Imperial Airways Poster - Travel in Comfort (1933)
Imperial Airways - The Greatest Air Service in the World / Travel in Comfort - Europe, Africa India and The East
Printed by Rembrandt Photogravure Ltd, London for Imperial Airways Limited. 1934. Colour lithograph on paper. Measures 40” x 26” (Double Royal) / 101cm x 63cm. Professionally restored and backed onto linen. Please inspect photos carefully.
This stunning poster for Imperial Airways was published in 1933 and features an early use of artwork combined with photography which became very popular in the 1930s. The art deco design (unsigned but likely to be Edward McKnight Kauffer) includes the iconic ‘Speedbird’ logo which was introduced in the same year (1933) and later adopted by BOAC when Imperial Airways was merged with British Airways in 1939.
Imperial Airways was formed in 1924 as Britain’s national airline after a Parliamentary committee recommended that four of the largest existing airlines, should be merged to combat stiff competition from French and German airlines that enjoyed heavy government subsidies. Imperial Airways operated from 1924-1939 and principally serving the British Empire routes to South Africa, India, Australia and the Far East, including Malaya and Hong Kong. Passengers were typically businessmen or colonial administrators, and most flights carried about 20 passengers or fewer.
The aircraft featured in this poster - G-ABTI named "Atalanta" - was an Armstrong Whitworth A.W.15 Atalanta monoplane that served Imperial Airways Eastern routes from 1932. This aircraft carried a maximum of just 17 passengers. Confusingly, G-ABTI was named ‘Atalanta’ when the protype by the same name (which the model class was subsequently named after) suffered a mishap.
An example of this poster is held at the National Air and Space Museum, in Washington DC.
Imperial Airways - The Greatest Air Service in the World / Travel in Comfort - Europe, Africa India and The East
Printed by Rembrandt Photogravure Ltd, London for Imperial Airways Limited. 1934. Colour lithograph on paper. Measures 40” x 26” (Double Royal) / 101cm x 63cm. Professionally restored and backed onto linen. Please inspect photos carefully.
This stunning poster for Imperial Airways was published in 1933 and features an early use of artwork combined with photography which became very popular in the 1930s. The art deco design (unsigned but likely to be Edward McKnight Kauffer) includes the iconic ‘Speedbird’ logo which was introduced in the same year (1933) and later adopted by BOAC when Imperial Airways was merged with British Airways in 1939.
Imperial Airways was formed in 1924 as Britain’s national airline after a Parliamentary committee recommended that four of the largest existing airlines, should be merged to combat stiff competition from French and German airlines that enjoyed heavy government subsidies. Imperial Airways operated from 1924-1939 and principally serving the British Empire routes to South Africa, India, Australia and the Far East, including Malaya and Hong Kong. Passengers were typically businessmen or colonial administrators, and most flights carried about 20 passengers or fewer.
The aircraft featured in this poster - G-ABTI named "Atalanta" - was an Armstrong Whitworth A.W.15 Atalanta monoplane that served Imperial Airways Eastern routes from 1932. This aircraft carried a maximum of just 17 passengers. Confusingly, G-ABTI was named ‘Atalanta’ when the protype by the same name (which the model class was subsequently named after) suffered a mishap.
An example of this poster is held at the National Air and Space Museum, in Washington DC.
Imperial Airways - The Greatest Air Service in the World / Travel in Comfort - Europe, Africa India and The East
Printed by Rembrandt Photogravure Ltd, London for Imperial Airways Limited. 1934. Colour lithograph on paper. Measures 40” x 26” (Double Royal) / 101cm x 63cm. Professionally restored and backed onto linen. Please inspect photos carefully.
This stunning poster for Imperial Airways was published in 1933 and features an early use of artwork combined with photography which became very popular in the 1930s. The art deco design (unsigned but likely to be Edward McKnight Kauffer) includes the iconic ‘Speedbird’ logo which was introduced in the same year (1933) and later adopted by BOAC when Imperial Airways was merged with British Airways in 1939.
Imperial Airways was formed in 1924 as Britain’s national airline after a Parliamentary committee recommended that four of the largest existing airlines, should be merged to combat stiff competition from French and German airlines that enjoyed heavy government subsidies. Imperial Airways operated from 1924-1939 and principally serving the British Empire routes to South Africa, India, Australia and the Far East, including Malaya and Hong Kong. Passengers were typically businessmen or colonial administrators, and most flights carried about 20 passengers or fewer.
The aircraft featured in this poster - G-ABTI named "Atalanta" - was an Armstrong Whitworth A.W.15 Atalanta monoplane that served Imperial Airways Eastern routes from 1932. This aircraft carried a maximum of just 17 passengers. Confusingly, G-ABTI was named ‘Atalanta’ when the protype by the same name (which the model class was subsequently named after) suffered a mishap.
An example of this poster is held at the National Air and Space Museum, in Washington DC.