Keeping Court Memories: Cases for Medals, Balls and Scorecards

There are things that carry as much meaning as a racket: the medal from a first tournament, a signed ball, a cut piece of net, a scorecard filled in by hand. Kept in separate drawers they are forgotten; displayed together they tell a story. In this article we explain what we pay attention to when gathering court memories into a single case.

Choose the story first, then the pieces

Putting everything into one case amounts to showing none of it. A selection that tells of a single season, a single tournament or a single player's early years is stronger than a pile gathered from fifteen different years. Once you have chosen the pieces, decide which one is the main piece; the layout in the case is built around it.

Depth: every piece has a different thickness

A medal takes a few millimetres, a ball close to six and a half centimetres. That is why a flat frame is not enough for court memories; a box frame or a case is needed. Choose the case depth according to the thickest piece and leave a few millimetres so the glass does not touch it. A recessed bed in which the ball sits half-sunk both reduces the depth and holds the ball in place.

The backing colour brings the pieces forward

A light backing brings out the ribbon of a medal and the yellow of a ball; a dark backing makes silver and chrome details shine. In a court-themed case, a clay red, grass green or hard-court blue backing quietly recalls the tournament the pieces come from. An acid-free backing fabric slows the yellowing of ribbons and paper over the years.

Mounting: without drilling, without glue

The most common mistake with memorabilia is fixing them with hot glue or double-sided tape; both leave marks that cannot be undone. We hold medals with a hidden stitch through the ribbon, balls in a recessed bed and paper pieces with acid-free corners. That way a piece can be taken out undamaged whenever it is wanted.

A label turns a memory into information

A small label added below the case — the name of the tournament, the year and the score — explains years later why that piece is there. The label does not need to be showy; a single line set in a fine serif is usually enough.

Light and humidity

Ribbon, paper and a leather grip are the materials most quickly affected by light. Do not hang the case on a wall in direct sun; UV-filtering glass slows fading noticeably. The same goes for humidity: near a bathroom door or a kitchen, metal pieces can stain over time.

Placement on the wall

If the case stands alone, eye level — about 145 to 150 cm from the floor, measured to the centre of the case — is the most comfortable height to read. If there are pictures beside it, sharing a common bottom or top line between the case and the frames tidies the arrangement. A case with depth projects from the wall; it sits better on a wall where one can stop and look than along a passageway.

In short

Choose a story, set the depth by the thickest piece, use an acid-free backing and mounting that leaves no marks, add a small label and hang the case away from the sun. If you send photos of your pieces and their rough sizes, we can plan a case that brings them all together.