Advertisements and Novelty Postcards

Hotels often produced their own postcards as they served as a convenient way to advertise. The Royal Marine Hotel was originally Haye's Royal Hotel. It was taken over by William Dargen and the architect John McCurdy designed an elaborate plan for the new hotel. Due to financial problems the plan had to be scaled down considerably by 1865. Haye's Hotel was remodelled instead of being replaced completely. The centrepiece and south wing were the only parts of the original design used.

In 1960 the hotel lost its Victorian tower and French pavilions due to roof renovations. A conference centre was erected in the 1970s and replaced a section of the hotel. Beside the hotel Gresham Terrace was also demolished in the 1970s having existed since the 1830s. The hotel has come to symbolise the difficult relationship between history and progress. It stands as the only nineteenth century hotel building to remain in Dun Laoghaire.

Another example, dating from 1905 uses an image of Kingstown as viewed from the East Pier. Unusually this postcard is an advertisement for Tyler's boots. A small crest is visible in the left hand corner of the postcard. The logo 'Tyler's Boots are the best' is written around it like a motto. This is quite a subtle advertisement by normal standards.

Sometimes postcard publishers went for a more novel approach with their designs. Beach images were always popular and offered another approach to advertising places. Publishers, often in competition with each other, strove to find different formats for their postcards.

This ambition even extended to the materials the postcards were printed on. Examples included leather, wood and silk. The Pavilion in Kingstown appears as an aluminium effect postcard.

Gallery

Royal Marine Hotel, Dun Laoghaire.

The Royal Marine Hotel was originally Hayes Hotel and the initial plans were to build a completely new hotel. The entire venture was affected by financial constraints and in 1867 the hotel company collapsed. The original plans had to be scaled down vastly but the hotel was completed. The building was re-roofed around 1960 and as a result, the French pavilions and Victorian tower were removed. Another feature of the hotel was its magnificent gardens, visible in the postcard. Development has continued around the hotel since the 1970s and includes shopping centres and various car parks as well as apartment blocks. This postcard presents us with a clear example of the continuous struggle between development and historical preservation.

Image acquired from The Collectors' Shop, Blackrock.

Royal Marine Hotel, Dun Laoghaire. - Image acquired from The Collectors' Shop, Blackrock.

Tyler’s Boots Advertisement

The postcard shows Kingstown from the East Pier. It features a crest advertising Tyler’s boots. They had a shop in Kingstown on Upper George’s Street dating from 1881 when it was called Amies and Tyler Boot and Shoe Warehouse. This became just Tyler and Sons after a couple of years. The advertisers were depending on the popularity of postcards to spread the message ‘Tyler’s boot are the best’.

Donated by Seamus Kearns (postcard collector)

Tyler’s Boots Advertisement - Donated by Seamus Kearns (postcard collector)

The Pavilion in Kingstown.

A postcard dating from 1908 approximately. The view is of the Pavilion theatre and gardens and is an aluminium effect postcard. Due to the huge number of postcards in circulation at the time publishers were constantly looking for new ideas. Postcards were made from silk, wood, peat and metal in an effort to break from the normal materials used.

Donated by Seamus Kearns (postcard collector)

The Pavilion in Kingstown. - Donated by Seamus Kearns (postcard collector)

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