This Chad Valley Bonzo dog no longer retains any ID, but dates to 1930s. He’s based on George Studdy’s British comic strip character, that appeared weekly, from 1922 in the Sketch magazine. Bonzo quickly became a favourite with children and adults, and starred in one of the world’s first cartoons.

Our lovable chubby pup is all original, and stands 36cm (14″) high on card-lined feet. Kapok-Stuffed, and made of white velvet, now mellowed to a light beige, Bonzo has painted facial features with the remains of a pink felt tongue. His pads are also velvet, and all his big claws are intact.

His floppy ears would have each been a different colour, and his black one is faintly evident. Bonzo is fully-jointed and they’re all quite swingy, especially his neck. There’s also two velvet patched repairs to his ankles. Overall, though, he’s in good condition, with a short stubby tail and typically daft expression.

Bonzo takes a keen interest in British historical figures, seeing as he’s one himself (modest too!), and thinks that apart from his own era, the inventive Victorian period was most fascinating. So, he wears a Queen Victoria coin dated 1901,  pinned to his cotton tee-shirt, along with an old knitted waistcoat. We also rustled up a paper Union Jack flag for him.