A FASCINATING relic of the literary past is about to go under the hammer - and interest is expected to be keen among dog and poetry lovers alike.

A wide brass dog collar which once adorned the neck of Lord Byron's favourite pet is to be sold at the next fine art and antiques sale at Tennants of Leyburn.

The collar was worn by the poet's much-loved Newfoundland dog Boatswain, which died in 1808.

Inscribed "Rt. Honble LORD BYRON," the collar has a jagged toothed edge and several teeth are missing.

And according to accompanying provenance the damage was done by a bear which Byron kept at his Newstead Abbey home in Nottinghamshire, and with which Boatswain had many "severe encounters."

Boatswain died of rabies after being bitten by another dog in Mansfield after which the grief-stricken Byron erected a monument at Newstead Abbey - bigger than his own - and composed the famous "Epitaph to a Dog."

However the successful bidder will have to dig deep into his or her pocket - as the collar is being offered with an estimate of £3,000 to £5,000.

Among the other 1,000 lots at the sale on November 18 is one expected to pique the interest of collectors of British sporting art and memorabilia - an impressive painting of two legendary coursing greyhounds.

The painting, by John Charlton (1849-1917), depicts the greyhounds Fullerton and Bit of Fashion who were bred and trained by Edward "Neddy" Dent, the most renowned greyhound trainer of his day.

Dent, of Shortflatt Tower, Northumberland, won the Waterloo Cup – the Grand National of the greyhound coursing world – with Fullerton a record-breaking four times between 1889 and 1892.

Such was his fame that Fullerton’s body was preserved and is now on display in the Natural History Museum in Tring, Berkshire.

The painting is described as "a wonderful character study"and was exhibited in the 2003 Sporting Art in Britain exhibition held by the British Sporting Art Trust to celebrate their 25th anniversary.

It is expected to fetch anywhere between £7,000-10,000, and is being sold alongside a further painting of Dent with Fullerton, and silver trophies won by Dent.

An illustrated catalogue will be available at tennants.co.uk.