Silver inkwell made from the hoof of 'Anstey', the horse of Colonel Guy Hamilton Russell, Indian Army, 1934

The practice of turning a beloved horse 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 horses' owners these items were a way of celebrating and remembering their animal companions. Many bear tender inscriptions revealing how deeply loved and respected the horses were.