The Table Tennis Collector

Transcription

1 The Table Tennis Collector Journal of the Table Tennis Collectors Society 42 Fall 2006 The first game of Tennis on a table: David Foster s Parlour Table Games, patented 1890, England. See page 4 In this issue: o Athens Olympic torch donation page 2 o Demon Bats? page 3 o The First Table Tennis Set pages 4-5 o Auction Action pages 6-8 o Laszlo Bellak: 95 Years page 9 o Bromfield Autograph Book Found pages o World Championship Philately pages by Hans-Peter Trautmann & Winfried Engelbrecht o Philatelic Update Jos Zinkstok&Jan Nusteleijn, p.14 o Photo Gallery pages o Heavy Metal: Badges and Pins from the 1975 World Championship page 18 No. 42 The Table Tennis Collector Page 1

2 The Table Tennis Collector Issue 42 Fall 2006 Editor: Chuck Hoey, Curator ITTF Museum, Switzerland Athens 2004 Olympic Torch I am pleased to announce a recent major donation to the ITTF Museum: a torch from the Athens 2004 Olympic Games. The Museum is now trying to acquire all torches since 1988 when Table Tennis made its Olympic debut in Seoul. The torches will be on exhibit in the ITTF Olympics room, which includes a theater for viewing vintage films and Olympics finals, as well as all Olympics posters, photos of the Gold medalists, an exhibit of Olympics pins, and the sculpture presented by Honorary Life President Juan Antonio Samaranch. The ITTF Museum will also offer satellite coverage on giant screen television for live viewing of the Olympics and World Championships. Did You Know...? Fun Facts about Table Tennis TT balls were used to surface a sunken vessel, recently proved by MythBusters on TV - the idea and technical approach were taken from a comic book! TT balls were used in the 1930s for experimental tuberculosis treatment TT balls were used in an airplane for flotation on trans-atlantic flight (1936) - the Museum has one of the balls, signed by the pilot! Large ball (44mm) Table Tennis is actively played in Japan DONIC produces a 55mm ball Table Tennis ranked 5th in tv audience during the Olympic Games in Athens 2004 ITTF Founding President Hon.Ivor Montagu used a type of sponge bat in the 1920s: a racket surfaced with springy aerated rubber - from the ITTF Archives website From the Editor This is the third issue of the Table Tennis Collector series to be published by the International Table Tennis Federation (ITTF) Museum. I am pleased to continue the following policies: 1. Free subscriptions 2. full color production 3. pdf downloads via the Museum website: 4. Free classified ads 5. An increase to 4 issues per year An announcement with links to each issue will be ed to all members as soon as the downloads are available. Contact the editor if you are having any diffiulties with the download and we will work out a solution best for your system configuration. For those who have no internet access, a black & white version can be mailed. The vast majority of the collecting community has internet access and , so they can enjoy each issue in living color! I want to stress the continuing need for articles from the membership for publication in our journal. With active participation the journal can become more educational and diverse, reflecting the interests of our global membership. Copyright Notice Despite numerous published announcements and direct contact about the ITTF Museum copyright policy, the bad apples continue to spoil it for all - previous permissions are now cancelled. If you want to use ITTF Museum images, you must now apply for permission in writing & agree to the ITTF Museum usage & copyright policy. Use of such images requires the following caption credit, clearly readable and immediately adjacent to each image: Copyright ITTF Museum All Rights Reserved If such images are used on the internet, then the museum website address must be an operational clickable hot link that when clicked transfers to the ITTF Museum website. Chasing after internet thieves is a waste of valuable time that could be better spent promoting Table Tennis history. Special thanks to fellow members for continuing to report offenders. Reminder: Submit your membership details to the editor: museum@ittf.com On the Cover: The first game of Table Tennis patented by David Foster (ENG) in 1890 Noted graphics artist Bob Everitt re-creates the boxlid lithograph - see p.4 No. 42 The Table Tennis Collector Page 2

