Passionate Vintage Racquet Collector Spent $15k So Far!

I found this cool article by a hardcore tennis racket collector.  I've been collecting the cheap ones at the thrift store, basically saving them from the junk yard and certain destruction:

"Wood rackets are a lost art, sporting beautiful and ornate construction. There were many patents filed on racket designs, some of which border on just plain odd. One could focus on just the odd rackets, while others strive to collect all the player-endorsed rackets of which include more than 200 players (some players endorsed as many as 20 or more different models).

Within these collections are “junior” models, racket head covers and presses, and tennis balls. To the collector’s delight, there are a great number of new rackets still in the original packaging that can be had — after all the condition of the racket is important to its value..."

Full article is worth a read:

http://www.antiquetrader.com/featured/40-love-why-ive-spent-15000-c...

Does anyone else here collect the old ones?