An expensive commission in its day to commemorate a very special hound. Beautifully modelled and mounted on a polished elm shield, with the gilt legend
Dairy Maid
1896
Craven Vagabond-Duchess
Reference: The sire Craven Vagabond (1893) was a particular distinguished sire, he was bred by the Craven hunt under the leadership of Major Gerald Ricardo a renowned hound breeder.
The following is an extract: Great breeders of foxhounds seldom produce a formula for their success. They usually possess flair for breeding animals and this gift cannot be passed on. They know that certain strains of blood (nick) and others do not. They know how to blend pedigree with pedigree so that the produce conforms to the type as well as the breeding which they require. Hound breeding is not as simple as might be supposed from an article written in 1898 by Major Gerald Ricardo, the MFH of the Craven, and breeder of that beautiful Peterborough Champion, Craven VAGABOND (1893). His theory on the breeding of foxhounds was simple in the extreme: ‘Breed from the best bitch in the pack, and try to put her to the best dog in England, if procurable. As good fortune had it he selected Warwickshire HERMIT (1889), as ‘the best dog in England’ and sent him to his impeccably bred VOLATILE (1889), thereby combining the blood of Warwickshire and Croome – which was always ‘nicked’. Thus VAGABOND inherited no fewer than four lines of that celebrated foxhound, Lord Coventry’s (Croome) RAMBLER (1873), three through the sire and one through the dam, whilst in addition, the Fitzwillian (Milton) appeared in both halves of the pedigree, which was, indeed, a model one. Yet one could call VAGABOND a ‘chance-bred’ hound, for no thought or study had apparently been given to pedigree, and that is not the way to breed a pack of hounds. Deep knowledge of one’s hounds, and deep knowledge of the Foxhound Kennel Stud Book are required, and only time and study can acquire this knowledge.
Craven Vagabond was ‘the champion hound’ at the prestigious Royal Peterborough fox hound show in 1894. By ‘Warwickshire Hermit’ out of ‘Craven Volatile’.
“Dairy Maid” was attached to Lord Coventry’s ‘Croome Hunt’ at Croome Court in Worcestershire. In 1874 the 9th Earl founded the “Earl of Coventry’s hunt” which became Croome Hunt in 1882. The hunt buttons still bear Coventry’s coronet today. Now “Croome & West Warwickshire” Kennals at Severn Stoke Worcestershire which meets at Pershore.
In 1905 ‘Dairy maid’ went on to have one litter with sire ‘Warwickshire Sampson’ producing the following seven puppies Croome-Sacred, Saintly, Sally, Sapper, Sawyer, Saxon and Solomon.
Condition. There is no taxidermists mark, ‘Spicers’ old trade label once pasted to the verso of the shield has long gone. The hound had received some damage (skin loss) to it lower neck, and was generally dirty. This has now been respectfully and carefully cleaned and repaired.
I think in this instance using the words rare and remarkable is a fair description. I have been collecting Victorian taxidermy for over 55 years, and established “The Victorian Taxidermy Company ltd” back in 1999. In 2001 I published “A Record of Spicer’s” a book covering the history of this famous taxidermy firm. Today my wife and I run a small antique shop in the Cotswolds, specialising in the finer examples of Victorian taxidermy and in all of this time, I have never previously had an opportunity to buy such a fine hound head trophy.
Ref: 25711