Bussey Special Champion

Manuf.:    Bussey Geo G. & Co. Ltd.

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Model:      Special Champion

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Spec.:        Solid wood. Elongated oval. Trumped handle.

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Year:         1902

(documented or estimated)

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Background facts:

George Gibson Bussey & Co. was established in London in the mid-nineteenth century and developed into a recognized manufacturer of sporting equipment. Contemporary trade directories and period catalogues document the company’s broad product range, which included tennis, cricket, and croquet equipment. Bussey’s products were distributed primarily through specialist sporting goods retailers, reflecting a quality-oriented approach to the market.
 

The company is identified by its distinctive G.G.B. arrow trademark, which appears on surviving racquets and catalogue illustrations from the late nineteenth century. Like the 1898 Champion model, this racquet was most likely distributed through Williams & Co. in Paris, one of the leading sporting goods retailers of the Belle Époque. The elongated oval head is characteristic of Bussey’s design focus on precision and efficient play, distinguishing its racquets from broader-headed contemporaries.