Tag: Snob Screen

Category: Furnishing

I See You! You Can't See Me!

A snob screen is a Victorian-era architectural feature found in traditional British and Irish public houses. It consists of etched or frosted glass panes set into a small, movable wooden frame positioned at eye level above the bar counter. Designed to enforce the rigid social stratification of the period, the screens separated middle-class or affluent patrons in the saloon bar from working-class drinkers in the adjacent public bar. Decorative etching allowed wealthier customers to peer through clear gaps while remaining largely unseen in return. Hinged or swiveling frames let patrons push the screen open briefly to order a drink before closing it to avoid prolonged contact with bar staff or neighboring drinkers. Snob screens also offered privacy for business dealings or discreet conversation. Most were removed in the 20th century, but notable surviving examples remain at The Lamb in Bloomsbury, The Princess Louise in Holborn, The Prince Alfred in Maida Vale, and comparable Victorian interiors at the Bartons Arms in Birmingham and the Crown Liquor Saloon in Belfast. - AsNotedIn

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Places

Place	Type	AsNotedIn	Locale
Place	Type	AsNotedIn	Locale
Crown Liquor Saloon		1001 Bld 1001 DA	Belfast
Princess Louise Public House		ELB 2p	London
The Barton Arms Public House		ELB 2p	Birmingham, Eng
Prince Alfred Public House		Ntab BB Milieu 1001 DA ELB 2p Ntab DGW DRLP	London
Lamb Public House, London		ELB 2 Ntab BB Ntab DGW	London