Discussion - Member to Member Sales - Research Center
Discussion - Member to Member Sales - Research Center
Unfortunately I never experienced luxurious air travel, which virtually disappeared at the end of the 1950's, such as the TWA Jetstream service.
A number of airlines of that era tried to emulate the luxury provided by ocean liners and Pullman railway coaches, but on a smaller scale. Passengers who could afford such a service didn't just sit in aircraft cabin seats, they were accommodated in aircraft lounge armchairs and offered in flight silver service dining.
Some aircraft even provided sleeping berths.
Trans World Airlines brought into service the Lockheed L-1649 Starliner, which was the last model of the Lockheed Constellation line. TWA named these aircraft 'Jetstreams' and flew them on longer domestic routes and on flights from New York to Europe and beyond.
This service began on June 1, 1957 on a Trans World Airlines (TWA) flight from New York to London and Frankfurt.
Inspired no doubt by the luxury ship lines, TWA commissioned designers and artists to decorate Jetstream aircraft lounge interiors. The artist Maric Zamparelli designed a different 'city or nation themed' painted wall mural for each plane in the Jetstream fleet. This contemporary brochure shows Zamparelli's Paris interpretation adorning the wall of the lounge interior.
Here's an extract from the same brochure. Note the furnishing swatches on the left:
I recently bought three TWA Jetstream postcards, each depicting a different Zamparelli city/nation inspired design. I was attracted not just to the design, but the distinct late 1950's rendition of colour, that we sometimes see in magazines of that era.
Here is the first, which is the Paris design, shown on the brochure:
The second is the Hollywood design:
Thirdly, the Rome interpretation:
There is at least one other in the series, which I don't have. The nation of Ceylon:
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I remember when the airlines tried to turn back the clock: after flying mostly sardine cans, the early 747s came configured with a 'stand up' coach lounge, sometimes on the upper deck, and sometimes in the tail.
That would be a fun topical ephemera collection, as it was only a few years before the airlines decided that the extra seats were a greater revenue advantage than the lounges had been a competitive advantage.
One Great Turning Point in commercial aviation in the US was the de-regulation of airline pricing. When the airlines all had to charge the same price, they fell all over each other with 'restaurant chef' qualify meals served on china with lovely cutlery, and pens & postcards & playing cards & other freebies.
The ads are hysterical to watch for the fashions & manners:
American Airlines 747 Coach Lounge Commercial 1
American Airlines 747 Coach Lounge Commercial 2 ... Chet Huntley ... can you spot Henry Winkler?
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chet_Huntley
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Huntley-Brinkley_Report
I am sad that the Golden Age of Commercial Aviation came at a time when American postcards were the worst of The Crappy Chromes.
Cheers,
/s/ ikeyPikey
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Never mind comfort, you must have the need for speed.
I found this in a mixed box at auction. It is clearly an artists impression on what Concorde would look like. I have never researched this subject but I do believe Concorde never flew in the B.O.A.C. colours as depicted. (B.O.A.C. was the British Overseas Airways Corporation).
I also found the following:-
The BEA stands stands for British European Airways
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My apologies if Linked-In requires membership to read this:
These Ads Show How Bad Air Travel Has Become
Cheers,
/s/ ikeyPikey
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Here's one that's a bit more dated. Colonial Airlines' arriving Bermuda from New York.
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If you want to have some fun with old airliner scenes, find the Shirley Temple movie "Bright Eyes" from 1934. She spends her time at an airport befriending a pilot, and there are really neat scenes of the airport and even inside early passenger planes.
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Ever since my first flight back in the 60's, I've been fascinated by aviation; particularly propeller driven aircraft. It was exciting as a youngster to live on the military side of Kai Tak airport watching an amazing array of different military and commercial airplanes.
Unfortunately I never experienced luxurious air travel, which virtually disappeared at the end of the 1950's, such as the TWA Jetstream service.
A number of airlines of that era tried to emulate the luxury provided by ocean liners and Pullman railway coaches, but on a smaller scale. Passengers who could afford such a service didn't just sit in aircraft cabin seats, they were accommodated in aircraft lounge armchairs and offered in flight silver service dining.
Some aircraft even provided sleeping berths.
Trans World Airlines brought into service the Lockheed L-1649 Starliner, which was the last model of the Lockheed Constellation line. TWA named these aircraft 'Jetstreams' and flew them on longer domestic routes and on flights from New York to Europe and beyond.
This service began on June 1, 1957 on a Trans World Airlines (TWA) flight from New York to London and Frankfurt.
Inspired no doubt by the luxury ship lines, TWA commissioned designers and artists to decorate Jetstream aircraft lounge interiors. The artist Maric Zamparelli designed a different 'city or nation themed' painted wall mural for each plane in the Jetstream fleet. This contemporary brochure shows Zamparelli's Paris interpretation adorning the wall of the lounge interior.
Here's an extract from the same brochure. Note the furnishing swatches on the left:
I recently bought three TWA Jetstream postcards, each depicting a different Zamparelli city/nation inspired design. I was attracted not just to the design, but the distinct late 1950's rendition of colour, that we sometimes see in magazines of that era.
Here is the first, which is the Paris design, shown on the brochure:
The second is the Hollywood design:
Thirdly, the Rome interpretation:
There is at least one other in the series, which I don't have. The nation of Ceylon:
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re: Postcard collecting: Luxury air travel from a bygone era
I remember when the airlines tried to turn back the clock: after flying mostly sardine cans, the early 747s came configured with a 'stand up' coach lounge, sometimes on the upper deck, and sometimes in the tail.
That would be a fun topical ephemera collection, as it was only a few years before the airlines decided that the extra seats were a greater revenue advantage than the lounges had been a competitive advantage.
One Great Turning Point in commercial aviation in the US was the de-regulation of airline pricing. When the airlines all had to charge the same price, they fell all over each other with 'restaurant chef' qualify meals served on china with lovely cutlery, and pens & postcards & playing cards & other freebies.
The ads are hysterical to watch for the fashions & manners:
American Airlines 747 Coach Lounge Commercial 1
American Airlines 747 Coach Lounge Commercial 2 ... Chet Huntley ... can you spot Henry Winkler?
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chet_Huntley
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Huntley-Brinkley_Report
I am sad that the Golden Age of Commercial Aviation came at a time when American postcards were the worst of The Crappy Chromes.
Cheers,
/s/ ikeyPikey
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re: Postcard collecting: Luxury air travel from a bygone era
Never mind comfort, you must have the need for speed.
I found this in a mixed box at auction. It is clearly an artists impression on what Concorde would look like. I have never researched this subject but I do believe Concorde never flew in the B.O.A.C. colours as depicted. (B.O.A.C. was the British Overseas Airways Corporation).
I also found the following:-
The BEA stands stands for British European Airways
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re: Postcard collecting: Luxury air travel from a bygone era
My apologies if Linked-In requires membership to read this:
These Ads Show How Bad Air Travel Has Become
Cheers,
/s/ ikeyPikey
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re: Postcard collecting: Luxury air travel from a bygone era
Here's one that's a bit more dated. Colonial Airlines' arriving Bermuda from New York.
Login to Like
this post
Approvals
re: Postcard collecting: Luxury air travel from a bygone era
If you want to have some fun with old airliner scenes, find the Shirley Temple movie "Bright Eyes" from 1934. She spends her time at an airport befriending a pilot, and there are really neat scenes of the airport and even inside early passenger planes.
Login to Like
this post