This page collects ephemera featuring in James Joyce's Ulysses: books, buttons, cards, coins, cups, magazines, money boxes, stationery ... 

We have gathered photographs of objects found in second-hand shops and flea markets all over Dublin. The objects themselves are kept by Tim O'Neill and by Fritz Senn in their private collections in Dublin and in Zürich.

How to search: 

Choose the Ulysses episode you want from the list on the right, or use the search bar on the right to browse the collection. 

You can also do an ordinary word-search by means of cmd+F (ctrl+F) or simply scroll down the page. Scrolling down will not get you the hole collection in one go, though. You'll need to click “Older Posts” at the bottom of the page to access further episodes.

References:

The text references indicate episode and line number, following the standard of the Gabler edition, 1986 (e.g.: U1.123 = Ulysses, episode 1, line 123).

Telemachus [1]

U1.211: sir Peter Teazle

“She calls the doctor sir Peter Teazle and picks buttercups off the quilt.”

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U1.255: tasselled dancecard

Dance card from Hely's

“Her secrets: old featherfans, tasselled dancecards, powdered with musk, a gaud of amber beads in her locked drawer.”

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U1.342: Sandycove 

“O, damn you and your Paris fads! Buck Mulligan said. I want Sandycove milk.”

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U1.366: year of the big wind

“That's folk, he said very earnestly, for your book, Haines. Five lines of text and ten pages of notes about the folk and the fishgods of Dundrum. Printed by the weird sisters in the year of the big wind.”

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U1.451: a florin

— Pay up and look pleasant, Haines said to him, smiling.

Stephen filled a third cup, a spoonful of tea colouring faintly the thick rich milk. Buck Mulligan brought up a florin, twisted it round in his fingers and cried:

—A miracle!

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U1.561: Japhet, in search of a father

“O, shade of Kinch the elder! Japhet in search of a father!”

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U1.576: “the Muglins”

“The seas' ruler, he gazed southward over the bay, empty save for the smokeplume of the mailboat vague on the bright skyline and a sail tacking by the Muglins.”

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U1.600: the fortyfoot hole

Image courtesy of Ian Gunn

“He capered before them down towards the fortyfoot hole, fluttering his winglike hands, leaping nimbly, Mercury's hat quivering in the fresh wind that bore back to them his brief birdsweet cries.”

Nestor [2]

U2.33|39: Kingstown pier

— Tell me now, Stephen said, poking the boy's shoulder with the book, what is a pier.
— A pier, sir, Armstrong said. A thing out in the water. A kind of a bridge. Kingstown pier, sir.
          Some laughed again: mirthless but with meaning. Two in the back bench whispered. Yes. They knew: had never learned nor ever been innocent. All. With envy he watched their faces: Edith, Ethel, Gerty, Lily. Their likes: their breaths, too, sweetened with tea and jam, their bracelets tittering in the struggle.
— Kingstown pier, Stephen said. Yes, a disappointed bridge.


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U2.201: Stuart coins

U2.203: and apostle spoon

“On the sideboard the tray of Stuart coins, base treasure of a bog: and ever shall be. And snug in their spooncase of purple plush, faded, the twelve apostles having preached to all the gentiles: world without end.”

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U2.285: The Rocky Road to Dublin

Lal the ral the ra

The rocky road to Dublin.

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U2.326 | 16.965: Galway harbour

“Liverpool ring which jockeyed the Galway harbour scheme.”

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Mr Deasy's school (two period photographs)

Note written on back: “part of the garden, Summerfield, Dalkey 1893”

Proteus [3]

U3.18: Sandymount strand

“Am I walking into eternity along Sandymount strand? Crush, crack, crick, crick. Wild sea money. Dominie Deasy kens them a'.”

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U3.133: Howth tram

“On the top of the Howth tram alone crying to the rain: Naked women! Naked women! What about that, eh?”

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U3.162: C'est le pigeon

From La Vie de Jésus by M. Léo Taxil (Paris, 1900), p. 20 | p. 17

“He turned northeast and crossed the firmer sand towards the Pigeonhouse.

— Qui vous a mis dans cette fichue position?

— C'est le pigeon, Joseph.

Patrice, home on furlough, lapped warm milk with me in the bar MacMahon. Son of the wild goose, Kevin Egan of Paris. My father's a bird, he lapped the sweet lait chaud with pink young tongue, plump bunny's face. Lap, lapin. He hopes to win in the gros lots. About the nature of women he read in Michelet. But he must send me La Vie de Jésus by M. Léo Taxil. Lent it to his friend.”

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U3.167: La Vie de Jésus

“But he must send me La Vie de Jésus by M. Léo Taxil. Lent it to his friend.”

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U3.259: Saint Canice and Strongbow's castle on the Nore

Cathedral of St Canice

Strongbow's castle on the Nore

“I taught him to sing The boys of Kilkenny are stout roaring blades. Know that old lay? I taught Patrice that. Old Kilkenny: saint Canice, Strongbow's castle on the Nore. Goes like this. O, O. He takes me, Napper Tandy, by the hand.

                                                                                       O, O the boysof

                                                                                        Kilkenny ....

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U3.429 Leeson park

Mrs M'Guinness the pawnbroker is probably not the lady in question, as she was a northsider tempting poor Fr Conmee from his breviary at U10.61. The card is a curious find.

