Antique Tennis Ball Cleaner
Antique Tennis Ball Cleaner
H.J. Gray & Sons Ltd. Lawn Tennis Ball Cleaner.
A rare Victorian 'Automatic Tennis Ball Cleaner' manufactured by Gray & Sons Ltd. Cambridge. The body is made from two cast iron ends with a curved metal sheet, there is a cylindrical drum inside which has an arrangement of brushes attached. Works in a similar way as the hand held lawn tennis ball cleaner the "Kleenball", as the brushes will scrub the surface of the lawn tennis balls to clean them. The tennis ball is placed into the hole in the top and with the rotation of the handle the ball will work its way through the mechanism, there is a sliding trap door in the bottom to release the ball. Cast into the surface of the front of the device are Grays details, "Tennis Ball Cleaner, Automatic, H.J. Gray & Sons Ltd., Cambridge". It is designed to be either free standing or attached to a bench by means of the bolt holes in the four cast iron legs.
The idea was first patented by John Osmond of Clifton, Kent, on 30th November 1887. Several manufacturers, including Spalding, Ash and Gray himself later made similar devices. In full working order.
The size given is without the handle, the handle adds an extra 17 cm to the depth. Price shown is for the ball cleaner only.
Dimensions:
1850-1899
1890's
Cast iron
United Kingdom
Good working order, some rust but otherwise sound.
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![](https://www.pinterest.com/pin/create/button/?url=https://sportantiques.co.uk/tennis-and-racquet-sports/general-2/antique-tennis-ball-cleaner&media=https://seek-unique-co.s3.amazonaws.com/sportantiques-64hFGwj3-uEHU73t22/stock/6390b29eeecf7_3_29354.jpg&description=H.J. Gray & Sons Ltd. Lawn Tennis Ball Cleaner.A rare Victorian 'Automatic Tennis Ball Cleaner' manufactured by Gray & Sons Ltd. Cambridge. The body is made from two cast iron ends with a curved metal sheet, there is a cylindrical drum inside which has an arrangement of brushes attached. Works in a similar way as the hand held lawn tennis ball cleaner the "Kleenball", as the brushes will scrub the surface of the lawn tennis balls to clean them. The tennis ball is placed into the hole in the top and with the rotation of the handle the ball will work its way through the mechanism, there is a sliding trap door in the bottom to release the ball. Cast into the surface of the front of the device are Grays details, "Tennis Ball Cleaner, Automatic, H.J. Gray & Sons Ltd., Cambridge". It is designed to be either free standing or attached to a bench by means of the bolt holes in the four cast iron legs.The idea was first patented by John Osmond of Clifton, Kent, on 30th November 1887. Several manufacturers, including Spalding, Ash and Gray himself later made similar devices. In full working order.The size given is without the handle, the handle adds an extra 17 cm to the depth. Price shown is for the ball cleaner only.){kind=link}