1892 Crabbet Sale: Safran and Moallaka
Scans of an article published July 30th, 1898 for “A Weekly Illustrated Record and Review” popped up recently, revealing photos of Safran (*Shahwan x Safra) and Moallaka (Mesaoud x Meroe). The publication itself was a British illustrated weekly periodical founded in 1891 by Charles Norris Williamson, and was known for printing fairly high-quality photos within its pages.
SAFRAN – more on him later.
MOALLAKA
(If there is another photo of this mare in circulation, I do not know of it.)
R.J. Cadranell reports of Moallaka and her dam, Meroe:
Moallaka (by Mesaoud) was sold as a two-year-old at the 10th Crabbet sale on July 23, 1898, to George Grey, Esq., if Tunbridge Wells for 147 gs. with her full sister Munfyeh. Their dam was Meroe, an 1885 mare by Kars x Meshura.
On Meroe: “In the summer of 1897 Meroe showed symptoms of failing health. Between the beginning of May & the beginning of July she was driven in the team, chiefly as wheeler, and went even long distances, such as from Newbuildings to Wootton one day, & the next morning on to Dorking station & back to Wootton then on home to Newbuildings, but she never seemed herself, and this, at first attributed to “laziness,” became so evident that finally she was put aside. She made a sort of rally, and was offered for sale on July 24 but bought in. During August she wasted away in spite of the most careful nursing, too late alas to save her. She died in the night of Sept 24-25. Towards the end she lay quietly on her off side, and breathed her last without a struggle. Veterinary examination showed one lung fairly sound, the other wasted to shreds, what remained of it had stuck to the heart. Meroe would have foaled about Feb. 22 1898 to Mesaoud a (probably bay) colt with 4 white feet, the 2 fore feet to fetlocks the 2 hind legs to below hocks, large blaze from near ears to underlip. Size abt. 12 in: high, this is thought small for 6 months. Meroe was buried, with colt, in the Stone quarry, opposite Newbuildings.”
Oh, poor Meroe – that wasted and damaged lung sounds incredibly painful, and she would certainly have felt as though she were suffocating, if she had only one functional lung.
That photo of Safran could hardly be more awkward.
He looks like he might have been in the process of urinating, to be honest. The next one that I posted is more flattering.