The Wingfield

 

Manuf.:    Edward, Prince of Wales

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Model:      The Wingfield

Spec.:        Solid wood, real tennis, trebling pattern

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Year:         1876

(documented or estimated)

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Background facts:

The racquet of Walter Clopton Wingfield, the founder of modern tennis. A unique testimony of its time, the piece marks the transition from Real Tennis to Lawn Tennis. The racquet was commissioned around 1875/76 by Edward, Prince of Wales—the eldest son of Queen Victoria and later King Edward VII, following his return from a journey to India. In recognition of Wingfield's pivotal role in the development of the sport, Edward had the racquet crafted with a handle inlaid with Indian ivory that the prince had brought back from his travels. Having survived both World Wars within Buckingham Palace, the racquet was presented to the Slazenger/Dunlop company by the Royal Family after World War II. Its location remained a mystery for many years until it was rediscovered in France.