Bussey Ball Tail Tennis Racket
Bussey Ball Tail Tennis Racket
Ball Tail Tennis Racket, George Gibson Bussey
A fine and rare example of a ball tail lawn tennis racket by Bussey 'The Tournament 2'. A nice 'Light' ash framed racket with Bussey's concave wave wedge. The wedge is embossed in gilt 'The Tournament 2' with the Bussey logo 'GEO.G.BUSSEY&Co.' at the top of the handle. The racket has a good straight frame with the original shoulder whipping and the unusual ball tail handle.
The racket is in excellent condition with some of the strings replaced in a professional manner.
George Gibson Bussey (1829 - 1889) was born in Yorkshire and apprenticed as a saddler. Bussey move to London where he managed to build up a successful business making gun cases and other leather shooting accessories. 1864 saw George Bussey begin to trade as a company and moved to Peckham. The 1870 records show Bussey's firm as "Firearms, Ammunition & Shooting Tackle Manufacturers" at the Museum Works, Rye Lane, Peckham.
Bussey patented more designs in 1876 for roller skates and an air pistol, and they were listed as George Bussey & Co "Leather Goods Manufacturers". The company began to manufacture a large selection of athletic goods and later made a reputation as a manufacturer of lawn tennis rackets and balls, they also made cricket bats, balls and stumps, footballs and other leather goods. In 1887 George Bussey was known as the largest manufacturer of athletic goods in London.
Circa 1910
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 was born in Yorkshire and apprenticed as a saddler. Bussey move to London where he managed to build up a successful business making gun cases and other leather shooting accessories. 1864 saw George Bussey begin to trade as a company and moved to Peckham. The 1870 records show Bussey's firm as "Firearms, Ammunition & Shooting Tackle Manufacturers" at the Museum Works, Rye Lane, Peckham.Bussey patented more designs in 1876 for roller skates and an air pistol, and they were listed as George Bussey & Co "Leather Goods Manufacturers". The company began to manufacture a large selection of athletic goods and later made a reputation as a manufacturer of lawn tennis rackets and balls, they also made cricket bats, balls and stumps, footballs and other leather goods. In 1887 George Bussey was known as the largest manufacturer of athletic goods in London.){kind=link}