Graphic Design from the 1920s and 1930s in Travel Ephemera

[splatt]

Ran across this site while researching the boat that my father traveled to Australia on (the SS Toscana from the Lloyd Triestino line) and thought i should share

Graphic Design from the 1920s and 1930s in Travel Ephemera

From the website

This is a virtual online gallery I've created to display and share the best items in my collection of 1920s and 1930s travel-related ephemera. It is not my whole collection, just a portion.

My basic passion is paper items such as travel brochures, airline time-tables, ocean liner time-tables, auto road maps, luggage labels, advertising, and graphic design publications from the 1920s and 1930s, primarily in Europe but also Asia and, to a small degree, the U.S.A.

Some, well actually all of the stuff on display at the site is spectacular

 

[splatt]

My favourites part 1

Here are my favourite’s from each category to tempt you to visit

Advertising

Airlines

Asia

Austria

Automotive

Benelux

France

Germany

 

[splatt]

My favourites part 2

Here are my favourite’s from the remaining categories to tempt you to visit

Graphic Design Journals

Hungary

Italy

Nautical

Russia

Switzerland

Yugoslavia

 

[Murph351]

I'm almost tempted... got any more pics

 

[grey ghost]

love the pics,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,:eusa_clap

 

[Lefty]

Great stuff.
Thanks for this.:eusa_clap

 

[Ottens]

Those are excellent! Thanks for sharing the link.

 

[Mojito]

Interesting you brought this up, Splatt - it ties in with an idea I had recently. I'm involved with quite a few liner historians and collectors and have a few pieces myself (mostly from the Edwardian/Teens/Twenties and from lines associated with my research). There's so much lovely Art Deco design still extant - not only the ephemera, but objects up to and including fittings. The great ocean liner epitomises Deco, be the QM, the Normandie etc. It occured to me that this would make a fantastic exhibition along the lines of "Art Deco at Sea". I'm going to put together an exhibition proposal, so would appreciate any ideas on both sub themes to explore within the concept, titles, etc. An Australian sub theme would be one area, for example.

 

[Forgotten Man]

Euro ads are great... they had a totally different style apposed to the American ads of the same time.

My self, I'm a fan of the American stuff mostly... but, I embrace all vintage ad art of the times.

Thanks for sharing.

 

[Mojito]

Thanks Splatt! I'd love any input you can give me - I need to check when the next exhibition team meeting is so I can get a rough idea of what deadline I should work towards. I should check out some titles like that in the museum library - I have to admit, I don't know as much about liners to Oz as I should...what I know is mostly limited to the White Star Line service, with a few Aberdeen White Star Line intersects (not the same line, although they did have connections). I know there's a good P&O book that covers the Australia service, although I don't remember it having much on interiors. I was chatting about it recently to a White Star Line author/historian who lives down here although much of his work has been on the transaltantic liners, and we tossed around the idea of undertaking an Australia-specific project. I'd like the exhibition to encompass international Art Deco in liners, though, as the French and German liners of the period had some very striking interiors.

 

[splatt]

When the lifespan of a ship had been reached (especially during the hey-day of shipping), didn't they usually completely scrap it Mojito?

That wouldn't leave to many actual items to display i imagine...though there would be a ton of photos and advertising material around the place

 

[Mojito]

There was usually a sale of the fittings, often by auction - particularly if it was a liner of quality. One reason we know a fair bit about the RMS Olympic's fitting out is the detailed sale catalogue - even pannellings and lights were sold (large portions of some of her first class public rooms even exist in places like pubs). These ships didn't always go straight to the breakers once their glamourous days on the liner run were over - take the RMS Medic, for example. After her days on the Oz run were over she was sold on a few times before finally winding up as a whaler, of all things. Before sale she would have been stripped - some of her fittings might have been reused on other WSL vessels (plates, cutlery etc) but others may have found their way for sale. I have friends who have everything from lights to deckchairs from the golden age of ocean travel!

 

[splatt]

And these would all be highly prized items now i imagine...

 

[David Conwill]

I love this stuff, but here's my quandry: I'd like to decorate my luggage with this type of thing, but only for places I've been and lines I've travelled. I wish I was better with photoshop, I'd just make my own.

I'd like to see a website like this but devoted to the waterslide decals of the 1950s.

-Dave

 

[cookie]

Great idea Mojito...i'd pay to see that :eusa_clap

Last week I picked up two relevant books of eBay, both of which just got delivered...








I'll get a chance to look through them a bit later and will write down any ideas i get

splatt Any pages on the Manoora?

 

[splatt]

splatt Any pages on the Manoora?

The first chapter in "The Vanished Fleet" is all about ships from the Adelaide Steamship Company cookie...and yep...it includes info on the Manoora.

Looking for anything in particular?? I'm happy to scan the relevant pages on the weekend if you want them...

 

[cookie]

The first chapter in "The Vanished Fleet" is all about ships from the Adelaide Steamship Company cookie...and yep...it includes info on the Manoora.

Looking for anything in particular?? I'm happy to scan the relevant pages on the weekend if you want them...

Yes please...my late father served on the ship and then went to WW2 on it...my brother and cousin would love any stuff you have there mate...Thanx

 

[Spitfire]

Great stuff :eusa_clap - thanks for posting Splatt.

 

[MrNewportCustom]

Thank you, Splatt. Those are wonderful.

My favorites are always automotive. I have a couple (modern) books filled with automotive advertisements from several eras. I have to admit, though, that my favorite is slightly more modern: It's about the automotive photography firm, Boulevard Photographic, and shows their work from the mid '50s to the late '80s.


Lee

 

[Buddy]

There was usually a sale of the fittings, often by auction - particularly if it was a liner of quality. One reason we know a fair bit about the RMS Olympic's fitting out is the detailed sale catalogue - even pannellings and lights were sold (large portions of some of her first class public rooms even exist in places like pubs). These ships didn't always go straight to the breakers once their glamourous days on the liner run were over - take the RMS Medic, for example. After her days on the Oz run were over she was sold on a few times before finally winding up as a whaler, of all things. Before sale she would have been stripped - some of her fittings might have been reused on other WSL vessels (plates, cutlery etc) but others may have found their way for sale. I have friends who have everything from lights to deckchairs from the golden age of ocean travel!

And some of those vintage fittings are showing up on modern cruise ships now. The Celebrity Millenium has used panelling and fittings from the RMS Olympic for their new Olympic restaurant. I'm hoping to get a look at it sometime soon.