[ London Times ]
This newspaper, most correctly known simply as The Times, began publication in 1785 and continues to this day.
This page presents and discusses a series of "Newfoundlands for sale" notices that appeared in the The Times in late 1834 and early 1835. Although the seller in these ads is not specifically identified at first, the similarities of language and street address indicate all were placed by the same person. On the basis of evidence in later advertisments (which are also discussed here at The Cultured Newf), I believe the ads below were placed by a prominent London dog seller (and stable-keeper) named John Stephen Pardy. The first advertisement below, dated November 4, 1834, is the first advertisement by Pardy in The Times that I have found; I have so far discovered no other advertisements that appear to be by Pardy in any other London periodical of the time, though much searching remains to be done.
It seems to me Pardy was the most "visible" dog seller in London due to the frequency of his advertisements in The Times, arguably the most prominent London newspaper then (and now). Very few other commercial dog sellers advertised in that paper, and when they did, their ads appeared only occasionally. Pardy was by far the most aggressive advertiser in The Times when it came to commercial dog selling operations. He also had a particular interest in Newfoundlands, it seems to me, which I suspect was due largely or even exclusively to their popularity in British culture at the time.
detail from
Prince George's Favourites
detail from
Princess Mary Adelaide...
As you will see below, these ads repeatedly boast that the puppies' father is the "royal giant dog." I am aware of only one Newfoundland owned by a member of the British Royal Family at this time, and that would be Nelson, the black-and-white Newfoundland depicted in two paintings by Sir Edwin Landseer: Prince George's Favourites (1835) and Princess Mary Adelaide of Cambridge with 'Nelson', a Newfoundland Dog (c. 1839). "Prince George" in this case would have been His Royal Highness Prince George (1819 – 1904), who is now typically referred to as "Prince George, Duke of Cambridge" although that dukedom wasn't granted to the Prince until 15 years after Landseer's first painting of Nelson. Prince George was one of the many grandsons of King George III and a nephew of Kings George IV and William IV, and was never seriously in line for the throne. Princess Mary Adelaide, featured in the second Landseer painting mentioned above, was the younger sister (by 14 years) of Prince George (and is a great-great-grandmother of the current British monarch, King Charles III).
If — and this is speculative; I believe this particular seller of dogs, who is treated extensively here at The Cultured Newf, is given to hyperbole, to put it mildly — the "royal giant dog" referred to in these advertisements was indeed Nelson, the Newf in Landseer's two paintings, then we have a portrait of the father of the puppies offered for sale (image details at right).
The man placing these ads, the above-mentioned John Stephen Pardy, seems to be insinuating he has some sort of link to the royal family, and (again) while he is given to hyperbole, that claim may not be utterly unfounded, though I cannot say with certainty. I suggest the possibility of a link because, in connection with a legal matter that transpires in 1838, Pardy claims that slanders against his character cost him a chance at a position in the Queen's household. Again, I believe much of what Pardy says has to be taken with a grain or three of salt, but the possibility cannot be definitely ruled out.
Further, it strikes me as rather unlikely that any beloved dog belonging to a member of the royal family would be indiscriminately bred, so either Pardy, the dog dealer, did in fact have some sort of link or connection to the royal family (even if just to an employee of the royal family who managed a stable or kennel; Pardy was a stable-keeper himself in addition to selling dogs) or he was making a spurious claim that went unchallenged. I should also point out that in a later ad, Pardy will refer to himself as "purveyor to his Majesty."
Another series of ads beginning in 1836 in The Times will offer Newfoundlands (among other dogs) for sale, and in that series the claim will be made, at one point, that the Newfs were sired by "the royal giant dog," the same phrase used in the ads below. At another point, one of those ads from 1836 makes the claim that Bashaw, the Newf painted by Landseer and sculpted by Matthew Cotes Wyatt, was the sire. This is surely Pardy's work. Those ads can be accessed by following the link at the very bottom of this page.
The November 4, 1834 The Times carried what I believe is the first of Pardy's "dogs for sale" announcements in this newspaper:
HORSES, Alpine, Newfoundland, and Sporting DOGS. — For SALE. . . . three large young Alpine Dogs, and the most splendid collection of majestic Newfoundlands in the world, got by the royal giant dog, and matchless for height, beauty, tricks, and water. Also 10 brace of fine sporting dogs, warranted. — 15, Harpur-mews, Red Lion-square. Money returned if disapproved. Letters must be paid.
