PFF: Ad cards, love them or loathe them?

This card was obviously used solely for advertising purposes, and never used in the mail.  An early example of spam!

Bishop Lloyd's Palace in its present form dates from the early 17th century, but was originally two houses built over medieval cellars.  This picture appears to date from after the 1899 renovation when the houses were made to look more like each other.  It was restored again during the 1970s.  It is a listed and protected building, considered to be one of Chester's finest.

Another ad card, this time usable.  It advertises the No. 3a Folding Pocket Kodak.  The cameras were sold between 1903 and 1915 so that is a very convenient way to date the card, as is the printed message, "This space may now be used for Communication", which would indicate 1907 or earlier.  Unfortunately I've been so far unable to identify the church interior used as an illustration of what you can do with the (expensive-seeming) camera.

Both these cards were among the ones kindly sent to me by Alison from her Beloved Eleanor blog.  Yet again, my thanks to Alison.

Within Postcrossing there is often considerable resentment when people are sent ad cards,  with many profiles stating that they would prefer not to receive them.  It seems to me that they are a great way to look at social history, though of course you would have to keep them a long time for that to apply to modern ones.  Mind you, my sons used to come home from school talking about history lessons covering a time well within living memory.  Far too close for comfort!!

A post for Postcard Friendship Friday.