RARE ANTIQUE AW GAMAGE LONDON FISHTAIL PATENT WOOD TENNIS RACKET 1890 EXCELLENT

Description

AW GAMAGE LONDON LTD
FISHTAIL TENNIS RACKET
RARE ANTIQUE
WOOD RACKET
ABOUT YEAR '1890
EXCELLENT CONDITION
Gamages began life in 1878 in a rented watch repair shop and, after quickly becoming a success amongst its customers, was established as a London institution.
It was founded by Arthur Walter Gamage, who soon bought out his partner, Frank Spain.
In time it was to grow large enough to take up most of the block in which it was situated, it was unusual in that its premises were away from the main
Oxford Street
shopping area, being on the edge of the
City of London
at
Holborn Circus
.
Gamages also ran a successful mail-order business.
Many of those who were children at the time remember Gamages because of its unparallelled stock of toys of the day, and the Gamages
catalogue
, which was a well-loved gift during the autumn, in time for
Christmas
present requests to be made. One of the store's main attractions was a large model railway which alternated between a day and night scene by the use of lighting. The railway was provided by a man called Bertram Otto who was German by birth. It received many thousands of visitors every Christmas.
Gamages had many departments - a much larger number than modern department stores. There was a substantial hardware department on the ground floor which included specialist motor parts and car seat cover sections. There was a photographic department, and camping, pets, toys and sporting departments, the latter selling shotguns. The toy department was extensive and there were substantial fashion, furniture and carpeting departments .