Cunard Souvenirs And Memorabilia

[norboy76]

5 hours ago, rkacruiser said:

I didn't see any dog in the photos.  The photo showing two rectangular tables for 4 on Queen Elizabeth do not impress me as being First Class dining.  The Stewards' dress, the furniture's design/appearance, and is that a water pitcher on the end of one table?  I think that those were Tourist Class guests.  What do you think?  Actually having the pictures, you can see them more clearly than I can.  

The lady with the fur coat, I had to use a magnifying glass to recheck to see what she is holding a leash in her hand with a dog at the end in the top photo for the RMS Queen Mary, It's a little hard to see until I used the glass to enlarge that area. I enlarged the lady with the dog for you too so can see it better and edited it a lil brighter to show the dog better (I used a photo editing side so the arrows are pointing to the dog on leash and the leash in her hand) The dining room on the Queen Elizabeth is is tricky as the tables match both Cabin and Tourist after her refit in 1965, so sadly it's hard to tell as not enough of the dining room showing. If I had been able to see the back of the chairs, then I'd know if was cabin or tourist as Cabin had solid back chairs and tourist had open back chairs, but the way the photo was taken, we'll never know as cabin class also had pitchers too on their tables, so both former second and third class had water pitchers, making it more confusing to tell, Ill show you photos I found of cabin (second) and tourist (3rd) class dining rooms using arrows to point why soo hard to match the dining room and ill include enlargement of the photo I own, then ill load cabin class then tourist class, I hope these photos help? as for the dining room, I have no idea which class as both have the x frame base table and water pitchers

 

Edited June 27, 2021 by norboy76
updated info

[norboy76]

8 hours ago, CGTNORMANDIE said:

Hi Norboy,

 

Great to see parts of your collection…especially RMS Lancastria.  She was bombed and  sank at The evacuation of Dunkirk June 17, 1940…81 years ago.  Captain Harry Gratidge described this tragic event in his biography, “Captain Of The Queens”.  

Hi Normandie,

As can see in my Cunard Collection, I have some items for Cunarders that ended in disaster sadly and were lost. I was at a show a couple of years ago and was lucky to find that Lancastria Trophy and Menu. That trophy is heavy as it's I believe a solid bakelite base on it. If there's any other lines you want me to start a chat on let me know, as I have items from over I believe 140 different lines, so please let me know and I'd be happy to start a chat for that line if I have it.

[CGTNORMANDIE]

8 hours ago, norboy76 said:

Hi Normandie,

As can see in my Cunard Collection, I have some items for Cunarders that ended in disaster sadly and were lost. I was at a show a couple of years ago and was lucky to find that Lancastria Trophy and Menu. That trophy is heavy as it's I believe a solid bakelite base on it. If there's any other lines you want me to start a chat on let me know, as I have items from over I believe 140 different lines, so please let me know and I'd be happy to start a chat for that line if I have it.

Thanks NB, 

I have always been interested in the HAPAG and HAPAG LLOYD.  HAPAG really became a major player in the transatlantic ferry during the end of the nineteenth century.  This was due to the dynamic leadership and innovation of Albert Ballin.  Albert literally invented luxury cruising in the late eighteen hundreds.  His board of directors scoffed at him when he told them he was going to take one of the HAPAG liners out of winter storage and cruise the Mediterranean and Suez.  On January 22, 1891 the August Victoria sailed on the first pleasure cruise personally conducted by Albert Ballin.  The cruise became the successful social event of a very dull European winter social season.  The Luxury Cruise was invented by Albert Ballin.  HAPAG became a leader in all things liner.  Ballin built the Amerika…the first ship to have elevators and other innovations.  Ballin built what was known as “The Big Three” before WW I…the Imperator, Vaterland and Bismarck.  These ships exceeded all innovations for their time.  Ballin employed the greatest architects and designers of their day.  He even employed Caesar Ritz and August Escoffier to plan his Carlton Grill onboard hid three ships.  He was a friend of the Kaiser and begged him to turn away from any military intervention.  Ballin was an innovative genius and hero for the German people.  Unfortunately his story was lost in the chaos of WW I and its aftermath and his demise.

