The Parlour Tennis Bat
A Glimpse into Victorian Leisure – Origins of Table Tennis
Manuf.: Garden tennis racquet maker
Model: Parlour Tennis Bat
Spec.: Vellum-covered
Year: 1875
(documented or estimated)
Background facts:
Parlour tennis, also known as table tennis or “whiff-whaff”, or the French version "Tennis de Salon", emerged in Victorian England as an indoor adaptation of lawn tennis. The game was played on dining tables using everyday objects such as books as nets, champagne corks or rubber balls, and bats made from cigar box lids or parchment-covered frames. By the 1870s, purpose-made bats like this example became common. The sport quickly gained popularity as a social pastime among the upper and middle classes.
Parlour Tennis Bats feature a flat, solid paddle with a taut vellum covering stretched over the face, often decorated with colored or patterned paper. The bat has a short, straight handle and a rounded or slightly oval striking surface. The use of vellum provided a distinctive sound and response when striking the ball.
The design of the parlour tennis bat laid the foundation for the modern table tennis racket, which would later evolve with the introduction of rubber surfaces and new materials.
Tennis de Salon
Illustrations
Portrait
Side View
3D View
Butt end