3 Demon Bats? These unusual bats were described in a recent auction as Demon bats due no doubt to the ears at the top of the bat face. One can easily imagine the remaining facial features to form a demonic head. In fact Slazengers produced a Demon Tennis racket as well as Demon balls, and their advertising showed a classic devil s face. But after studying the bats more closely, I discovered the top features were not intended to suggest a demon at all, and instead they were functional... as a ball pick-up! The ears are just snug enough to grip a Table Tennis ball (38mm). The idea of incorporating a ball pick-up within a bat was tried in at least two other designs, as shown below. Above: Patent diagrams for a strung racket and a drum battledore with one side equipped with elastic bands for picking up a ball. An original English Patent No. 2042, granted on 22 May, 1902, is in the ITTF Museum. Left: Wood bat with a cup fashioned out of the handle bottom. The rim of the cup is slightly tapered to grip the ball. An original English Patent No.20,452, granted on 4 Dec.1902, is in the ITTF Museum Looking for something special, or do you have items to offer to the membership? Place a free classified ad in the Table Tennis Collector! WANTED: *** Original programs from these World Championships: Stockholm 1928 Budapest 1929 Berlin 1930 Prague 1936 Available: 1926 World Ch program! Contact the editor if you can help: museum@ittf.com No. 42 The Table Tennis Collector Page 3

4 The First Image of Table Tennis by Gerald Gurney & Chuck Hoey Editor: Several years ago the ITTF Museum acquired, from Founding Member Gerald Gurney, the first game of Tennis on a table, patented in 1890 by David Foster of England. The set includes the first Table Tennis rackets, beautifully crafted strung rackets with small heads, along with the original balls, 30mm cloth covered to look like a tennis ball. The set is now exhibited in the ITTF Museum in a special room devoted to the birth of Table Tennis. The ITTF Museum is planning to enhance this exhibit by re-creating a Victorian parlor, including two mannequins, man & woman, dressed in period costume, curtains, old fashioned chairs and lamp... The re-creation of the Foster lithograph Lawn Tennis panel is available as a high-quality giclee print on fine artist stock for only 25 GBP. Frame not included. Contact the artist at: bob.everitt@btinternet.com In The Table Tennis Collector Number 10, of February 1996, I wrote about an item in my collection, namely Mr. David Foster s Parlour Lawn Tennis, patented in 1890; this is lawn-tennis-on-a-table and is very clearly the first version of what we now call table tennis. It is of such extreme rarity that - despite diligent searches over 10 years - no other example has been found. You will have to visit the ITTF Museum, where it is now permanently set up as an important feature, to see it. [Editor s note: extreme rarity translates to expensive - another case for me of heart happy, wallet sad] Originally, there was a large box, also containing miniature games of cricket and football; the latter is now in a museum in Spain. Inside the lid of the box there is a large, and highly decorative label - in the form of a tryptich - showing the family at play, but, most unfortunately, the tennis illustration is badly scarred by resin, absorbed over many years, from the wood, and it is not suitable for publication. Now however, Robert Everitt, a professional graphics artist (and designer of The Tennis Collector which I produce), has, over many hours, reconstructed the entire tennis image by use of Illustrator, the computer drawing programme. Re-creation of the Foster Parlour Lawn Tennis panel by noted graphics artist Robert Everitt (ENG) Right: Two of the panels from the large boxlid lithograph Below: The only known example of the first game of tennis on a table, Parlour Lawn Tennis, patented by David Foster (ENG), No. 42 The Table Tennis Collector Page 4

5 Above: The first rackets for Parlour Lawn Tennis Length=44.2cm; Head width=11.7cm; gut strung Left: Patent abstract for Foster s game compendium, including Lawn Tennis, Cricket, & Football Below: The first ball for Parlour Lawn Tennis 30cm diameter, covered with cotton cloth to look like a Lawn Tennis ball. Becasue of the elaborate side nets, the inner core of the ball is presumed to be rubber, though the ball is now hardened from age. No. 42 The Table Tennis Collector Page 5

6 Auction Action This Spalding set in wood box, one of two varieties made in 1902 with beautiful color lithograph, sold for $410. Plain wood bats may have held the price down somewhat. Silver spoon: 11.5 GBP 9k gold brooch with jade insets, hallmarked 1901, 56GBP Royal Bayreuth creamer, with flaws: $61 Above: Competition for picture postcards showing Table Tennis continues to be intense, resulting in amazing, even ridiculous prices. This modern riske postcard sold for $40. Right: A rare early French set with 4 strung rackets and an unusual ball pick-up device and striped balls went to a new member for a strong $590. Please send the ball pick-up to the ITTF Museum immediately! No. 42 The Table Tennis Collector Page 6

