Just to remind you what a loaghtan sheep looks like.  It's a very old Manx breed - the Vikings probably knew loaghtan - and of course what our publishing house is named after.  It's why our colophon looks as it does: it represents the sheep's head with four horns.

Loaghtan sheep are relatively small but make their own fashion statement with their splendid display of headgear.  Four horns is normal but six is not unknown.  Lambs are a gorgeous dark brown, almost black, and get gradually lighter as they get older.  Loaghtan don't always need shearing as the wool tends to fall off.  The fleece doesn't take dye well, but with this colour, who cares.

One of our UK customers used to breed loaghtan sheep and, whenever he phoned in an order for his bookshop, regaled us with tales of his flock.  He also gave us several mutton recipes saying that loaghtans are particularly delicious to eat!  We won't be having sheepish discussions with him again though, as he's recently retired.  Delightful man:  have a lovely retirement Peter.

Incidentally, trust us to choose a name most people can neither spell nor pronounce.  We've had 'Looton', 'Lowton', 'Luffton', 'Lagtun' and even 'Um Books' as in, 'is that um, um, um...?'  If you'd like to know, the name is pronounced, roughly, 'loch-tun'.


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