I couldn’t tell whether the photos of dogs and their owners had been collected by someone as a group or pulled together from disparate lots by the auction house.
But there they were, about a dozen older photos mostly of people in their homes with their dogs. Those offered a glimpse into the fashion of the period, and the class, income level and lifestyles of the people. Some were wire-service photos used in newspapers. Others were photos of dogs pictured alone or in groups. One even featured a cat.
I was drawn to them because some were comical and unorthodox. Here’s what I found:
AP wirephoto, Salem, OR, March 7, 1969. Caption: “King is a dog who thinks he is people. When his owner, Mrs. Peter M. Gunner of Salem, begins to sing, King joins in – and howl!”
A happy boy and his black poodle.
A hunter and his pointer, seemingly ready to go out.
Someone has written in pencil across the top: “I’ll Bet You Would Have the Nerve.” The card has a copyright date of 1910, along with initials of the artist.
An owner connects with his best friend.
German shepherds with a fixed focus.
A pit bull at play.
A greyhound poses for its own portrait.
A couple looks through a photo album as their dog eyes the camera.
AP wirephoto, Oct. 28, 1965. Caption: “Watchdog – Lucy, a usually boisterous Boxer, stares suspiciously at a moving meal – a tiny mouse that imprudently left its lair to wander about the stoop of the home of South African photographer Terence McNally. McNally stepped in before Lucy injured the mouse.”
A cool dog!
Hunters and their Labrador retrievers with raccoons they caught during the first four hours of hunting on Nov. 17, 1943. Photo credit: Detroit News staff photographer McGraw.
