Unsigned, Title-page, 1555.
Letterpress and woodcut. 145 mm x 100 mm. © Photo: Royal Academy of Arts, London.
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Title-page, 1555
Unsigned
RA Collection: Art
A first edition of the first book printed about tennis. Tennis was one of the most popular hand ball games for more than four centuries from the 16th century onwards, existing in a variety of versions. Scaino da Salo was an Italian priest welcomed into the ecclesiastical court of Alfonso d' Este. The rules for different types of games and their various interpretations often led to arguments and it was apparently after one such discussion with Alfonso that Scaino decided to pursue writing a book which formalised and detailed the rules of the game.
Object details
145 mm x 100 mm
Trattato Del Giuoco Della Palla Di Messer Antonio Scaino Da Salò, Diviso In Tre Parti. Con Due Tavole, L'Una De Capitoli, l'atra delle cose piu notabili, che in esso si contengono. Con Privilegio. - In Vinegia: [1555]
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