Racquets Collection

Making Tennis Racquets
Stringing new tennis racquets at a workshop in Wimbledon, London

Tatler cover - Gabrielle Chanel & Alain Gerbault
Front cover of The Tatler featuring a snapshot taken at Eaton Hall, Cheshire seat of the Duke of Westminster, where Alain Gerbault, captain of the Firecrest and French lawn tennis star, was staying

A Tea Party at Napsbury (w/c)
BON76813 A Tea Party at Napsbury (w/c) by Wain, Louis (1860-1939); 22.9x29.8 cm; Private Collection; (add.info.: by Louis Wain); Photo © Bonhams, London, UK.

Butterfly collector's tools from the 18th century: aerial net on a cane 1, scissors with racquets 2
FLO4671146 Butterfly collector's tools from the 18th century: aerial net on a cane 1, scissors with racquets 2, small preservative brush 6, and soft brush to remove dust 9

The Land of cocagne, a serie created by Pellerin printer, 1860 (Epinal print)
5669534 The Land of cocagne, a serie created by Pellerin printer, 1860 (Epinal print); (add.info.: Jean-Charles Pellerin (1756-1836), French draftsman, illustrator and printer

Duchess of York and Helen Wills Moody at Wimbledon
Elizabeth, Duchess of York (later Elizabeth, the Queen Mother 1900-2002) and Helen Wills Moody (1905-1998) at the Lawn Tennis Championships at Wimbledon

Tennis Players (2nd state)
This lithograph portrays a pair of male and female tennis players, holding their racquets, whilst stood in an elegant position, on court, with some tall sunflowers between them. Date: 1918

The Tennis Player, 1923 (wood engraving)
1631656 The Tennis Player, 1923 (wood engraving) by Gill, Eric (1882-1940); Private Collection; The Stapleton Collection

Tennis Racquets Wimbledon Championships 2007 Wimbledon Championships 2007 Wimbledon Lawn Date: 26 June 2007

The children of Frederick and Ellen Ray of Abingdon, Berkshire, in a landscape
711038 The children of Frederick and Ellen Ray of Abingdon, Berkshire, in a landscape, 1795 (w/c with pencil on paper) by Downman

Tennis court, rackets and necessary equipment for the sport
2562814 Tennis court, rackets and necessary equipment for the sport, from Encyclopedie ou Dictionnaire raisonnedes Sciences des Arts et des Metiers, by Diderot and d Alembert, Paris

The Shuttlecock, plate 11 from Le Bon Genre, 1802 (coloured engraving)
STC120490 The Shuttlecock, plate 11 from Le Bon Genre, 1802 (coloured engraving) by French School, (19th century); Private Collection; The Stapleton Collection; French, out of copyright

Couple posing with tennis rackets, probably in Blanefield, Scotland. circa 1890s

St Petersburg residents taking a break from a tennis match, 1900 (b / w photo)
833397 St Petersburg residents taking a break from a tennis match, 1900 (b/w photo) by Russian Photographer, (20th century); Private Collection; Calmann & King Ltd; Russian, out of copyright

The Belvidere Gardens (engraving)
611121 The Belvidere Gardens (engraving) by English School, (19th century); Private Collection; (add.info.: The Belvidere Gardens.); Look and Learn / Peter Jackson Collection; English

Fives, played at the Tennis Court, Leicester Fields (engraving)
611048 Fives, played at the Tennis Court, Leicester Fields (engraving) by English School, (18th century); Private Collection; (add.info.: Fives, played at the Tennis Court)

Princes Racquet Club Courts, Hans Place, Belgrave Square (engraving)
585385 Princes Racquet Club Courts, Hans Place, Belgrave Square (engraving) by English School, (19th century); Private Collection; (add.info.: Princes Racquet Club Courts, Hans Place)

Itinerant seller of brushes and racquets, un brossetier, 18th century. He carries a brush with bone handle 1, Dutch clothes brush 2, ordinary clothes brush 3, hat brush 4, paintbrush 5

Butterfly collectors tools from the 18th century: aerial net on a cane 1, scissors with racquets 2, small preservative brush 6, and soft brush to remove dust 9

Lawn Tennis (coloured engraving)
729470 Lawn Tennis (coloured engraving) by Emslie, Alfred Edward (1848-97) (after); Private Collection; (add.info.: Lawn Tennis)

Woman with a tennis racquet (b / w photo)
3094374 Woman with a tennis racquet (b/w photo) by French Photographer, (20th century); Private Collection; (add.info.: Woman with a tennis racquet)

Playing Jeu de Paume in Paris (engraving)
2562812 Playing Jeu de Paume in Paris (engraving) by French School, (18th century); Musee de la Ville de Paris, Musee Carnavalet, Paris

A Game of Political Shuttlecock (colour litho)
2775112 A Game of Political Shuttlecock (colour litho) by Doyle, John (H.B.) (1797-1868) (after); Private Collection; (add.info.: A Game of Political Shuttlecock)

A game of lawn tennis (chromolitho)
6030791 A game of lawn tennis (chromolitho) by European School, (19th century); Private Collection; (add.info.: A game of lawn tennis.); Look and Learn / Valerie Jackson Harris Collection; European

