Tennis Collectables

Instruction & Coaching Books
1919 to 1930

This section contains Coaching/Instruction books published between 1919 and 1930. The books are listed in alphabetic order of title.

All books are British hardback editions without dustwrapper (D/W) unless otherwise stated. A description of the condition of each book is given using the following terms/abbreviations:
Mint - as new; VG - very good condition; Good - obviously used but complete with no major faults; Ex library - from a public or school library and may contain the occasional stamp or label but in many cases this is the only indication.

As stock is continually changing please email Tennis Collectables with a list of the item(s) you are interested in. We will then get back to you with details of postage costs. All prices include postage within the UK; overseas customers will be charged postage – it costs around $6 to send an average hardback book by Priority Airmail to the USA. We can accept payment by PayPal, Sterling cheques and Postal Orders, and International Money Orders in sterling.

FIRST STEPS TO LAWN TENNIS - A E BEAMISH. Mills & Boon; 1922 1st Edition; 95 pages. Instruction aimed at the beginner. Many photographs.
VG £15.00 (approx $25.50)

GORDON LOWE ON LAWN TENNIS - F GORDON LOWE. Hutchinson; 1924 1^st Edition; 160 pages. Practical handbook covering stroke and positional play with hints from famous players. 16 b&w photographic plates.
VG (front endpaper removed; school prize plate dated 1924 on front pastedown; gilt decoration to front board of ?Stonyhurst College) £20.00 (approx $34.00)


HOW TO LEARN LAWN TENNIS - CHARLES HIERONS. Ward Lock; 1922 Revised and Enlarged Edition; 190 pages.The Queen’s Club head professional discusses the best way for the average club player to improve. Also includes chapters by Suzanne Lenglen, Mrs Lambert Chambers and Mrs Larcombe. Many photographic illustrations.
VG (some foxing to pages but plates NOT affected) £25.00 (approx $42.50)


LACOSTE ON TENNIS - RENE LACOSTE. Burrow; 1928 1^st Edition; 191 pages. Contains coaching hints and plenty of photographs of Lacoste and his contemporaries in action.
VG in remains of D/W (approx one-third of the dustwrapper spine and half of front of dustwrapper is missing and edges are worn/torn) £40.00 (approx $68.00)
VG £35.00 (approx $59.50)
Good (spine torn at top & bottom) in remains of D/W from the 1931 Popular Edition (three quarters of the dustwrapper spine is missing and all edges are worn/torn) £20.00 (approx $34.00)


LAWN TENNIS - A E CRAWLEY. Methuen; 1919 1st Edition; 112 pages. 8 photographs illustrate this mainly coaching book which covers all the main strokes plus tactics. Chapter headings include How To Hold The Racket, The Forehand Drive, The Backhand Drive, The Drive In Relation To Tactics, The Volley, Service, The Double Game, Training and Health.
VG £25.00 (approx $42.50)
1921 3^rd Edition; VG £20.00 (approx $34.00)
1924 5^th Edition; VG £17.50 (approx $29.75)

LAWN TENNIS A METHOD OF ACQUIRING PROFICIENCY - MAJOR J C RENDALL. Cassell; 1930 Edition; 180 pages. Very detailed and comprehensive coaching manual with illustrative photographs.
VG (corners of boards and spine rubbed; binding tender) £20.00 (approx $34.00)

LAWN TENNIS AS IT IS PLAYED TODAY - HAMILTON PRICE. Renwick Of Otley; 1924 1^st Softcover Edition; 84 pages. Published in the Spalding Athletic Library, this book is a guide to lawn tennis. The 4 sections cover Modern Lawn Tennis, Strokes Of The Game, Tournaments, and Lawn Tennis In The Public School. Also includes Laws Of The Game, How To Mark Out A Court, and Rules of  Lawn Tennis. Illustrated with 41 full page black and white photographs of contemporary players including Lenglen, Tilden, Johnston, Cochet, Wills.
Book in worn condition - covers missing, creasing to corners of pages £7.50 (approx $12.75)

LAWN TENNIS DO'S AND DON'TS - A E CRAWLEY. Methuen; 1922 2^nd Edition; 51 pages. A coaching book that covers how to play and how not to play all the major strokes.
VG (minor marks to covers) £17.50 (approx $29.75)


LAWN TENNIS FOR COMING PLAYERS – F W LAST. Caxton Press; 1920 3^rd Softcover Edition; 68 pages. Coaching manual ‘intended for the those who have reached a fair standard of skill and wish to know how to correct their faults, and to improve and perfect those parts of the game in which they are deficient. It is a useful book from which even the most experienced player can  find helpful suggestions’. Illustrated by b&w photographs of the author demonstrating the strokes. Scarce.
Book in Very Good condition but there is some water staining to the end papers and last 4 pages (also affects tiniest part of corner of upper edge of pages) and staples are rusting £65.00 (approx $110.50)


