The Original Adventure Dog: 1896 Recreation Magazine's Lost Sporting Tale
Discover the charming world of America's first adventure dog -- a spirited dachshund and his Gentleman Sportsman companion exploring a golden age of outdoor recreation through twelve remarkable advertising covers. Now available as Giclée reproduction prints.
Uniquely American Collection
In the late 1800's, when outdoor sporting recreation was becoming accessible to America's growing middle class, a remarkable series of magazine advertising posters captured both the spirit of the times and the charm of this sporting duo. The year was 1896, and Recreation Magazine - a monthly magazine devoted to everything the name implies - tasked their young staff artist Henry "Hy" S. Watson to create a series of twelve advertising posters that would capture the spirit of American outdoor sporting life. What emerged was something extraordinary - the charming tale of an unlikely pair - a gentleman sportsman and his frisky companion, an adventurous determined little dachshund who refused to let short legs hold him back from any adventure while pursuing the sporting life through all seasons.
It is the pure joy of living that exudes from adventure dog that makes these posters so interesting. We love our canine companions and in this series of posters, we see that loved returned.
Hidden in Plain Sight: A Library's Treasure
Of the twelve posters in the series, three original advertising covers hang in our Buffalo River library. They caught my eye years ago, not just for the outdoor sporting scenes, but also for a hiding-in-plain-sight detail -- there in each scene, alongside our Gentleman Sportsman, stands his dachshund adventure partner. Despite his size, our trusty adventure dog enthusiastically participated in every seasonal activity Recreation Magazine celebrated, from winter snowshoeing to summer swimming holes.
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Viral before Viral was CoolEach month throughout 1896, Recreation magazine's readers were greeted by a striking black-and-white advertising cover illustration featuring a gentleman sportsman and his unexpectedly enthusiastic companion -- a dachshund. This unlikely pairing, illustrated in Watson's masterful silhouette style, brought humor and warmth to traditional sporting scenes, creating a narrative that resonated with both serious sportsmen and casual enthusiasts alike. We have seen in published letters to the editor, that our adventure dachshund became known as Recreation Dog with one writer submitting a humorous Ode to Recreation Dog. |
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An Artist Going Places: Henry "Hy" Watson
Henry Sumner Watson (1868-1933), known professionally as "Hy" Watson, was already establishing himself as a rising voice in American sporting art when he created this series. Trained at the prestigious Académie Julian in Paris and under Thomas Eakins at the Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts, Watson brought classical artistic training to the emerging field of magazine illustration with interest in game, fish and outdoor sporting themes. Not only did he illustrate many sporting covers, but he also made significant illustration contributions to publishers of his day, including Scribner's Magazine. Watson's career flourished, and by 1918, Watson joined Field & Stream magazine as an editor, culminating in 1924, when he retired as editor-in-chief. Hy frequently depicted serious fishermen in aggressive pursuit of trout, usually in mountain streams. His original paintings and illustrations can be found in many collections, including The Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York.
A Year Long Calendar of Adventure
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The series follows our intrepid duo through a monthly pursuit of New England outdoor sporting quests:
Each illustration masterfully balances sporting tradition with gentle humor. Our adventure dog dachshund -- a breed not typically associated with such varied sporting pursuits - unreservedly participates in every activity. |
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The Art of AdventureWatson's choice of silhouette style for this series was ahead of its time. The bold black figures against white backgrounds created instantly recognizable scenes while allowing readers' imaginations to fill in the finer details. Watson gave us flair, heart and humor. The silhouette style brought each scene to life with bold simplicity, while that determined dachshund added a touch of joy to every adventure. This technique, combined with Art Nouveau-inspired typography, produced advertising covers that were both striking advertisements for the magazine and frameable works of art in their own right. |
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From Magazine Advertising Cover to Fine Art
The posters were illustrated promotional magazine covers with a listed newsstand price of 10-cents. The posters were given away as subscription promotions or sold for 5-cents apiece from Recreation magazine's New York City publishing offices - a small price for what turned out to be something remarkable. The complete series of twelve original posters tells a story not just of sporting life, but also of America's growing enthusiasm for outdoor recreation pastimes.