The vogue of squash rackets: a game for both sexes (engraving)
585394 The vogue of squash rackets: a game for both sexes (engraving) by English School, (19th century); Private Collection; (add.info.: The vogue of squash rackets: a game for both sexes)

The Racquet Court (engraving)
664017 The Racquet Court (engraving) by English School, (19th century); Private Collection; (add.info.: The Racquet Court. Illustration from Our Own Country (Cassell, c 1890)

Tennis racket and balls, from Encyclopedie ou Dictionnaire raisonne des Sciences des
2562813 Tennis racket and balls, from Encyclopedie ou Dictionnaire raisonnedes Sciences des Arts et des Metiers, by Diderot and d Alembert, Paris, 1751 (engraving) by French School

Lawn tennis (chromolitho)
1094425 Lawn tennis (chromolitho) by French School, (19th century); Private Collection; (add.info.: Lawn tennis. French educational card, late 19th or early 20th century.); © Look and Learn

1. Harrow, from the Playing-Fields. 2. Football. 3. Racquets (engraving)
665818 1. Harrow, from the Playing-Fields. 2. Football. 3. Racquets (engraving) by English School, (19th century); Private Collection; (add.info.: 1. Harrow, from the Playing-Fields. 2. Football. 3)

Some British Amusements (engraving)
671497 Some British Amusements (engraving) by English School, (19th century); Private Collection; (add.info.: Some British Amusements)

Match point
John-Mei Zhong

Tennis at Beckenham - June 1925 Randolph. Lycett and Capt. H. S. L. Barclay
Tennis at Beckenham - June 1925 Randolph. Lycett and Capt. H.S.L. Barclay

F W Reed DM Staff Photographer Badmington Wong Peng Soon (Singapore, 30) jumps over Dickie Lee while practising for the All England Badmington Championship Empress Hall, London March 19th 1952

Vive la France, Balancier, Both in "Tow", ca. 1840. Creator: Alfred E. Baker
Vive la France, Balancier, Both in " Tow", ca. 1840

King George in Wimbledon Whites holding tennis racquets Date: 1905

Love Game Date: 1920

RACQUETS AT BELVEDERE
A pairs match is watched by a high-brow crowd at Belvedere. Date: 1858

SPORT / RACQUETS
Princes Racquet Club Courts, Hans Place, Belgrave Square. Date: 1857

Futuristic aerial tennis
A futuristic game of aerial tennis, which requires the net to be set very high. Date: 1899

Fashion illustration, no. 2224, July 1885. Creator: Jules David
Fashion illustration, no. 2224, July 1885

A game of Political Shuttlecock, 1831. Creator: John Doyle
A game of Political Shuttlecock, 1831. Prime Minister Charles Grey: Keep it up B[rougham] _ I d never be able to play the Game without you

A Tennis Match! - four cartoon mice hit the court
A Tennis Match! - four French cartoon mice (seemingly related to a film and TV star from across the pond) hit the court for a few sets. Date: 1922

Lady Tennis Player having finished a game Date: circa 1935

Sport / Tennis
Three young women, two with tennis racquets pose for their photograph

Suzanne Rachel Flore Lenglen, 1899 - 1938. French tennis player. Seen here playing at Wimbledon in 1919 when she won the title. From These Tremendous Years, published 1938

Valentin Louis Georges EugAšne Marcel Proust, 1871 - 1922, also known as Marcel Proust. French novelist, critic, and essayist. After a contemporary print

Tommy Steele Entertainer

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"Crafting the Perfect Racquet: A Journey through Tennis History" Step into the fascinating world of racquets, where passion and precision intertwine to create a sporting essential. From the early days of tennis to modern times, these iconic tools have evolved alongside the game itself. Intriguingly, making tennis racquets has always been an art form. Skilled craftsmen meticulously select materials and shape them with utmost care, ensuring that each racquet is tailored to perfection. As we delve deeper into this process, we discover the secrets behind their creation. Take a glimpse at history's pages as we uncover a Tatler cover featuring Gabrielle Chanel and Alain Gerbault holding their trusty racquets. Their poised stance exudes elegance and hints at the timeless allure of this sport. Travel back in time further still to witness an Edwardian couple gracefully playing tennis on a sun-drenched court. The simplicity of their attire contrasts with the intricacy involved in crafting their wooden racquets - a testament to both fashion and function. Moving forward, we encounter legendary tennis players captured in action during intense matches. These images depict not only their skill but also showcase how technology transformed racquet design over time – from traditional wooden frames to advanced composite materials. The Duchess of York and Helen Wills Moody grace us with their presence at Wimbledon, radiating gracefulness while clutching sleek modern-day racquets that revolutionized gameplay forevermore. Venturing even further back in time reveals a woman wielding her tennis racquet circa 1885 - capturing an era when women were beginning to embrace sports as part of their daily lives. Fast forward again; vibrant lithographs transport us to Brides les Bains in 1929 – showcasing colorful scenes where players wielded bright-hued rackets against picturesque backgrounds – proving that style can indeed be found on every corner of the court.