Recently I started collecting old postcards featuring foxes. These cards provide a fascinating insight into our history with the fox (I have some great early ones of people with pet foxes that I'll share another time). Among the cards are this set of 7 I got from Germany that date from 1902 and are clearly by the same photographer;

Something about these images seemed familiar. I was sure I'd seen similar photos somewhere else, and had definitely seen the one of 5 cubs before. Then I remembered the 1906 book, Foxes at Home and Reminiscences by Talbot, J. S.

archive.org

Veterinary Library's copy part of the John A. Seaverns Equine Collection

Sure enough, the same photo was there, and some others featuring the same litter

This book is particularly interesting as it includes photos of what is claimed to be a bulldog fox, one of the lost British types;

Comparing the photos I'm pretty certain this is the same adult fox that appears in my postcards, although he looks a bit younger in this photo. In fact, I suspect all my cards show the same fox growing up as the markings, size of the white tail tip and ear shape all seem to match (although it could also be that they're the offspring of the bulldog fox). The rest of the images on my cards aren't in Talbot's book, so give a pretty interesting insight into how a bulldog fox would look at various stages of growing up. I'll post better photos of each individual cards tomorrow when the light is better but here's one for now;

If you're interested in seeing more of my collection I post all my cards to Instagram

https://www.instagram.com/foxes.of.the.past/