7 Racket Report STIGA Alser: $152 Rare Bergmann picture bat: $33.50!? Ayres strung racket, sold for only 12 GBP $405 The bargain of the year, above right: an Ayres strung racket marked Table Tennis sold to a member for only 12 Pounds! The rare Bergmann picture bat sold initially for $152, but the winner failed to pay, so the bat was re-listed. The second auction resulted in another bargain, selling for an incredible $ This bat can be easily restored to its former glory. Vintage STIGA bats continue to fetch premium prices. A Tage Flisberg Flisan hard rubber bat (below left) sold for a strong $427, while a Stiga Grive Artist hardbat (left) went for $405, both in very competitive auctions. A Stiga Hornet with decal intact commanded $456. An Ehrlich picture bat (below right) with the characteristic slant-cut perforated handle realised $306. A second example sold for 143GBP, and a third example, actually a Hanno Ehrlich that the seller tried to pass off as a Stiga, fooled nobody. A Hans Alser model sold for $152. Why the big prices you ask? Some players feel that the old wood used on the vintage Stiga bats is now perfectly seasoned, and in actual play the wood improves their attack. I have seen a photo of Belgium s Philippe Saive using an old STIGA Ehrlich blade. $455 Stiga Flisan hardbat: $427 Stiga Ehrlich: $306 No. 42 The Table Tennis Collector Page 7

8 ebay Odds n Ends The rare Louis Wain Ping-Pong book went to a member for 161GBP This rare humorous perspective on the influence of the new game sold for 104 GBP With Cuban leader Fidel castro s health in the news, the price for this vintage photo shot up to $120 Several of these 1961 souvenir sheet FDC have surfaced in China recently, this example selling for a surprising $455; a second example sold for $360 Pyrographic art bat, sold for $71 Caveat Emptor: This is actually a page from a 1981 book about Louis Wain. Some sellers put it in a frame and try to pass it off as a genuine Louis Wain lithograph. This Louis Wain print did not sell. No. 42 The Table Tennis Collector Page 8

9 Laszlo Bellak: 95 Years Philip Reid (ENG) wrote warmly about Laci: He was the supreme exhibition player. There has never been anyone in his class for sheer entertainment. He could play a long rally without looking at the table at all.... I suspect the pleasure he got out of making so many people happy more than compensated for the unjust rewards of his efforts in world championships. Laci placed a poem he wrote at the end of his book that reflects his life perspective: I won many matches, and lost a few too. Had trophies and parties, and all the rest. But win or lose I was the happiest when I could struggle and did my best. While we mourn the loss of one of the greatest hardbat players of all time, it is time now to celebrate his remarkable life. Towards that end I plan to create a memorial tribute exhibit in his honor in the ITTF Museum. He will be reunited with his fellow Musketeers and lifelong pals, Victor Barna and Miklos Szabados. I encourage our readers to help with this exhibit - I would like to include a Bellak bat, and other memorabilia. Please contact the curator if you can help: museum@ittf.com Laszlo Laci Bellak died peacefully in his sleep in a VA hospital in upstate New York in the early hours of Wednesday 20th September 2006 at age 95. Would that we all could lead such a long and vibrant life. Laci was one of our last links to that Golden Age of classic hardbat Table Tennis, a true superstar, racconteur, great entertainer, and a Charter Member of the ITTF Hall of Fame. In World Championships he won 7 Gold, 9 Silver and 3 Bronze medals, plus numerous Hungarian, European, and later, American national titles. I highly recommend his book, How a Sport was Born (1990), which includes many great photographs. The late Zdenko Uzorinac's wrote a good retrospective in Table Tennis Legends, including this great story: "The three musketeers walked in the Budapest streets. Szabados debated with Barna who was the better Table Tennis master. They almost quarrelled, but then decided to ask the first passer-by and abide by his decision. Bellak stopped the first man who came along and asked him if he knew the two gentlemen with him. 'No, Mr.Bellak, I don't,' replied the stranger." Photos: How a New Sport was Born, Laszlo Bellak (1990) Top: Laci with his trusted hard rubber bat and one of his many trophies. After moving to America he won 23 national championships. Above: The legendary Three Musketeers: Bellak, Szabados and Barna. They were Ambassadors of Table Tennis who helped to popularize the sport by their exhibitions. Left: Cover photo on his book. Laci was very athletic and had quite an impressive muscular build. No. 42 The Table Tennis Collector Page 9

