Condition
10
10: New
9: Mint
8: Excellent
7: Good
6: Fair
5: Average
4: Below Average
3: Poor
|
Rarity
8
10: Impossibly rare
9: Extremely rare
8: Hard to find
7: Fairly rare
6: Uncommon
5: Common
<4: Big Seller
9: Mint
8: Excellent
7: Good
6: Fair
5: Average
4: Below Average
3: Poor
9: Extremely rare
8: Hard to find
7: Fairly rare
6: Uncommon
5: Common
<4: Big Seller
– – – – – – – – – – –
About This Racket
Although the Maxply was Dunlop’s hero racket, it made a large number of other variants, including the Alpha which was entry level and the Blue and Red Flash. The Blue Flash was also out in 1932, same year as the Maxply although the Maxply cost 75 shillings (£3.75 = £300 now) and the Blue Flash 42 shillings (£2.1 = £170 now)
They refreshed it several times but this is an original 2nd generation release around 1950. This one is especially interesting, first it is brand new in the bag, and it has a wood stamp from the shop in Harry Parkes, Birmingham which sold it. Unusually it is paints white by the factory inside the head hoop, very rare at the time. Lovely graphics for such an early racket in glorious white blue and green. According to newspaper adverts of the time in 1938 Dunlops range was
White Flash 42 (£2.10)
Blue DragonFly 35 (£1.75)
Green Flash 32/6(£1.63)
Gold DragonFly 27/6 (£1.37)
Red DragonFly 22/6 (£1.13)
Match Point 21 (£1.05)
Blue Wing 17/6 (£0.87)
.
Specifications
| Measurements | Value | Performance | Score |
|---|---|---|---|
| Weight | 394g | Power | 33/100 |
| Head Size & Length | 68sq in | 27inch | Control | 28/100 |
| Balance | 8pt head light (220) | Spin | 26/100 |
| Grip | Perforated leather | Handling | 30/100 |
| Strings | 18 x 20 | gut | Comfort | 49/100 |
| Flexibility | RA 49 | Consistency | 33/100 |
About Dunlop
Dunlop’s journey in tennis began in 1924 when the company started manufacturing tennis balls . This marked the beginning of a century-long legacy in the sport. In 1925, Dunlop strategically acquired F.A. Davies, a tennis racquet manufacturer, establishing itself as a recognized brand in the tennis world . In 1931 with the introduction of the Maxply Fort it became one of the most popular in tennis history, used by legendary players like Rod Laver . Dunlop continued to innovate, introducing one of the first metal tennis rackets in the 1950s . In 1980, in collaboration with Slazenger (which Dunlop acquired in 1959), they created the Max 200G, one of the first graphite tennis racquets . This racquet was used by tennis legends like Steffi Graf and John McEnroe
Gallery
Dunlop by Time
| Year | Event |
|---|---|
| 1888 | Dunlop patented his chamber of rubber to contain air under pressure and fastened it to a rim, effectively inventing the modern tire |
| 1923 | Dunlop enters the tennis ball market. |
| 1932 | Dunlop launches the Maxply tennis racket. |
| 1936 | For the first time, there are more Dunlop rackets at Wimbledon than any other brand. |
| 1956 | Lew Hoad wins Wimbledon and the Australian and French Opens with the Dunlop Maxply racket. |
| 1960 | Dunlop introduces the new ‘Flying D’ logo. |
| 1962 | Rod Laver wins all four Grand Slams in a single year using Dunlop Maxply rackets. |
| 1969 | Rod Laver becomes the only man in history to achieve a second, career-calendar year Grand Slam using Dunlop Maxply rackets. |
| 1980 | Dunlop launches the game-changing 150G racket – the first injection moulded carbon fibre racket. |
| 1981 | John McEnroe signed for Dunlop and beat Bjorn Borg in the Wimbledon final with the Maxply Fort racket. |
| 1982 | Dunlop launches the legendary 200G, injection-moulded, carbon fibre racket. |
| 1988 | Steffi Graf wins all four Grand Slam titles and Olympic Gold in the same calendar year – all using the Dunlop 200G racket. |
| 1988 | Dunlop sells its one millionth injection-moulded racket. |
| 2018 | Kevin Anderson reaches the men’s final at Wimbledon |