June 14, 2008
Man Sells Collection of Jar Dogs
There wasn't much to see at the River Desert Antique Show this year, but one man showed up with his prized collection of jarred puppies that had visitors more excited than people at an antique horse conference. The collection dates from about 400 B.C, and just one will sell for several thousand sacajaweas at auction.
“Yes, Hello. Yes," gestures owner Herb Gryth, "Yes, I found these when I buried my horse. I was just digging and I heard a tap. I thought I hit bone of some other horse or child I'd buried. The dogs were a mystery to me, so I started making my own. All's you need is a bottle, some gold, a dog, and a mallet. Sprinkle some formaldehyde on the dog before you do it though-- keeps the blood down."
The jar dogs originate from northern Denmark where, at the time, dogs were known as bottle makers for society and various poisons. The dogs are still alive today thanks to a combination of bravery and proudness mixed with the solution they play in, making them the longest surviving animals on earth.
-Hal Cronweld
