Hi Huneybees,
The illustrations from John Thomas Young Gilroy (John Gilroy) were also exhibited on the showcards. They were nicely preserved and from that we could see his love to express using animals, relating back to the farmers, circuses and sailors at that time. The approach were more cartoon-y, more cheerful as it could be due to the war period, Guinness wanted to lift up the spirits of its drinkers.
Yesterday, I sneak peeked the ‘GUINNESS by the Decades’ Exhibition, held at the Mint (Moment of Imagination and Nostalgia with Toys) Museum of Toys. There was quite a fair bit of vintage Guinness collectables, related posters and collaterals, which I've seen a few when I was younger.
The exhibition saw a collection of more than fifty unique premiums and advertising materials as far back as the 1900s. Like seen above is a signboard that was used in Singapore, thus the Chinese characters. It is amazing how the board has been kept intact all these years, as thanks to Mr Chang Yang Fa - founder of Mint Museum of Toys. Every piece you see is being collected by him over the years and these are just some of what he have collected so far...
" The 'GUINNESS by the Decades' Exhibition showcases the strong heritage of the GUINNESS brand, which has stood the test of time and today remains as popular and relevant as when it was first brewed in 1759 in Ireland. The initiative to showcase these rare items is very much in line with the Mint Museum's approach to displaying antiquated memorabilia from the world over. that draws visitors into a story told by decades past." --- Mr Chang Yang Fa, Founder of the Mint Museum of Toys.
The Guinness label first started out with the Bull Dog illustration and over the years, different animals have been used for the different markets.
Seen above, the Seated Cat is used for the Indonesian market and the Red-Tongued Alsatian Dog is for the Singaporean market, whilst the Bull Dog is for the Malaysian market. These representations were being carried over to other items such as vintage cups and glasses.
 |
| The infamous red-tongued Alsatian dog or "Ang Ji Kao". |
The illustrations from John Thomas Young Gilroy (John Gilroy) were also exhibited on the showcards. They were nicely preserved and from that we could see his love to express using animals, relating back to the farmers, circuses and sailors at that time. The approach were more cartoon-y, more cheerful as it could be due to the war period, Guinness wanted to lift up the spirits of its drinkers.
I also found the Alice In Wonderland Parody Postcards and Doctor's Books very interesting. It was catchy and the illustrations were delicate and now with the digital age, it is hard to see such beautiful hand drawn work.
However, nothing beats the Guinness Extra Stout Stoneware Bottle. It has been intact and you can see how beer used to be sold, in comparison with the later glass bottles...
With the Chinese characters, you can see that this bottle of Guinness Stout was made for the Asian markets...
 |
| An old newspaper cutting of a Guinness advertisement. |
And on this table are some of the Singapore-specific artifacts that will only be revealed at the Guinness Arthur's Day Concert, headlined by The Fray on 27th September 2013. Judging from the cut out silhouettes, can you guess what they are?
"The collection of GUINNESS memorabilia being presented at the Mint Museum's exhibition is truly one that will take GUINNESS fans on a nostalgic trip down memory lane. The red-tongued dog or "Ang Ji Kao" is clearly one of the snippets of history that continues to live on our GUINNESS packaging today, connecting the brand's illustrious history and heritage with its modern outlook." --- Mr Rene de Monchy, Head of Marketing, Asia Pacific Breweries Singapore
The 'GUINNESS by the Decades' Exhibition at the Mint Museum of Toys run from 4 to 31 September 2013 during the Museum's opening hours, from 9.30am to 6.30pm daily. Usual admission charges to the Museum apply, with access to the Exhibition included.
Please visit http://emint.com/mint/go/visitus/location for more details.
