This post is for Rhonda over at Shellbelle's Tikki Hut. If you want to feel the breeze rolling of the Gulf of Mexico coast, or would like to see some beautiful flowers and sea shells... then head on over to her place!
The reason I'm writing this one is because Rhonda has been doing a series of posts on vintage beach photos, and a while back I received an e-mail forward I thought she'd be interested in. I have no idea where this e-mail started out from (the problem with forwards), but here's the text which I've translated (from Spanish). The photos apparently did have a website associated with them so at least they get credit.
I hope Rhonda won't be the only one to enjoy this! ;o)
Image: George Eastman House
Although it resembles the palazzo of an eccentric vizier on the coast of the Indian Ocean, the building you see in the photo was built towards the end of the 19th century on the beach of La Concha in San Sebastián (Spain) and remained there several years for the enjoyment of King Alfonso XIII, who became one of the oddest swimmers in history.
Image: George Eastman House
The palace, built in wood, could move along two rails that split the beach in two. Thanks to the power of a steam engine, the apparatus transported the monarch and his entourage from the sand to the water, where they could bathe protected from curious glances.
Image: George Eastman House
As the author of Prunsed explains, the existence of these "bath houses" fits into the Victorian morals of the times, which considered bathing in public or being seen in a bathing suit to be of poor taste. Competing with the Spas, the so-called "wave baths" became quite the fashion thanks to these "rolling houses", where ladies and gentlemen could enter and exit the water discreetly.
Image: George Eastman House
Image: skyscrapercity.com
The more aristocratic beaches, like those of San Sebastián and Santander, soon filled up with these contraptions, that moved to and from the front lines depending on the tides. The donostiarra Siro Alcain numbers 242 bath houses in the Concha beach by the end of the century, to which you need to add Alfonso XIII's enormous construction which you can admire in these postcards. According to the tale, the palace was built in 1894 and was regularly used until 1911 when a stone building was built in the beach.
Image: numisjoya.com
Image: numisjoya.com
The reason I'm writing this one is because Rhonda has been doing a series of posts on vintage beach photos, and a while back I received an e-mail forward I thought she'd be interested in. I have no idea where this e-mail started out from (the problem with forwards), but here's the text which I've translated (from Spanish). The photos apparently did have a website associated with them so at least they get credit.
I hope Rhonda won't be the only one to enjoy this! ;o)
A PALACE ON RAILS FOR THE ROYAL BATH
Image: George Eastman House
Although it resembles the palazzo of an eccentric vizier on the coast of the Indian Ocean, the building you see in the photo was built towards the end of the 19th century on the beach of La Concha in San Sebastián (Spain) and remained there several years for the enjoyment of King Alfonso XIII, who became one of the oddest swimmers in history.
Image: George Eastman House
The palace, built in wood, could move along two rails that split the beach in two. Thanks to the power of a steam engine, the apparatus transported the monarch and his entourage from the sand to the water, where they could bathe protected from curious glances.
Image: George Eastman House
As the author of Prunsed explains, the existence of these "bath houses" fits into the Victorian morals of the times, which considered bathing in public or being seen in a bathing suit to be of poor taste. Competing with the Spas, the so-called "wave baths" became quite the fashion thanks to these "rolling houses", where ladies and gentlemen could enter and exit the water discreetly.
Image: George Eastman House
Image: skyscrapercity.com
The more aristocratic beaches, like those of San Sebastián and Santander, soon filled up with these contraptions, that moved to and from the front lines depending on the tides. The donostiarra Siro Alcain numbers 242 bath houses in the Concha beach by the end of the century, to which you need to add Alfonso XIII's enormous construction which you can admire in these postcards. According to the tale, the palace was built in 1894 and was regularly used until 1911 when a stone building was built in the beach.
Image: numisjoya.com
Image: numisjoya.com
Hi Chris,
ReplyDeleteLovely post thanks.
Love,
Herrad
That's very interesting. I never knew they did that.
ReplyDeleteOh Cris, you know I just love this post. I can just imagine sitting in this and riding down to the water. Of course, I wouldn't be wearing one of the wool bathing suits of the time period! My how times have changed and of course, walking the beach is one of my favorite things to do — you never know just what you may find.
ReplyDeleteI love all the detail of how it operated that is included, thank you so much for translating.
I've added the postcards to my vintage collection, thank you so much for remembering and sharing this with all of us! I'm going to put a link to this on Monday with my usual vintage post.
You are a doll! Loved, loved, LOVED this post!
I liked the photos. very much.:)
ReplyDeleteI'm glad you guys enjoyed it!
ReplyDeleteDiwakar, welcome to the crazyness that is my neck of the blogosphere!
Rhonda, although I too can imagine riding down to the water in these contraptions, I for one wouldn't want to have lived back then! No swimming naturally with just a bikini on? All those clothes dragging you down in the water? Not for me!!! ;o)
I'll keep my eyes open if anything else like this comes my way.
Thanks Cris! I just can't get enough vintage beach, but I agree on the whole swimsuit thing though.
ReplyDeleteThis is crazy! I had no idea these contraptions every existed. Thanks for a very interesting post, Chris.
ReplyDelete