Created by Edward Nettleship
15 Jul 1911
Description:

‘History & origin - Mr Brown knows of no documentary proof that the breed, as a Peking Palace breed, is extremely ancient; or that the conventional “Lion Dog” Bronzes &c. &c. 9some of which I presume to be known to be very ancient?) was intended to represent the breed.

His own conviction however is that these images &c. do represent the breed, & that [it] is very ancient. He believes there is no reason to doubt that the Palace dogs were the origin of the Japanese breed 700 years ago.

[in George Brown’s hand: ‘The stone & bronze lion images (some of which are of great size) are generally called Korean Lions, but I never met anyone who could explain the term or say when there were lions in Korea. The trappings (or harness) of most of these figures resemble those used for the Palace Dogs. It may be that the Korean Lion is a fabulous animal like the Ki-lin (or Chinese Unicorn) and that the Palace Lion Dog has been taken (trappings & all) as the nearest obtainable model. – G.B.’]

Has seen dogs from Thibet that would pass very well for Pekingese. It is held by many that the Pekingese Lion Dog came originally from Thibet.

“Korean Lion” & ball of worsted legend, to explain the ball under foot of Bronzes &c. – of Pekingese ”Lion-Dogs.”

Size, Colour, &c. &c. – Pekingese may get up to quite 18lbs & yet hav eall the main “points” quite good – except of course size.

Palace dogs may be any colour; prevalent colour may vary from time to time with fashion or caprice of the Court ladies.

Has never seen an albino Pekinese dog in China. Is however familiar with (1) pure white (not cream) coat with black nose & eyes; has bred such & seen others;- [in George Brown’s hand: ‘Has seen albino Chinese people. G.B.’] (2) a stain in which coat is nearly white (cream?) with some coloured marks or spots, extremely long silky coat, tendency to some[?] to large size, & failing as they grow up with “paralysis” or “rheumatism” of limbs. These also have dark nose & eyes. [George Brown’s hand: ‘white not cream. Instead of “strain” I would rather say an occasional puppy from ordinary parents with these characteristics. G.B.’]

Does not recognize any difference between the smallest “sleeve” dogs & the largest specimens of Pekingese. Mr Brown has (or had?) an almost sleeve bitch “Giao Ting” (domestic name “Betty”) who mated several times to a not much bigger dog, produced puppies always larger than herself. Some of these puppies mated with other dogs [&] produced litters with some large some small puppies. Some of the succeeding generations are very small (consult Lady Moor, 2 Luxemberg [sic] Gardens, Hammersmith. W.). [George Brown’s hand: ‘“Sleeve dogs” in my opinion are merely abnormally small specimens occurring in an ordinary litter of either the short-haired or long-haired Pekingese. The parents may be quite large. G.B.’]

The smallest dogs may be quite sound & breed well; but on the whole they are not so robust as the larger specimens. They are simply very small, & often weakly, examples of the breed. [George Brown’s hand: ‘Occasionally the paws are very flat and sometimes the claws are extraordinarily large amd curl horizontally instead of downwards. G.B.’]

In connection with some questions of mine about Palace & extra[?]-Palace dogs, or some kindred point, something was said about “from sixty to a hundred years ago...” I cannot recall the point? It may have been important. [George Brown’s hand: ‘My remark was that the favourite colouring of the breed with the Palace ladies of that period was parti-colour = white with black, brindle, tan or lemon patches. This I judge from contemporaneous paintings of China fans &c. but apparently according to the pictures in Mrs Lytton’s book the preference was of ever older date. G.B.’]

Longevity – 18 years is not an extremely old age for a Pekingese to reach.

Fantails (bitch) was liver & white, had extremely long ear-fringes, & lived to an old age.

The smooth or short-coated breed – Mr B. believes this the source of the existing [illeg.] Pug. The smooth Pekingese may be pure black or light brown (“fawn”, “biscuit”, &c.? E.N.) with dark shading especially about the head. [In George Brown’s hand: ‘almost any colour or parti-coloured’]

Sir Hy. Howard Kesley[?]. 22 Grosevenor Gardens has (or had) a very fine smooth Pekingese.

Also Miss Jessie Harmen[?] (daughter of the late Sir Nicolas Harmer formerly Chief Judge of H.M. Supreme Court, Shanghai( had or have some.

X? Miss Harmer’s address (not in Who’s Who 1911) [George Brown’s hand: ‘Can be found at 10 Stanhope Gardens, W. The residence of her uncle, Mr James Harmer, formerly Commissioner of Customs in China.’].

X Mrs Albert Gray was a Miss .. ; was born; Peking (or in China) & lived in China many years. Married 1st.   & 2nd Albert Gray.’

[George Brown’s hand: ‘Mrs Albert Gray was the daughter of the late De S. Wells Williams, at one time Chinese Secretary of the American Legation in Peking, and afterwards U.S. Chargé d’Affaires there. He was the author of a Chinese-English Dictionary which for many years was the standard work of that kind and of the evergreen book of reference “The Middle Kingdom.” Mrs Albert Gray was, I have every reason to believe, born in Peking and lived there for many years. She married in 188? – the Hon. Tom Grosevenor (son of Lord Ebury[?]), who was secretary of H.M. Legation in Peking. After his death (he was at the time Minister of the Hague) she married Mr Albert Gray, formerly of the Straits Settlements service and thereafter Council to the House of Lords. She has acted as Hon. Secretary of the Pekingese Club for a long time and saw it grow into prosperity.’]’