I love vintage photographs of dogs. So much so that in 2013 I spent hours searching online photo archives to find images to use for the A to Z Challenge. The process could have been easier and quicker if I ignored copyright laws. It would have been much easier if Libby Hall’s photo collection was available then!
Libby Hall spent years and years (1966-2006) gathering possibly the largest collection of vintage dog photography ever made by any single individual. She published five books. Prince and Other Dogs, 1850-1940, Prince and Other Dogs II, These Were Our Dogs, Postcard Dogs and Postcard Cats (coauthored with Tom Phillips). All books are available at Amazon.
The collection was edited down to approximately 900 photos of dogs, mostly with their owners, and donated to the library archives at Bishopgate Institute, London. Dogs of the First World War, a free exhibition exploring the role of dogs as both companions and workers during the years 1914-18 opens March 10, 2015.
For more information:
- A wonderful short biography of Libby Hall at Spitalfields Life that includes many vintage photos and a picture of Libby with her dog: Libby Hall, Collector Of Dog Photography
- A short article and a selection of photo’s at Spitalfields Life: Libby Hall’s Dogs Of Old London
Or, click here to view 537 of Libby Hall’s favorite photos from her collection or here to thumb through the pages of Libby’s newest book, Photography Going to the Dogs: One Hundred Favourite Photographs from The Libby Hall Collection.
Donna's New Day 
I love dogs-period! They have always spoken to me by being there wagging their tail and offering love, laughter and companionship-who could ask for more. Now I'm off to see the dogs:)
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An interesting hobby. Or not a hobby since she made a book out of it. So many different pictures out there.
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This is so lovely! I have spent a LOT of time following the links and looking at the photos. I particularly like the ones of dogs and their humans, and of those my favourite is the little girl who has carefully written “Our Billy and me”. I've come across the Spitalfields blog before but never followed it consistently. Now I think I'll have to!
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I too spent ages looking at all the pictures of the dogs. One great thing about posting it is I'll be able to find the sites again next time I want to see dog pictures. I loved reading about how she didn't start out planning on collecting the pictures, instead she was touched by them and couldn't stand to have them thrown away. The pictures between the dogs and human really show the connection that occurs between dogs and humans that love them. I think my favorite were the formal family pictures with the dog in a place of honor such as a chair in the middle!
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