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Page 22 The Antique Shoppe March, 2018
GUINNESS ADVERTISING POSTERS

See what buying “one or Toucan” do for you

By Larry LeMasters
LeMasters’ Antique News Service

In 2013, Glenn Kaufmann (An to Catholics but it did everything it
American in Dublin) attempted to could to avoid employing them until
answer a “what came first—the the 1960s.” Apparently Catholics
chicken or the egg” type question— were not even allowed to marry into
“Why the Irish drink.” While his the Guinness family.
answers seem philosophical at best, Still, as the years passed, despite
he succinctly points out “The world the brewery’s early refusal to
knows Ireland as a country of pubs, either advertise or offer its beer at a
and happy, hard drinking folk. That’s discount, sales increased. By the 20th
the world’s impression, and it’s not century, though, facing falling sales,
entirely undeserved.” Guinness advertised in every media
Kaufmann adds that the first pub form imaginable, including posters,
in Ireland dates to 1198, and Irish beer mats, television, and magazines.
whiskey dates to the 1400s. “There However, it wasn’t until the 1950s that
is also evidence to suggest that beer its advertising posters became such
has been around in Ireland since the grand works of art that, today, are still
Bronze or early Iron Ages. It’s also highly sought after collectibles.
known that early monasteries had Beginning in the late 1930s and
↑ “Lovely day for
very active breweries.” a Guinness” by Tom ↑ This poster, by John continuing into the ‘50s, S.H. Benson
Gilroy, was offered
Over the years there have been Eckersley, circa 1953. This on eBay for $5,000. created memorable Guinness posters.
many Irish breweries, with some poster is valued at $1,725. Perhaps it should One series of posters, from roughly
outstanding beer coming from some be mentioned in the 1953-1957, featured the artwork
of them. One brewery, Guinness, not When an ostrich steals your Guinness Book of World of John Gilroy, English artist and
only has some great tasting beer, it glass of Guinness, Records. illustrator, and other artists. Catch
has some of the most collectible beer what can you do? This phrases such as “My Goodness My
advertising posters of the 1950s. John Gilroy poster is Guinness” and “Guinness is Good
Arthur Guinness founded a valued at $1,700 → for You” along with colorful Gilroy
brewery at the unused St. James’s paintings of ostrich, lion, kangaroo,
Gate Brewery in Dublin, Ireland, in and toucan sparked the imaginations
1759. Guinness famously produced of drinkers and non-drinkers alike.
only three variations of beer: porter One poster, “Lovely Day for
or single stout, double or extra stout, a Guinness,” depicts a gardener
and a foreign stout that was brewed trimming a hedge into topiary—a
for export. seal balancing a cup of Guinness
By 1868 Guinness produced beer. This painting by Tom Eckersley,
350,000 barrels and increased sales to one of England’s foremost graphic
779,000 barrels by 1876. And in 1886, designers, perfectly captures the
1,138,000 barrels of beer were sold. whimsy of Guinness posters and helps
A couple of interesting facts explains collectors’ interests in them.
about Guinness Breweries: First, on These iconic posters pushed
November 10, 1951, Sir Hugh Beaver, Guinness to become the best-
the managing director of Guinness known beer worldwide (that fact is
Breweries, first visualized a book that probably documented in its book),
could settle arguments about records and “Guinness is good for you”
that were debated nightly in pubs in became a household jingle that is still
Ireland. The argument he initially remembered today, some 70–80 years
↑ My Goodness, it’s the
wanted to settle was which game gators Guinness is how this ↑ A poster asking what after it was written.
“one or Toucan do” for
bird flew fastest, the golden plover or Gilroy poster should read. you? Toucans know Guinness collectors know three
the red grouse. From this founding how to party and this is things about these posters: First, 1953
argument, the Guinness Book of a relatively inexpensive was a very good year for Guinness
World Records was born, and the Another “My Goodness poster, circa 1957, that is posters. Second, they all measure 20
golden plover was documented as the – My Guinness” poster, valued at only $1,500. inches by 30 inches, so they display
circa 1953. This poster
faster bird. has to make one wonder if beautifully. Third, they are expensive.
Another interesting tidbit about zookeepers in Ireland are On eBay, they are routinely offered
Guinness, which might make some allowed to drink Guinness for $1,500 each or more, and,
people need a drink, is that if a on the job? → occasionally, one is offered for
Guinness brewer wished to marry $5,000, making one chug a Guinness
a Catholic girl, before 1939, his or Tou before placing a bid.
resignation from the company was
required. Of this practice, the Irish
Independent once wrote, “Guinness
had no qualms about selling drink