Various Sports, Including Cricket, Tennis, Golf

Lot 2583    Day 2    Various Sports, Including Cricket, Tennis, Golf

Estimate $1,750
Bid at live.noble.com.au

NZLTA (NZ LAWN TENNIS ASSOCIATION), prize medals (4), all handcrafted in gold (9ct, tot wt 40.01g, 36x36mm, 37x41mm, 37x43.5mm, 38x43mm), all by M&K (Mayer & Kean, Wellington), the first with pin-back (missing pin), the rest with scroll and ring top suspension, reverse inscribed (1) 'N Z L T A/Ladies'/Championship/Singles/M.Speirs/1923', (2) 'N Z L T A/Combined/Championship/Doubles/Miss M.Speirs/1925', (3) 'N Z L T A/Ladies/Championship/Singles/1927', (4) N Z L T A/Ladies/Championship/Doubles/1928'; Wellington Lawn Tennis Association, Junior Representative, badge in gilt and enamel (37x26mm), by Mayer & Kean Ld, Wellington, pin-back and with suspender for ribbon below; N.Z.L.T.A. (NZ Lawn Tennis Association), badge in silvered and enamel (65x22mm), no maker, pin-back with ribbon and clasp 1930-31; WLTAC (Wellington Lawn Tennis Association Competition), Nunneley Casket, voided badge in gilt and enamel (34x33mm), no maker, pin-back and with suspender for ribbon below with clasp 1933-34; another identical but with clasps for 1953-54, 1954-55, 1955-56, 1956-57; N Z Lawn Tennis Umpires Association, badge in gilt and enamel (25mm), no maker, pin-back, reverse numbered 412, with ribbon and clasp 'Salek Cup./1955'. The third medal missing a small ball from one edge, otherwise fine - good very fine. (9)

Mary Hamilton 'May' Speirs was one of New Zealand's outstanding tennis players. She married Harry Mitchell Dykes in 1929 and continued to play competition tennis winning the New Zealand championship in 1931 as Mrs Dykes.^^The Nunneley Casket originated from Kathleen Nunneley who was the best woman tennis player in New Zealand in the late 1890s and early 1900s. She had her tennis gold medals made into a trophy, the Nunneley Casket, which was competed for in interprovincial women's tennis. It is still awarded to the champion women's tennis team.