Uncategorized

Archival Game-Hawking

by Lesli Larson



Game-hawking might be an archival hobby worth reviving. In Eugene, even my dental hygienist raises chickens in a backyard coop. Why not expand fowl-keeping to include birds that fetch their own dinners? At minimum, game-hawking provides us with new possibilities for heritage ensembles for 2010. Archival files show a promising range of outfits roughly based on the gamekeeper’s wardrobe of tweeds, tall boots and jaunty caps. Excessive, protective layering–even on warmer days–is advisable to guard against underbrush and misdirected talons. Dress shirts and ties are encouraged. I leave sartorial takes on the falconer’s gauntlet up to the individual.


Here are some vintage images of the game-hawking club at Oxford University. In this case, I will not be shopping from the club’s Medieval falconry garb:





Who can resist a sport that requires an extra set of accessories for the companion animal?

Traditional hawk furniture

Falconry in film:

A Canterbury Tale (Powell and Pressburger)

4 thoughts on “Archival Game-Hawking”

  1. We had a family friend who kept a falcon in their backyard. I don’t think his neighbors were particularly enthused. His son actually started the falconry club at UGA, which sounds much more prestigious than anything I was involved with.

    On a related note, it’s nice to see Barbour being put to its intended purpose (e.g. not fall days in Manhattan).

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *