This curly-coated retriever belonged to Mason Mitchell, the American Consul for Samoa. (American Samoa is still a possession of the US).
The dog was sent to Mitchell from Auckland, New Zealand. Mitchell then passed to dog onto the Ithaca Gun Company in New York State.
Curly-coated retrievers have always had a very strong following in Australia and New Zealand.
This image comes from Hunter-Trader-Trapper (September 1918). And yes, I am aware of this dog’s name. It’s the same name as the Dambuster’s Labrador. We wouldn’t use it today, but at the time it was appropriate. Some descriptions of curly-coated retrievers mention the “n*&)er curl.”
So it makes sense that this dog would have that name.
We just wouldn’t use it today, because it’s such an offensive word.
