(Afghan Hound Database and Breed Information Exchange)
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"ZARDIN"
(By Steve Tillotson 2013, updated 2014, 2015, 2016)
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It is quite remarkable that Zardin who does not exist in the pedigree history of the breed is so well known all around the world. Considering he pre-dated the Internet, our knowledge of him is a testament to the importance, value and reach of early 20th century news media and technology. The hot technology of the day was the telephone and the telegraph. The latter enabled people to transmit "pictures" over a telephone line. Just think how important that ability was. We have received photographs of Zardin published in newspapers as far away as Australia and the USA.
In the era of the early 20th century, newspapers and books which pre-dated Radio and TV assumed a huge importance as the main methods of "communication". The writing was sometimes "floral, and/or exaggerated" because the paper media was also a form of "entertainment". Most of our readers have heard of the myths/legends written in the early days about our breed (killing leopards, hunting in pairs/dog takes the front/bitch takes the rear legs, standing like sentries on guard at forts in Afghanistan, the dog that went on Noah's Ark, Often described as "monkey faced dog", supposedly (wrongly) depicted on Papryus centuries ago etc etc
One can imagine when a respected newspaper such as the New York Times publishes an article on Zardin and the Afghan hound entitled "The strangest of dogs" and mentioning the Afghan hound had been mistaken for goats and poodles, this was a pretty entertaining "news".
We include the New York Times article on Zardin below. On a more serious note, we should be aware that the date of this article (1908) pre-dates the arrival of the Afghan hound on American Shores by almost two decades. The article, undoubtedly sourced in the UK was syndicated and published all over America. It's interesting to note how some "innacuracies" crept into the variations in the reports....But, historically these wire photos and reports are important as they were probably the first time Australians or Americans had ever heard of, or seen a picture of the Afghan hound.
Here's a scan of the full page from the NYT dated 1908 with Zardin photo highlighted in the red box. We have extracted the article and post a clearer picture underneath the NYT one.
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Lyall Payne found the variation/article below in a California newspaper dated 1909.
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Readers will note that the Oakland version states Mr Barff came from New York, well of course that is wrong, he came from England. Lyall Payne has researched and discovered that Mr Barff became a US citizen in Seattle Washington in 1914 .
Oakland report also states that Zardin had won first prizes in the east (ambiguous - this implies "Eastern side of America?). The reference to the "East" perhaps means Quetta where Zardin was exhibited prior to his importation to England by Capt J Barff?
Steve Tillotson
Afghan Hound Times,2013, 2014, 2015, 2016
Related content
NEW Aticle/Photos on Zardin (William Barf unseen photos)
Mr Shackleton (Zardins 2nd owner) Page
A Brief Sketch Of Afghanistan/Pakistan/India History (Author Steve Tillotson, June 2013)
1906 Indian Kennel Club Description Of Zardin
1907 Zardin meets the King and Queen of England
Press Cuttings about Zardin compiled by Steve Tillotson 2015
Afghan Lass, Barff/Shackleton
Early Afghan hound section
The F.T. Daws Painting, (Painted 1909)
Previous Zardin Page
NEW Articles/Photos on Zardin (William Barf unseen photos)
Library Of Articles/Main Menu Toolbar
Early Afghan Hounds
Whats New Page