1938 Qantas Empire Airways - Out of a Great Past a Greater Future.
the Vintage Map Shop, Inc.
Regular price $45.00
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By: Rhys William / Qantas Empire Airways
Date of Original: 1938 (circa) Australia
Original Size: 40 x 26 inches
This is a fine print reproduction of a poster for Qantas Empire Airways created circa 1938 by the Australian commercial artist Rhys Williams and published by Qantas Empire Airways Ltd.
It presents a stylized long-range aircraft sweeping diagonally across a simplified world globe, with Australia clearly visible below, reinforcing the airline’s national identity and its expanding international reach. The globe functions as a symbolic map, emphasizing global connectivity rather than precise geography, while the aircraft’s smooth contours and extended wings convey speed, efficiency, and technical confidence.
The poster was produced as a lithographic print, a medium well suited to the vibrant colors and soft gradients seen in the blue atmospheric background. Its visual language reflects late 1930s commercial design, combining strong Art Deco influence with streamlined modern forms. Bold typography anchors the composition, and the slogan “Out of a great past a greater future” frames Qantas as both established and forward-looking, aligning heritage with progress.
The aircraft itself is the central subject, presented as an emblem of modern aviation and long-distance travel. The globe beneath it signals international ambition and imperial air routes, while Australia’s prominence underscores the airline’s origins and national pride. Branding elements, including the Qantas name and the phrase “The Big Name in Empire Aviation,” reinforce the company’s position as a leading carrier within the British Commonwealth air network.
Qantas Empire Airways was founded in 1920 and, by the late 1930s, had become a key link in long-distance air travel between Australia, Asia, Africa, and Britain. Following the Second World War, the airline dropped the “Empire Airways” name and in 1947 was renamed Qantas Airways Limited, continuing in operation to this day as Australia’s national carrier under the shortened name Qantas.
Inventory #82048