Humans have always been interested in the weird, the curious, the ancient, the valuable, and the strange. For this reason, there are unusual museums across India and the world. One such oldest museum in Kent is the Dog Collar Museum. Surrounded by the imposing Leeds Castle, Kent UK is one of the world’s smallest and most quirky museums.
Dog Collar Museum Houses A Fascinating Canine Neckwear Collection
Housed in the castle’s former stables since 1976, this small collection showcases a wide variety of objects. The Dog Collar Museum in Leeds Castle, Kent, has a fascinating collection of dog canine neckwear spanning five centuries. The appealing dog collar collection is now on display in a fresh and innovative presentation which makes the Dog Collar museum fun for children and adults.
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From collars with so many spikes—that look like instruments of torture— to ornately decorated collars containing family crests, these dog owner trinkets reflect how people have pampered their pets for over 500 years. With over 130 rare and valuable collars, the unique collection is the most significant publicly available collar collection of its kind in Europe.
It has more than 130 rare necklaces, 30 of which were discovered in a warehouse and have never been shown to the public.
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Witness Collars With Centuries Of History
The oldest in the collection dates back to the late 15th century. It’s the collar of a herd mastiff —a Spanish iron worn to protect the dog from the wolves and bears that traversed Europe.
Other pieces range from 16th-century German iron collars with formidable spikes to ornate gold-plated baroque collars. It also includes 19th-century finely carved silver collars and 20th-century hoops, beads, and plastics.
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In 1977 Mrs. Gertrude Hunt donated her collection of more than 60 canine neckwear to the Leeds Castle Foundation in memory of her husband, John Hunt. Both Mr and Mrs Hunt were avid collectors, with extensive collections of art and antiques, but dog collars were Mrs Hunt’s special passion.
So, all the pet enthusiasts out there, add this museumto your bucket list. This is a must-visit spot for all dog lovers.
Cover image courtesy: Dog Collar Museum website