Curly Coat in the Snow

Here we have another first in my collection, a portrait of a young man and his dog taken outside in the snow... real snow not like the "studio snow" in this cabinet card. The young man stands and pretends to load his muzzle loading shotgun, obviously a prized possession and perhaps a tool of his trade.

It is likely this young lad used his shotgun for waterfowl hunting, his Curly Coat retriever is our clue to this, as this is what the breed was originally bred for.

It is thought that the origin of the Curly Coat is earlier than his flat-coated relative, although the curly is most likely of less pure decent.  At some point it the Curly Coat's breed history the "gentleman from France" (the poodle) was very likely to have been introduced into the breed. Author Robert Leighton writes of the breed in 1907:

"Such a cross [of the Retriever & Poodle] may conceivably have been resorted to by early breeders, and there was little to lose...for the poodle is well known to be by nature, if not by systematic training, and excellent water dog, capable of being taught anything that the canine mind can comprehend."

Engraving of a Curly-Coated Retriever from Breaking & Training Dogs, by Pathfinder & Hugh Dalziel, 1885

The photograph of the young man & his Curly Coat was taken in Hitchin, Hertfordshire by Thomas Benwell Latchmore. (1832-1908) Latchmore was the eldest son of a Quaker family who ran a grocery shop in the High Street, Hitchin. An interest in chemistry led him to study photography. About 1865 he built a studio in Bancroft Street, Hitchin and set up in business. 

Latchmore's photograph of The Trooper Public House at the end of Bancroft Street c1860

We can date the portrait to between 1865 and c1870 as it was taken at Bancroft Street. Latchmore bought other property in Brand Street, Hitchin in 1870 which had belonged to another earlier photographer George Avery, he moved his business there, living there until his death in 1908.

The reverse of the photo mount

Click here for more Curly Coat's from my collection.

Sources:

• The Latchmore Collection of North Hertfordshire District Council
• Breaking & Training Dogs, by Pathfinder & Hugh Dalziel, 1885
• Cassell's New Book of The Dog, Vol. II, by Robert Leighton, 1907
• Thomas Latchmore on Hertford Geneology

Moffat Companions

Recently I visited Scotland for the first time, one of the prettiest places I visited was the historic coaching town of Moffat. I haven't got a huge amount of Scottish dog photographs in my collection, but on my return from my trip sorting through my collection I found this photograph, taken where else but Moffat.

Here we have a man photographed by J. Weir with his Retriever companion. I can but speculate that the sitter enjoyed walking or rambling, wearing his tweed coat and deer stalker hat, carrying a stick. He also wears shoes deeply ridged tread, which I've never come across before.

His Retriever is old in years, greying around his face. Dog breeds in the 19th century were not nearly as refined as they are today. Hugh Dalziel and Pathfinder wrote in 1889:

I should be inclined to say that any specimen of the canine race which at first sight was not decidedly a pointer, setter, bloodhound, mastiff, sheep dog or terrier, so long as it had a suspicion of curl in its coat, a tendency to fetch and carry, and no decided aversion to water on a summer day, must be a retriever proper.

The reverse of the photograph

Sources:

• Breaking and Training Dogs, 1889 by Pathfinder & Hugh Dalziel

The Little Puppy

This photograph features a very fashionable lady and her Retriever puppy. She is wearing some very interesting jewellery including a black jet bracelet (possibly from Whitby), Ivory bracelets, an Ivory brooch and elaborate belt.

The photograph was taken at Royal House, Cheltenham, Gloucestershire, England by William James Suter. He worked as a miniature painter as well as a photographer.  He worked at this address between 1885 and 1897, so we can date this photograph within this period.

Prince the Dog

On the reverse of this photograph the name Prince is inscribed. The photo came from a large album purchased in Whitby (the setting for Dracula). Although most of the photos in the album were from Whitby and the surrounding seaside towns (click here to take a look at another interesting photo from this album) - this photo was taken in Llandudno, Wales. The photographer was Alfred Ford Smith who had a Studio at 27 Mostyn Street, he exhibited examples of his work with the Royal Photographic Society ever year from 1870-1877.

Faithful Friend

This photograph has always reminded me of the famous portrait of Charles Dickens and his dog Turk, because of the similar the way the Photographer John M'Leod has composed his subjects. I think the plain backdrop to the image highlights the tenderness of the relationship between the young man and his dog. I think the book on the table is a leather-bound photograph album, but it could also be a Bible.

 M'leod had a studio in Newark-on-Trent, Nottinghamshire roughly between 1869 and 1886, I believe this photograph dates from the early to mid 1870's.