Curly coated King Coffee (no. 4361, Vol. H.).—Mr. S. Matthew's, Stow- market, Suffolk. (Now the property of J. H. Salter, Esq., Tolleshunt D'Arcy, Kelvedon, Essex).
Pedigree: (Not given fully in Vol. II.) By Duke out of Jessie; Duke by Challoner's Sam.
J. H. Salter's King Coffee Most dog books of that era give a few paragraphs on the curly coat but the definitive history of the breed must surely have been written by John Lennon in his book, "The First Curly Coated Retriever Book of Champions 1860 - 1997" He has pulled together an impressive and comprehensive array of material including an excellent piece with which he illustrates how "form fits function."
"I had a dog called Prince Rupert, a big, strong, curly, brown retriever, brother to King Coffee, who was the Champion Curly Retriever in this country and the father of all the best for years. I kept Prince Rupert on the marsh because he was essentially a very strong dog and a marsh dog. He could stand any amount of work, like I was able to myself... |