Presented with Ping-Pong set Compliments of Parker Brothers, Inc." 96 pp. booklet presenting the history of the game, equipment needed, techniques of play, and laws, together with diagrams and a few photographs. Olive green wrappers printed (crossed paddles) in black now a bit soiled and rubbed; corners creased; spine ends worn with loss, especially 3/4" at top; evidence of small sticker removed from front. Internally, lower corner creased at front; pages age-toned and a bit thumbed. A very good copy.
$15

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Last updated: 10/30/19
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