From The Twentieth Century Dog (1904). This book was edited by Herbert Compton, but it includes a compendium of analysis from dog experts in a wide variety of breeds.
This dog (“Sentry”) belonged to A. Holland-Hibbert, who was among the first people to trial Labrador retrievers against the then more common flat-coats.
He was described as follows:
He stands 23 inches at shoulder, weighs 65 lbs., and is an all-black dog, without any white hairs. His eyes are light, the carriage of his ears correct, upright rather when called, tail straight, coat thick and quite straight, splendid shoulders and loins, and hocks well let down. To hint a defect, his tail is a trifle too long, and not sufficiently like an otter’s. The photo was taken before he was fully furnished, and he has improved considerably (pg. 205-206).
Even if he hadn’t “fully finished,” was likely not a beef bull-type of Labrador that is so common in the show ring these days.
“The beef bull-type” labradors had not yet been invented at that time… ;)
Lord Knutsford (Arthur Holland-Hibbert) was the owner of the very first labrador to ever to appear at a field trial – Munden Single, October 1904.
Lord K also was one of the founder members of the Labrador Retriever Club in the UK.
Munden Single is, or was, one of the taxidermied dogs belonging to the Natural History Museum, now at Tring outside of London. She would be considered very small today, no doubt; but, like Sentry, very typical Labrador.