Silver-mounted hoof of 'Jimson' the mule, 2nd Battalion, The Middlesex Regiment, 1912 (c)

'Jimson' was the mascot of the 2nd Battalion and after his death his hoof was removed and mounted as a memento. The practice of turning a beloved horse or mule into an objet d'art was commonplace in the 19th and early 20th centuries. While it may seem odd and even macabre today, for the animals' owners these items were a way of celebrating and remembering their four-legged companions. Many bear tender inscriptions revealing how deeply loved and respected the horses and mules were.