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Preserving an American LegacyThe Story of Adventure Dog certainly is a story that we must share with fans and customers of Buffalo River Co. We started with the three originals that are hanging her in the library. To complete the series, entered a long-term licensing arrangement with DelArt -- The Delaware Museum of Art, to acquire the publishing rights for the eight remaining posters of the series. Using cultural heritage preservation technique's, each of the 12 posters have been digitally captured in extraordinary detail and lightly restored, allowing for the creation of museum-quality Giclée reproductions that evoke the essence, character, patina and joy of living of the 127-year-old originals. For the first time, Adventure Dog -- The Complete Series is available for friends and customers of Buffalo River Co. |
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The Adventure Dog Collection
Available as fine art prints, this series offers collectors and enthusiasts the opportunity to own a piece of sporting art history.
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Collection Features
Twelve Monthly Adventures: From January's snowshoe expeditions to December's ambitious moose hunt
Historical Significance: Created during the golden age of American sporting magazines
Artistic Excellence: Watson's distinctive silhouette style and Art Nouveau influences
Playful Narrative: The charming relationship between sportsman and dachshund
Museum-Quality: Archival-grade materials and precise reproduction techniques
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Museum-Quality Reproduction ProcessEach Giclée reproduction print is made to customer order with care. We create our museum-quality Giclée prints using a fine art paper from Hahnemühle, an ultra-premium 310gsm German Etching -- white, 100%, α-cellulose paper. The mould made etching paper features a distinct textured surface. The paper meets the highest industry standards regarding density, color gamut, color graduation and image sharpness while preserving the special touch and feel of genuine art paper. Each reproduction print is created using archival-grade materials and processes, ensuring these delightful scenes will continue to charm and inspire for generations to come. |
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Whether you're drawn to the historical significance of late 1800's outdoor sporting life, the artistic mastery of Watson's illustrations, or simply the heartwarming tale of a gentleman sportsman and his spirited dachshund companion, this collection offers a unique window into America's outdoor heritage.
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Print Format OptionsFine Art Prints (Unframed)
Framed Heritage Editions
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Each order is shipped fully insured, includes tracking information, a certificate of authenticity and a printed historical story.
Start Your Heritage Collection
More than just sporting art, these illustrations remind us that the joy of outdoor recreation transcends time. The unlikely pairing of a proper gentleman sportsman and his enthusiastic dachshund speaks to the universal truth that adventure is best shared with a trusty companion - no matter their size or breeding.
Choose individual prints that speak to your favorite sporting pursuits or acquire the complete series to experience a full year of adventure. Each print is part of a larger story - a remarkable tale of friendship, sport, and the great American outdoors.
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The Buffalo River Co StoryWe uncover stories hidden within century-old tobacco barn timbers and preserved in vintage prints that evoke the best of the American spirit. Through our Story Journal, these tales of outdoor adventure, sporting tradition, and rugged individualism come to life. Experience these stories through our Tobacco Barn Revival furniture collections and Heritage Prints artwork, each piece authentically crafted in the USA. Heritage PrintsPreserving America's Visual Heritage, One Print at a Time Heritage Prints preserves America's visual legacy through museum-quality reproductions of rare historical prints. From sporting scenes to early outdoor adventures, each Giclée print is meticulously restored and reproduced to museum standards, bringing authentic American heritage art into contemporary homes. |
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From the Heritage Print collections at Buffalo River Co, where every print tells a story worth preserving.
Join us in celebrating this unique moment in American sporting history, where an unlikely duo captured the imagination of outdoor enthusiasts and created an enduring legacy of adventure.
The complete collection of twelve prints is available in both unframed (12" x 16") and framed (16" x 20") editions, each accompanied by historical documentation and a certificate of authenticity. To learn more about this unique series or to begin your collection, visit our gallery of Heritage Prints.