"OUR AFGHANS"
The Independent Voice of the Afghan Hound Breed
43rd Year Of Publication
Pages FromThe Past
(Margaret L Nison Kennels
Santa Fe, New Mexico)
(Lilian Goodman 1978, Our Afghans, July 2009)
Extended by Steve Tillotson January 2012
(Page 3)
A co-breeding arrangement with Eugenia L Brick (Brickley's) involving the breeding of Ch Yusseff ex Sita Devi produced a litter on October 3 1940 which included the dogs Brickleys Whirling Dervish and Brickley's Golden Boy. Also in this litter was Bundles For Britain (also known as "Freckles"), originally owned by Marion Foster Florsheim (Five Mile) who raffled her off & raised $600 for the war relief organization. Ms Nison acquired Sita Devi from the first litter but she was eventually sold on to Eugenia L Brick (Brickley's) who used his dog (Brickley's Golden Boy) in a son/mother mating to produce a litter of 7 whelped 1942/07/15. All offspring were registered under the Racaj kennel name, with Eugenia L Brick listed as breeder and Jose A Racaj (Racaj) listed as owner of all the litter.
Also listed as owned by Ms Nison - Ayesha, a light cream bitch bred by Mrs. J R Renfrew (Blue Bonnet) out of Blue Bonnet Kishtwar ex Yasmin Of Kuhsan ex Bagheera, whelped 3/22/1940. Ayeshsa was later transferred to Dr Gertrude Kinsey (Altoun) and produced a litter for this kennel.
Ms Nison also owned the fawn bitch Indra Kiram bred by Dr Charles Kie Atkins (Pharaoh ex Rana). Indra was litter sister to Claire Of Sasco mentioned above earlier in this article. Indra was later transferred to Mildred L Lyndley (El Kusrani) for whom Indra produced a total of 3 litters bearing the Kusrani kennel name.
In a final litter out of Ch Sardar Khan El Kabul ex Flo Flo of Ghazni, whelped March 5 1942 Ms Nison kept two - Beharah Malki Of Ghazni AKC A605655 (Fawn Black mask bitch) and Herotah Of Ghazni AKC A605654 (Red Black Mask dog). The bitch Beharah Malki Of Ghazni later became the property of Dorothy & Waldron MacDonald and may have been leased to Felicia E Coleman (Ibn Ali Kennel?) as Beharah produced a litter whelped 1946/08/30 sired by Khyber Kim, breeder to this litter listed as Felicia E Coleman but Beharah was still listed as owned by the MacDonald's. Interestingly a repeat mating whelped a litter in 1951/10/20 , this time the breeder was listed as Dorothy & Waldron MacDonald which reinforces our thought that for the 1946 litter Beharah may have been leased to Felicia E Coleman.
One has to consider Zahera Of Prides hill who was an important bitch whilst still at Prides Hill. After 1936 there may have been some arrangement between Ms Nison and the Arthea Kennels as regards ownership, as Zahera produced litters for Ms Nison and also for Dr and Mrs. Combs of Arthea.
Ku Mari Khyaam Of Arken
Another very important offspring of Zahera, bred by Ms Nison was the red bitch Ku Mari Khyaam Of Arken whose sire was Badshah Of Ainsdart. Ku Mari Khyaam Of Arken was owned by Mr. Charles Wernsman. Ku Mari produced 6 litters for Mr. Wernsman, thus proliferating Zahera lines. Several of Ku Mari's offspring were themselves big winners and top producers such as Rajah Of Arken for whom we find around 35 offspring, Mogul of Arken for whom we find around 40 offspring, Pocono Persica Of Arken we find around 35 offspring, Bogah Of Arken we find around 25 offspring etc.
LAKE WORTH. FLORIDA, January 1937 -- The Afghan hounds below are from the kennels of Mrs Margaret Nison, 503 E Street, and Westport, Conn, and are considered by dog fanciers as rare thoroughbreds and one of the most expensive of breeds. The Afghan hound, according to Mrs Nilson is the oldest known breed of domesticated dog. The dogs will be taken to Miama this week where they will be shown in the Miami Dog Show
Some of Mrs Nisons Hound 1937
Researching this article leaves us with a clear impression of a lady who was a real champion for the breed in those early pioneering days of the 1930's and who appears to have encouraged many other breeders (who up to that point had never bred Afghan Hounds or perhaps even seen one) to take up the breeding Afghan Hounds. Ms Nison then supported those breeders by sharing the responsibility (frequent co-ownership) of finding homes for this (then) new breed. Ms Nison's name is attached to several major and influential Afghan Hounds (as mentioned above) which are significant foundations in the early development of the breed. Ms Nison's involvement with breeders in the East, the Midwest, the Southwest etc are indicative of her success in working with breeders across the country and helping the breed to become established in the USA. The establishment of a new breed in a large country such as the USA is not simply explained or achieved by a single person, but for sure, Ms Margaret L Nison made a huge contribution to the establishment of the Afghan Hound in the USA, along with many other dedicated and determined enthusiasts.
Related Content
Early Afghan Hounds Section
Q A Shaw Mckean (Prides Hill Afghan hounds)
Badshah at Crufts 1932 (Four Leggers 1932)
Badshah at Westminster 1935
Margaret Nison (Bandra Ghur Afghan hounds)
Amelia White (Kandahar Afghan hounds)
Previous Page
Whats New At OA
Whats New At AHTEmail Ruth Weddle at "Our Afghans".
OUR AFGHANS Magazine -- Publication No. 703040 -- is published monthly at a subscription rate of $30.00/year, in the U.S, $37.00/year in Canada and overseas by WEDDLE PUBLICATIONS, 22235 Parthenia Street, West Hills, CA 91304-1348. Periodicals Class postage paid at Canoga Park, CA O1304-1348
