A Perfect Past – The 1880s Enigma

Manuf.:    Period workshop

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Model:      London

Spec.:        Solid flat top. Multiple treblings. Unused

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Year:         1882

(documented or estimated)

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Background facts:

The Enigma racquet belongs to the 1880s and remains in unused condition. It represents an early stage of lawn tennis equipment with a flat top typical for the decade. Its proportions follow the construction habits of late nineteenth century makers who relied on consistent shaping and light wooden profiles.

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Period imagery places such frames within a growing sporting culture in which lawn tennis gained a wider public presence.

Makers relied on ash and other light woods that offered predictable strength during shaping and finishing. The flat top remained a common head form throughout the decade and reflected the technical understanding of the period.​