LAWN TENNIS FOR PUBLIC COURTS PLAYERS - A J AITKEN. Methuen; 1924 1^st Edition; 58 pages. An early coaching book aimed at those that are new to the game and who have had no formal coaching. Illustrated by photographs.
VG (foxing throughout) £12.50 (approx $21.25)

LAWN TENNIS FOR YOUNG PLAYERS - WILLIAM T TILDEN. Methuen; 1924 2^nd Edition;  53 pages. Coaching manual aimed at the younger player which outlines the basic principles. 11 photographic plates illustrate the text.
VG (some fading to edges of covers) £22.50 (approx $38.25) SOLD OUT


LAWN TENNIS FOR YOUNG PLAYERS - WILLIAM T TILDEN. Methuen; 1927 3^rd Edition;  53 pages. Coaching manual aimed at the younger player which outlines the basic principles. 11 photographic plates illustrate the text.
VG £20.00 (approx $34.00)

LAWN TENNIS: GAME OF NATIONS - SUZANNE LENGLEN. Harrap; 1925 1^st Edition; 147 pages. Fascinating photos of Lenglen in this book in which she describes the major features of the game.
VG (some wear to edges of boards) £25.00 (approx $42.50)

LAWN TENNIS: GAME OF NATIONS - SUZANNE LENGLEN. Harrap; 1925 Reprint Edition; 147 pages. Fascinating photos of Lenglen in this book in which she describes the major features of the game.
VG (light foxing) £20.00 (approx $34.00)

LAWN TENNIS GUIDE - F GORDON LOWE. Robert Holden; 1926 1^st Edition; 186 pages. An interesting and wide-ranging book which, together with some coaching material, also covers organising tournaments, choosing and running a club, handicapping and many other fascinating topics. 16 photographs.
An ex library copy which has been rebound with leather spine/gilt lettering (shelf number on spine in white); tears to several pages and during the rebind pages have been trimmed affecting the captions to some plates £12.50 (approx $21.25)

LAWN TENNIS: HOW TO IMPROVE YOUR GAME - KATHLEEN MCKANE. Ward Lock; 1925 1^st Edition; 250 pages + 14 pages adverts. Excellent instruction section and a general overview of tennis. Illustrated by 33 action photographs of Kitty McKane (Mrs Godfree).
VG £40.00 (approx $68.00)
Good – frontispiece missing, glue repair to front hinge, foxing throughout the book, damage to edge of one plate £15.00 (approx $25.50)

LAWN TENNIS LESSONS FOR BEGINNERS AND OTHERS - EUSTACE MILES. London & Norwich Press; ?1925 1^st Edition; 85 pages + adverts. A coaching book aimed at improving the standard of the ordinary player.
VG but some wear to the paper covering the spine £25.00 (approx $42.50)

LAWN TENNIS LIBRARY VOL I: LAWN TENNIS LESSONS FOR BEGINNERS - J PARMLY PARET. American Lawn Tennis; 1926 2^nd US Edition; 160 pages. An excellent coaching manual for the newcomer to the game. Separate chapters on each of the main strokes. Many clear illustrative photographs.
This copy has covers lightly marked with edges rubbed. Internally light water mark to the majority of pages affecting just the outer 2” £40.00 (approx $68.00)

LAWN TENNIS LIBRARY VOL II: MECHANICS OF THE GAME - J PARMLY PARET. American Lawn Tennis; 1926 1^st US Edition; 269 pages. An exhaustive analysis of all the motions of the expert players while making their strokes. Profusely illustrated with photographs from slow motion films made by the USLTA.Gilt decoration to front board/spine.
VG (minor marking to top edge of front board) £90.00 (approx $153.00)


LAWN TENNIS OF TODAY: ITS STROKES, STRATEGY & TACTICS - F R BURROW. C Arthur Pearson; 1921 Softcover Edition; 122 pages. A complete guide to the game with diagrams of match play, rules etc written by the renowned referee.
Good (edgewear and creasing to front cover; rear cover and most of paper covering spine missing) £10.00 (approx $17.00)


LAWN TENNIS OF TODAY: ITS STROKES, STRATEGY & TACTICS - F R BURROW. C Arthur Pearson; 1924 New and Revised Edition; 121 pages. A complete guide to the game with diagrams of match play, rules etc written by the renowned referee. Covers the main strokes, tactics, doubles play, equipment and has a section on tournament play.
VG £20.00 (approx $34.00)


