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Halfsheet vintage pictorial travel poster for B.O.A.C. (British Overseas Airways Corporation), titled "World Air Routes - Western Hemisphere".
Historical Context
Artist & Date: This specific map was illustrated by E.O. Seymour and published by B.O.A.C. in 1949.
Aviation Era: The map reflects the post-World War II period, a time when global mobility was rapidly increasing and commercial aviation was being reborn.
The "Speedbird" Logo: The stylized gold bird in the top right corner is the "Speedbird" logo, originally designed in 1932 for Imperial Airways before being adopted by B.O.A.C.. It served as a symbol of the airline until it was retired in 1984.
Map Features
Pictorial Design: Instead of purely physical geography, the map uses "vignettes" or illustrations to highlight local landmarks, peoples, and customs, such as the Canadian Mounted Police and Aztec ruins.
Route Network: The bright red lines represent B.O.A.C.'s extensive network, connecting major hubs like New York, Santiago, and London.
Global Scope: This was typically part of a double-sided sheet; the "Western Hemisphere" was on one side, while the "Eastern Hemisphere" was printed on the reverse.
Slogan: At the bottom, the slogan "Linking the old world and the new" underscores the transformative power of air travel during this era.
About B.O.A.C.
B.O.A.C. was Britain's state-owned airline from 1940 to 1974, formed through a merger of Imperial Airways and British Airways Ltd.. It famously inaugurated the world's first jet-powered transatlantic service in 1958 using the Comet 4 aircraft. In the early 1970s, it merged with British European Airways (BEA) to form the modern British Airways. |
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