eBay Tuesday: Danny Doyle's Tavern Matchbook

All things considered, it seems like Danny Doyle could have come up with a snappier statement to put on his tavern's matchbooks.

The matchbook cover, for sale on eBay by the used books/ephemera dealer The Jumping Frog in Hartford, comes from the bar that used to be located at 101 North Bank Street. With the classic Irish symbols of a shamrock-bearing hat and pipe, the pub declares, "Let's meet at Doyle's, where the temperature and quality of beer is always uniform."

With such logical praise as that, I imagine Doyle's must have been a hotspot for Vulcans. They may well have also praised the establishment in other ways, such as, "Let's meet at Doyle's, where the employees wash their hands and the food is of better-than-average quality." This advertisement from 1945 nearly suggests as much, declaring, "Come in and get acquainted; you'll surely enjoy our food."

The street names have changed, but it this bar was in the old . References are somewhat scarce, but the ones I found generally covered the period from the mid-1930s (safely after the repeal of Prohibition) to the 1940s. In May of 1935, Doyle weighed in on the City Council's discussions regarding what time taverns should close. 

There's also the small matter that the Doyle seems to have accidentally killed a friend in December of 1932. An amateur boxer, he was charged with manslaughter after a bout at a fraternal clubhouse in New London left Michael L. O'Connell, a contractor and prominent Democrat, dead of a brain injury. The incident ultimately resulted in nothing more than an order for Doyle to pay a $150 fine in March of 1933. The incident also didn't prevent Doyle from backing away from confrontation, with writer John Foley remembering how Doyle seemed ready to take on a couple of troublesome sailors in one incident.

Foley recalled the spot fondly in a few columns, saying it was popular enough to attract some well-known boxing and show business personalities. The tavern later became Dudeene's Restaurant, which closed in the 1950s.

But back to that matchbook cover. That little cardboard piece of local history is going for $7.49 with free shipping. And don't worry, it's safe for small children: no matches, no striker, not even the staple. The auction ends at 5:53 a.m. on Thursday.