Us Patent No. 223673 Tennis Ball Cover by Dw Ellis (1935) — D.W. Ellis's 1935 filing maps the humble tennis ball jacket with the seriousness of a cartographer, its curving seams and stitched panels drawn in the years when felted spheres still arrived loose in tins and a proper cover was the difference between a tournament ball and a backyard relic.

About the Source

Bella Frye sources sports artifacts from American archives — the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office for inventor's drawings, and from the great American tobacco-card and broadside traditions for vintage memorabilia: Allen & Ginter, T206, Cracker Jack, Boston Garter, the Negro League broadsides, and the early press photographs that documented baseball, football, golf, and the rest of the American sporting century.

Materials & Finish

Printed to order in our Pacific Northwest studio on premium 380gsm cotton canvas with archival pigment inks. Hand-finished and framed in our signature ornate frame with verdigris corner detail, available in three finishes:

• Ebony — deep black with carved ornate detailing; dramatic against light walls
• Verdigris — aged copper-green with antique patina; the signature Bella Frye look
• Bourbon — warm walnut tone with ornate relief; rich and historically grounded

Stretched canvas (frameless gallery wrap) is available for those who prefer a frameless presentation.

Where It Belongs

Game rooms, dens, sports bars, fan caves, home offices, and any space where the engineering and folklore of American sport earn wall presence. Pairs naturally with other documents from the Bella Frye Sports Memorabilia collection — patents, portraits, programs, and the artifacts of the great American game.

• Premium 380gsm cotton canvas, archival pigment inks
• Three frame finishes: Ebony, Verdigris, Bourbon
• Stretched canvas option available
• Hand-finished in our Pacific Northwest studio
• Arrives ready to hang
• Free shipping on every order, ships next business day