Alexander 100: taking the tennis world by storm

Image: Alexander 100 exhibition on display at the Museum at Inveresk. Photo: QVMAG

Exploring the innovation and manufacturing history of the Alexander Racquet Company, Tasmania.  

QVMAG Senior Curator of History, Jon Addison said the inspiration for the Alexander 100 exhibition came from the anniversary of the foundation of the Alexander Patent Racket Company. 

“The company was started by two brothers, Alfred Alexander and his brother Douglas, who patented a brand-new way of making tennis rackets – and it was really, really clever,” Jon said.  

“But it wasn't just about this idea. Plenty of people have had brilliant ideas and they never actually managed to make them work.  

“In this case, it was the combination of engineering and design brilliance, coupled with great marketing and continued innovation, that made the company stand out as one of the top racket manufacturers in in the world for quite a number of years.” 

Image: Alexander racquet display stand and racquets, on display within Alexander 100 the exhibition at the Museum at Inveresk. Photo: QVMAG

Used by a range of professional tennis athletes, the Alexander Tennis Raquet company fast became trusted brand in industry. 

QVMAG Assistant Curator History, Burcu Keane, said one household name that used Alexander racquets was Jack Crawford.  

"He is the Australian tennis player of the 1930’s – and he's best known for winning the French Championship, the Wimbledon Championship, and the Australian Championship,” Burcu said.   

“He came about one set close to winning the American USA championship – and if he had, all while using his Alexander Racquet, he would have been the first person ever to win a Grand Slam.”

The Alexander Raquet Company were celebrated within industry for their innovative manufacturing technique using dry lamination. 

"Prior to Alexander, racquets were generally made using a process called steam bending. This is where you take the wood, and you use steam to soften it and bend it around the mould,” Jon said.  

“Now the problem with that is, it actually weakens the racquet. So, what Alfred Alexander and Douglas Alexander came up with was a dry bending process where they dry laminated it. 

“They cut the wood into thinner strips and bent it dry – without steam – around a mould, then laminated it into place. That meant it could hold a lot more tension while being lighter and more responsive as a racquet.  

“It cut down the manufacturing process time by a huge amount so they could produce far more of them, far more efficiently. So, they produced a better racquet in less time. 

"Instead of taking months – or sometimes years – to dry, they could have been produced in around 16 hours, which is almost like moving from dial-up internet to fibre optic speed.” 

On display within the exhibition are significant tennis trophies – each donning their own intricate design incorporating pineapples as a decorative element.  

“This trophy, the Lawn Tennis Championship of Australasia Cup, was originally crafted in London in 1905 and served as the Perpetual Cup for the men's singles title at the Australian Open,” Burcu said. 

“It was awarded to Australian tennis legend Jack Crawford, following his third consecutive championship win in 1933, after also claiming the title in 1931 and 1932.  

“He again was using his favourite Alexander Cressy Flat Top Racquet – known for its distinctive flat top design. His victory marked a golden era in Australian tennis, and this cup stands as a symbol of his dominance on the court.”  

Image: The Lawn Tennis Championship of Australasia Cup, awarded to Australian tennis legend Jack Crawford, currently on display within the Alexander 100 exhibition on display at the Museum at Inveresk. Photo: QVMAG

“Pineapples are interesting because they became status symbols during the 1700s and 1800s,” Jon said. “They were seen as exotic, but there was also this kind of crazy competition amongst the aristocrats to grow pineapples in unsuitable climates, like Britain, in greenhouses.” 

“They employed people to run the boilers to keep the greenhouses hot so they could grow their pineapples as a status symbol.  

“Pineapples were included on all sorts of designs – including things like the Princes’ Square Fountain in Launceston's city centre – as key decorative elements of that period.”