10 Bromfield Autograph Book Found! A real treasure found its way to the ITTF Museum recently: the autograph book of Valerie Bromfield, daughter of early English star Percival Bromfield. The photo on the left appears in the first World Championship programme from Percival won the English Championships in 1904, then again in 1924, demonstrating quite remarkable longevity. The programme indicates he was a clothing manufacturer, born in 1886: He invented the flick-stroke, the foundation of the modern attacking game. He is tempermental, a master of top-spin and uses the rubber racket. Bromfield also served as English team Captain, and apparently he and Valerie, a fine player in her own right (winner of the English Championships), acquired the autographs from the late 1920s to 1935, at the early World Championships, international matches, and the prestigious English Championships. The autographs include a host of World Singles Champions: Maria Mednyanszki ( ), Zoltan Mechlovits (1928) Fred Perry (1929), Victor Barna (1930, ), Miklos Szabados (1931), Standa Kolar (1936), Bohumil Vana (1938,1947), World Doubles Champions: Dani Pecsi (1926), Liebster (1928), Kelen (1929), Sandor Glancz (1933), the late Laszlo Bellak (1938)... and many other noted players of that era: Ehrlich, Hamr, Hazi, Guerin, Adrian Haydon, Bull, Svoboda... and ITTF/ETTA President Ivor Montagu. Autographs from an international match in April England: Bromfield (captain), Bull, Haydon & future World Champ Fred Perry. Hungary: new World Champion Zoltan Mechlovits (captain), Pecsi, Glancz & Bellak. Sadly Laci Bellak passed away this month, aged 95 Thank you Valerie, for gathering these famous autographs! Standa Kolar (CZE) 1936 World Singles Champ Left: A.Liebster, 1928 World Doubles Champion Right: Alex Ehrlich, 3-time World Singles Finalist No. 42 The Table Tennis Collector Page 10

11 Autographs of the Stars 5-time World Singles Champion Maria Mednyanszky (HUN) 1929 World Champion Fred Perry, who also won Wimbledon in 1934 Participants in an early English Championships in Liverpool: Bromfield, Proffitt, Cooke, 5-time World Singles Champion Victor Barna, 1931 World Singles Champion Miklos Szabados, Bull, Sandor Glancz, Madjaroglou, Nickelsburg Czech team, featuring Bo Vana, who went on to win 2 World Singles titles Hungarian team, including Istvan Kelen, Tibor Hazi, the late Laszlo Bellak, and captain Wilcsek. English team, captained by Ivor Montagu No. 42 The Table Tennis Coillector Page 11

12 World Championship Philately Part 10 by Hans-Peter Trautmann & Winfried Engelbrecht World Table Tennis Championships 1975 Corner block of 4 with traffic lights Stamp issued by India on 6.Feb.1975 *** See also page 18 for some of the Heavy Metal badges used during the 1975 World Championships No. 42 The Table Tennis Collector Page 12

13 Hand postmark (big letters & numbers) Used on First Day Covers (FDC) at: Machine postmark (clearer, smallernumbers & letters) used on First Day Covers (FDC) at: Bombay Calcutta Madras New Delhi Ahmedabad Bangalore Bombay Calcutta Cuttack Hyderabad Jaipur Kanpur Lucknow Madras Naspur New Delhi Patna Trivandrum 56 A.P.O. FDC postmark from Calcutta Special postmark Calcutta Used during the Championships in the Netaji Indoor Stadium, 6-16 February 1975 Sheet and stamp from North Korea for the World Table Tennis Championships 1975 No. 42 The Table Tennis Collector Page 13