LAWN TENNIS SIMPLIFIED - KATHLEEN GODFREE. Thornton Butterworth; 1929 1^st Edition; 218 pages. A large part of this coaching book is on the mental and psychological aspects of the game. The 6 sections cover Conditions For Play, The Different Strokes, Headwork, Temperament Stamina & Training, The Rules & Their Interpretation, and Competitive Lawn Tennis. Many splendid photographs of Mrs Godfree.
VG £40.00 (approx $68.00)  SOLD OUT


LAWN TENNIS THE MODERN GAME - M J G RITCHIE. Athletic Publications; 1928 4^th Softcover Edition; 94 pages. A coaching manual written by the 1908 and 1910 Wimbledon Doubles champion. The strokes are illustrated by 20 photographs of the author.
VG (some damage to spine, creasing to front cover) £20.00 (approx $34.00)

LAWN TENNIS THE WORLD GAME OF TODAY - F R BURROW. Hodder & Stoughton; 1922 1^st Edition; 271 pages. Predominantly a coaching book but includes much on the administrative side of tournaments. 48 action plates of leading players of the day demonstrating the strokes plus 34 photos of Mrs Larcombe showing the correct grips, stance etc.
Good – boards worn at edges and repairs to cloth at spine, internally foxing to some pages £30.00 (approx $51.00)

LEARNING LAWN TENNIS - BETTY NUTHALL. Herbert Jenkins; 1928 1^st Edition; 240 pages. Mainly coaching with chapters on all the strokes. There are many references to Nuthall’s contemporaries. Photos of the author are used to illustrate the book.
VG (some age spotting to page edges) £20.00 (approx $34.00)

a\thoughts on Lawn Tennis – looks at the major strokes and the strengths and weaknesses of the players of the day, plus his views on how to play the game. Illustrated with black and white photographs.
VG £75.00 (approx $127.50)


MATCH PLAY AND THE SPIN OF THE BALL - WILLIAM T TILDEN. American Lawn Tennis; 1925 1st US Edition; 355 pages. THE classic coaching manual. The first section is devoted to Tilden's coaching ideas, the second section being a resume of Tilden's life by Stephen Wallis Merrihew. Scarce.
VG with the edges of boards lightly rubbed. Previous owners name written very neatly in ink on fep and title page. A nice tight book £250.00 (approx $425.00)


SINGLES AND DOUBLES IN LAWN TENNIS - WILLIAM T TILDEN. Methuen; 1927 3^rd  Edition; 228 pages. Another of Tilden's excellent books filled with coaching hints and anecdotes. Includes 13 pages of b&w plates of the greats of the era.
VG (spine faded) £30.00 (approx $51.00) SOLD OUT

STROKES AND SCIENCE OF LAWN TENNIS - P A VAILE. American Sports Publishing Co;  ?1924 US  Softcover Edition; 131 pages + adverts. Published as part of Spalding's Athletic Library this book contains 73 photographic plates demonstrating the strokes. Contains a number of fascinating advertisements.
VG but cover partially detached and worn at spine £25.00 (approx $42.50)

TENNIS - HELEN WILLS. Charles Scribners; 1928 1^st Edition; 214 pages. An excellent coaching manual which includes many personal anecdotes and reminiscences by one of the all-time greats. All the illustrations drawn by the author.
VG £50.00 (approx $85.00)

TENNIS - HELEN WILLS. Charles Scribners; 1928 1^st US Edition; 214 pages. An excellent coaching manual which includes many personal anecdotes and reminiscences by one of the all-time greats. All the illustrations drawn by the author.
VG in edgeworn/torn D/W which has some loss at upper edge £75.00 (approx $127.50)


TENNIS AND HOW TO PLAY IT WITH INTRODUCTION BY MISS K MCKANE. Daily News; nd (?1924) 1^st Softcover Edition; 62 pages. Instruction for all – stance, grip, strokes etc illustrated by 10 b&w photographic plates plus diagrams. Two page introduction by Kitty McKane.
VG (light creasing to the covers) £35.00 (approx $59.50)

TENNIS FOR WOMEN WITH SPECIAL REFERENCE TO THE TRAINING OF TEACHERS - LOU EASTWOOD ANDERSON. A S Barnes; 1926 1^st US Edition; 150 pages. Early instruction book aimed at coaches with the emphasis on teaching tennis to women. 18 wonderful b&w photos mainly of group drills.
VG - some writing in bold black ink on spine and endpapers (? ex college library but no inkstamps) and some underlining of text £40.00 (approx $68.00)


TOP-FLITE TENNIS - MARY K BROWNE. American Sports Publishing Co; 1928 1^st US Edition; 128 pages. 'Practical instruction developed from personal experience and taught successfully by Miss Browne to her pupils'. Illustrated by line drawings of the stars of the day.
Good (paper covering spine worn and binding fragile) £25.00 (approx $42.50)