An ad exactly identical to the one above will appear in The Times two days later, November 6, 1834.
One week later the November 11, 1834 The Times carried a follow-up "for sale" notice, including the sale of "the Royal Giant Whelp."
HORSES AND DOGS. — Noblemen and gentlemen in WANT of first-rate sporting or matchless ALPINE and NEWFOUNDLAND DOGS are invited to inspect the very best and most splendid collection in the world; among them is the Royal Giant Whelp, 10 months old, 31 inches high, weight 170 lbs. . . . 15, Harpur-mews, Red Lion-square. Dogs exchanged and money returned if disapproved. Letters to the keeper must be paid.
A subsequent announcement in the The Times on November 20 of the same year repeats the same offer:
HORSES AND DOGS. — . . . . also three Alpine Dogs, very large; and some fine young Newfoundlands, got by the royal Giant Dog, 10 months old, matchless for beauty, height, and water, price 5 guineas each. — 15, Harpur-mews, Red Lion-square.
Yet another announcement about these dogs was published in the December 3, 1834 edition of the The Times, featuring (roughly) the same address:
NEWFOUNDLAND GIANT DOGS, etc. — A Challenge. — The Giant Dog is open for 100 [?] guineas, against any dog for height, weight, and beauty. Some of his stock are on sale, at from 2 to 10 guineas each. Also an immense jet black young dog, from St. Johns, a champion dog, 2 Alpine mastiffs, and a few choice pointers, setters, and spaniels. — Menagerie, 15, Harpur-mews, East-street, Foundlinz [?]. Letters must be paid.
Still another sale notice was published on January 20, 1835, again referencing the giant size of the Newfoundlands and again using the "15 Harpur-mews" address, although some of the other location-identifying information has changed.
NEWFOUNDLAND and other DOGS. — SELLING OFF, the proprietor going abroad, six brace of handsome SPORTING DOGS, some Blenheim and King Charles's, two Alpine Dogs, and matchless Buck-hound, and the most splendid collection of gigantic Newfoundlands in the world, unrivalled for tricks and water; also some fine Whelps, fit to take away. — Menagerie, 15, Harpur-mews, Theobald's-road, Holborn.
And yet another sale notice was published in The Times on February 26, 1835, again using the same language and street address, although any mention of "the proprietor going abroad" has vanished, and now the Newfoundlands are getting prime billing:
HORSES, Newfoundland and other Dogs. — The choicest and most splendid COLLECTION of NEWFOUNDLANDS, and WHELPS got by the royal giant dog. . . . — Menagerie, 15, Harpur-mews, Theobald's-road, Holborn.
Again, on March 5, 1835, another notice in this same series. Notice that the price for the puppies is now a flat 2 guineas (about $310 US in 2024), down from a range of 2 to 10 guineas. For whatever reason, there didn't seem to be great demand for these dogs, despite their lineage:
HORSES and DOGS. — For SALE, the property of a gentleman. . . . Also a splendid collection of Newfoundlands, and Whelps at two guineas each, got by the Royal Giant Dog. . . . — Menagerie and commission stables, 15, Harpur-mews, Theobald's-road, Holborn.
Still going at it on March 27, 1835:
HORSES, Newfoundland and other DOGS. — On SALE, the choicest and most splendid COLLECTION of NEWFOUNDLANDS (male and female), some fine whelps got by the Royal Giant Dog. . . . Menagerie, 15, Harpur-mews, Theobald's-road, Red Lion-square.
There appear to be no more advertisements from Pardy until September 11, 1835, when the following notice appears in The Times:
HORSE and SPORTING and NEWFOUNDLAND DOGS. — . . . . Also a few brace of highly broke Pointers, Setters, and Retrievers, warranted, and some splendid Newfoundlands, got by the Royal Giant Dog. — Menagerie, 15, Harpur-mews, Theobald's-road, Red Lion-square.
The advertisement just above was the final in this particular series of ads offering puppies sired by "the royal giant dog," but in February of 1836 another ad appeared in the The Times offering young Newfoundlands for sale from the same street address as above, and using the same style of languange — surely from the same dog dealer, John Stephen Pardy.