“She lives in Leeson park with a grief and kickshaws, a lady of letters.”

Calypso [4]

U4.60: Gibraltar

Image courtesy of Ian Gunn

“He heard then a warm heavy sigh, softer, as she turned over and the loose brass quoits of the bedstead jingled. Must get those settled really. Pity. All the way from Gibraltar. Forgotten any little Spanish she knew.”

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U4.176: scapulars

“Mr Bloom pointed quickly. To catch up and walk behind her if she went slowly, behind her moving hams. Pleasant to see first thing in the morning. Hurry up, damn it. Make hay while the sun shines. She stood outside the shop in sunlight and sauntered lazily to the right. He sighed down his nose: they never understand. Sodachapped hands. Crusted toenails too. Brown scapulars in tatters, defending her both ways. The sting of disregard glowed to weak pleasure within his breast.”

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U4.236: Battersby

“Blotchy brown brick houses. Number eighty still unlet. Why is that? Valuation is only twentyeight. Towers, Battersby, North, MacArthur: parlour windows plastered with bills. Plasters on a sore eye.”

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U4.283: moustachecup

“The tea was drawn. He filled his own moustachecup, sham crown Derby, smiling. Silly Milly's birthday gift.”

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U4.314: J. C. Doyle

“Là ci darem with J. C. Doyle, she said, and Love's Old Sweet Song.”

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U4.346: Ruby

“He turned over the smudged pages. Ruby: the Pride of the Ring. Hello. Illustration. Fierce Italian with carriagewhip. Must be Ruby pride of the on the floor naked. Sheet kindly lent. The monster Maffei desisted and flung his victim from him with an oath. Cruelty behind it all. Doped animals. Trapeze at Hengler's. Had to look the other way. Mob gaping. Break your neck and we'll break our sides. Families of them. Bone them young so they metamspychosis.”

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U4.358: Paul de Kock

— Did you finish it? he asked.

— Yes, she said. There's nothing smutty in it. Is she in love with the first fellow all the time?

— Never read it. Do you want another?

— Yes. Get another of Paul de Kock's. Nice name he has.

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U4.435: Damned old tub

“On the Erin's King that day round the Kish. Damned old tub pitching about. Not a bit funky.”

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U4.488: Drago's

Advertisement in the Visitor's Guide to Dublin (1907) p. 46.

Hallstand too full. Four umbrellas, her raincloak. Picking up the letters. Drago's shopbell ringing. Queer I was just thinking that moment.

Lotus-Eaters [5]

U5.11: Nichols

Nichols stationery (modern, with email address)

“He crossed Townsend street, passed the frowning face of Bethel. El, yes: house of: Aleph, Beth. And past Nichols' the undertaker.”

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U5.17: Westland row

“In Westland row he halted before the window of the Belfast and Oriental Tea Company and read the legends of leadpapered packets: choice blend, finest quality, family tea.”

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U5.49: Freeman

“As he walked he took the folded Freeman from his sidepocket, unfolded it, rolled it lengthwise in a baton and tapped it at each sauntering step against his trouserleg. Careless air: just drop in to see.”

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U5.89: outsider

“Mr Bloom gazed across the road at the outsider drawn up before the door of the Grosvenor. The porter hoisted the valise up on the well. She stood still, waiting, while the man, husband, brother, like her, searched his pockets for change.”

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U5.144: Plumtree

What is home without

Plumtree's Potted Meat?

Incomplete.

With it an abode of bliss.

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U5.303: Bank of Ireland cheque

“Henry Flower. You could tear up a cheque for a hundred pounds in the same way. Simple bit of paper. Lord Iveagh once cashed a sevenfigure cheque for a million in the bank of Ireland.”

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U5.328: Buddha

“Buddha their god lying on his side in the museum. Taking it easy with hand under his cheek.”

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U5.333: Father Farley

“Sorry I didn't work him about getting Molly into the choir instead of that Father Farley who looked a fool but wasn't.”

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U5.343: crimson halters

A crimson halter from The Association of the Sacred Heart of Jesus

“Something going on: some sodality. Pity so empty. Nice discreet place to be next some girl. Who is my neighbour? Jammed by the hour to slow music. That woman at midnight mass. Seventh heaven. Women knelt in the benches with crimson halters round their necks, heads bowed.”

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U5.443: St Michael

praying card, recto

praying card, verso

The priest prayed:

— Blessed Michael, archangel, defend us in the hour of conflict. Be our safeguard against the wickedness and snares of the devil (may God restrain him, we humbly pray!).

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U5.463: Sweny's in Lincoln place

“Time enough yet. Better get that lotion made up. Where is this? Ah yes, the last time. Sweny's in Lincoln place. Chemists rarely move.”

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U5.503

Advertisement in the Visitors' Guide to Dublin (1907) p. 137.

“Time to get a bath round the corner. Hammam. Turkish. Massage.”

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U5.561: square leg

Captain Buller was facing the bowler (1). His strike went 

over square leg (7) and broke a window outside the grounds.

“Heavenly weather really. If life was always like that. Cricket weather. Sit around under sunshades. Over after over. Out. They can't play it here. Duck for six wickets. Still Captain Buller broke a window in the Kildare street club with a slog to square leg.”