A heavy studded oak bracciale (armguard) for the game of pallone, described by Burckhardt as ''the classical game of the Italians'', the top impressed

A heavy studded oak bracciale (armguard) for the game of pallone, described by Burckhardt as ''the classical game of the Italians'', the top impressed ROMANELLI ANTONIO F. FIGLI, MONTE.S.SAVINO, X AREZZO X 1927 X ITALY, the rim engraved SUCCESSORE DI PETRAZZINI; sold together with ''Il Giuoco del Pallone'', a small and rare booklet by G. Franceshci, 1903, with an account of the game of pallone as well as football and lawn tennis, with numerous photographs of pallone players, some worm damage (2) This bracciale is almost certainly older than the 1927 dated engraving, possibly 19th century. It may well be that the engraving relates to a later ownership. The game of pallone was particularly popular throughout northern and central Italy in the 18th and 19th centuries but is a far more ancient game than that with its first regulations invented by Antonio Scaino from Salo in 1555. Balls are struck back and forth by opponents wearing a wooden cylinder over the hand and forearm known as a bracciale. Originally an inflated ball was used, which was changed to a solid rubber ball in later times. The booklet in this lot is also a rarity.