14 Philatelic Update Jan Nusteleijn and Jos Zinkstok continue their regular update about Table Tennis stamps, postmarks and other items of philatelic interest. Please send your contributions for the philatelic pages to: Jos Zinkstok Neckarstraat 8 NL-9406 VN ASSEN The Netherlands j.zinkstok@poveia.nl Stamps and Sheets P.R.China 1959 stamp with variety ball passed player Ivory Coast 2005 stamp and sheet, looking forward to the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games Sao Tome e Principé Athens 2004 Olympic Games Ryu Seung Min P.R.China 2006: different sheets of 29th O.G. with ancient symbols of all Olympic sports in border. At the top left table tennis P.R.China 2006, personalised stamp, sheet of 8 stamps with different tabs in honor of the 6th Employee Sport Games of the Lu Wan district of Shanghai P.R.China First personalised stamp, sheet of 10 stamps with different tabs showing mascots and sports of the 29th Olympic Games For their contribution to these pages we want to thank Tang Ganxian, David de Beul, Leo v.d.sommen, Winfried Engelbrecht,Anton Zwiebel and Gao Yi-Bin for their great support All stamps and cancellations are shown at 100; sheets & sheetlets at 25 to 50% No. 42 The Table Tennis Collector Page 14

15 Cancellations - Postcards - Vignettes Italy: Ping Pong for UNICEF city Palermo Italy: th anniversary Fitet in Jesolo P.R.China: International Olympic Day in city Jin Chang P.R.China: Fifth Anniversary of successful bidding for Olympic Games in Beijing 2008 P.R.China: th Olympic Games, sports cancellation of city Wen Zhou (left) and Chang Zhou (right) See TT collector 41: also in black Hungaria: Paralympics First Day Cancellation P.R.China : Sport Stamp Exhibition in Hunan city Germany: to Four special postcards World Veterans Table Tennis Dates of issue: Rep. of Guinea: (TTC #38 p.13) Serbia: (TTC #38 p.13) Sao Tome e Principe: (TTC #39 p.13) N.Corea: (TTC #41 p.12) Hungaria March 2006, vignette to commemorate the ITTF 80th anniversary Cancellations shown at 100% and vignettes & postcards at 25% to 50% No. 42 The Table Tennis Collector Page 15

16 This photo comes with a story... Liz Taylor and Richard Burton had a chateau in Gstaad, Switzerland, where they often relaxed by playing Table Tennis. Not long after Richard gave her the famous 69-carat diamond, he asked Liz to play and offered to buy her another perfect diamond if she won. Diamonds are a gal s best friend, and Liz won the game. Richard had a little prank in mind, as he bought the smallest perfect diamond he could find and had it set into a pinky ring. When they were invited to a soiree at the palace of Prince Ranier & Princess Grace in Monaco, Liz debuted the huge diamond, but she also wore the pinky ring. When all the A-list guests approached Liz to admire the big rock, she held her little finger up in the air and said that she won it at Ping Pong! Featured exhibit: Vintage Celebrity Photo Gallery One of the most popular exhibits in the ITTF Museum is a gallery of celebrity photographs showing politicians, actors, musicians, sports heroes and even royalty playing Table Tennis. Most all of the stars are wearing a big smile, and together these wonderful photographs from all walks of life demonstrate that Table Tennis is fun to play and a wholesome form of exercise for everyone. Right: Charlie Chaplin with Bebe Daniels. Chaplin is buried not far from the Museum. Below left: Judy Garland Below right: 2 photos from Larry Hodges website: Prince Charles, PM Tony Blair No. 42 The Table Tennis Collector Page 16

17 Actor Humphrey Bogart Cuban leader Fidel Castro The legendary Beatles in 1963 Did his gadget man Q give James Bond an explosive forehand? Fay Wray, whom King Kong admired in the original 1933 movie Guess Who? No. 42 The Table Tennis Collector Page 17

18 Heavy Metal Badges from the 1975 The ITTF Founder President was Hon. Ivor Montagu, while H.Roy Evans was ITTF President from 1967 to A.K.Vint was Hon. Gen. Secretary from 1967 to World Championships Calcutta, India Published by the ITTF Museum on behalf of the Table Tennis Collectors Society, September 2006 Contact: ITTF Museum, Chemin de la Roche 11, CH-1020 RENENS, SWITZERLAND Tel: Website: ITTF Museum - No part of this publication may be reproduced without prior consent of the publisher No. 42 The Table Tennis Collector Page 18