The $11,000 dog collar

Another famous dog collar: the prize for Madison County foxhound speed trial in 1866 was silver and came with its own tiny padlock. The leather-lined collar was awarded to "the Fastest Foxhound in the State." A foxhound named Rock won it.

NO, NOT this one–but this was the only photo I had! You can see the $11,000 dog collar, which belonged to Charles Dickens, here, at the Bonhams auction house online catalog for the sale that produced this eye-popping item. Bonhams sold the leather collar with a brass nameplate on Feb. 16 at The Dog Sale, held in New York to coincide with the Westminster show.

The collar is large, 23 inches around, and the leather is 1.5 inches wide. Its plate reads “C. Dickens, Esq. Gad’s Hill Place, Higham.”

Thanks to our friends over at the Pet Connection Blog for alerting us to this! If you haven’t checked Pet Connection out yet, do. It’s an interesting forum that brings together animal lovers of all stripes, fur, tail lengths, and feathers. Opinions vary in its comment section, but the discussion is always civil. Whether you’re interested in general pet care, animal rescue issues, or general veterinary tips, you’ll find it there. Most importantly: it’s hands down the best place to find out the latest on pet food and veterinary medicine recalls. Check. it. out. And be an informed pet owner.