 | | Bull by Keirce |
You can't walk down the street in Toon Town without tripping over a cartoon bulldog with a spiked collar. (Think of the big, scary, pooch on steroids that's always after Bugs or Daffy).
Or step into the University of Georgia's football team locker room. Whaddya see? Bulldogs. Dozens of 'em. All with spiked collars. What's up with that?
Are rich kids born with silver spoons in their mouths and bulldog pups born with spiked collars around their necks?
Were spiked collars invented to make bulldogs (and football players) look meaner? Nope. Spiked collars aren't about fashion - they're about function. Spiked collars were "in vogue" in the 19th century. They functioned as "armor" for prized hunting dogs.
British hunters outfitted their pack with the impenetrable collars as protection against the tusks and bites of the wild boar they were chasing.
But if you think the dogs were prized, wait until you hear what the dog collars are worth! One collar made in the 1820's was recently priced at $2,000.00.
Looks like the antiques market is going to the dogs - or at least their collars.
This story is an excerpt from: "Betcha Didn't Know That! 101 Antiques and Collectibles Trivia Tips That Can Make You Rich, Famous, and Hit of the Party, Vol One" by Leon Castner and Brian Kathenes.
Illustrated is an original oil painting by Debra Keirce. Click Bull for more information. |