Edited June 27, 2021 by CGTNORMANDIE

[CGTNORMANDIE]

The black and white photo of the dining room was the Tourist Class dining room…definitely not the Cabin Class dining room.  I know because I took my meals in the CC DR in July 1965…before the refit.  I was one of the last pax to see QE in her original livery as she looked when she made her debut in 1947.   I believe your color photo of the CC DR was after the refit.  

Edited June 27, 2021 by CGTNORMANDIE

[norboy76]

5 hours ago, CGTNORMANDIE said:

Thanks NB, 

I have always been interested in the HAPAG and HAPAG LLOYD.  

I'd be happy to start a Hapag and Hapag Lloyd Thread as I have postcards and items for those lines, did you want me to include NDL too who would merge with Hapag? I have items from that line too. My thread has started, so feel free to comment in it on the NDL and Hapag Items.

Edited June 27, 2021 by norboy76
updated info

[rkacruiser]

17 hours ago, norboy76 said:

The lady with the fur coat, I had to use a magnifying glass to recheck to see what she is holding a leash in her hand with a dog at the end in the top photo for the RMS Queen Mary, It's a little hard to see until I used the glass to enlarge that area. I enlarged the lady with the dog for you too so can see it better and edited it a lil brighter to show the dog better

 

Thanks for doing this.  I couldn't see the dog whatsoever in your first photo.  As I said, I need a more powerful magnifying glass than I have.  

[rkacruiser]

17 hours ago, norboy76 said:

, I hope these photos help? as for the dining room, I have no idea which class as both have the x frame base table

 

4 hours ago, CGTNORMANDIE said:

The black and white photo of the dining room was the Tourist Class dining room…definitely not the Cabin Class dining room

 

Looking at the arms on the chairs, I concluded also that this picture was taken in the Tourist Class dining room.  

 

As I said in a previous post, while we can't well see the uniform of the Stewards in the picture, I would think Cabin Class Dining Stewards would be better attired than those two men are.  

[rkacruiser]

4 hours ago, norboy76 said:

, did you want me to include NDL too

 

I would be interested.  North German Lloyd's Bremen came in second place when I was deciding on my first cruise in 1970.  I have wondered for years, if I had chosen her rather than Rotterdam V, what would my first cruise have been like.  

[CGTNORMANDIE]

49 minutes ago, rkacruiser said:

 

I would be interested.  North German Lloyd's Bremen came in second place when I was deciding on my first cruise in 1970.  I have wondered for years, if I had chosen her rather than Rotterdam V, what would my first cruise have been like.  

RK,

I do believe that you would have had a great time.  The Bremen wasn’t as big or as fancy as Rotterdam but the Bremen had class.  Funny thing…when I was onboard Bremen at Nassau we were berthed behind Rotterdam and I got a good look at her.  Rotterdam would have been my next choice…lol.

[CGTNORMANDIE]

NB,

The lady in the fur coat is The Duchess of Windsor with the the Duke right behind her.

Edited June 27, 2021 by CGTNORMANDIE

[CGTNORMANDIE]

5 hours ago, norboy76 said:

I'd be happy to start a Hapag and Hapag Lloyd Thread as I have postcards and items for those lines, did you want me to include NDL too who would merge with Hapag? I have items from that line too. My thread has started, so feel free to comment in it on the NDL and Hapag Items.

Will do NB and thanks.

[norboy76]

5 hours ago, CGTNORMANDIE said:

NB,

The lady in the fur coat is The Duchess of Windsor with the the Duke right behind her.

I found those on board photos in Skagway in a box on a counter of an antique store. Sounds like I have a great find as that being the Duke and Duchess of Windsor, considering I only paid I think $9 for the 6 photos of on board the QE and QM.

[CGTNORMANDIE]

1 hour ago, norboy76 said:

I found those on board photos in Skagway in a box on a counter of an antique store. Sounds like I have a great find as that being the Duke and Duchess of Windsor, considering I only paid I think $9 for the 6 photos of on board the QE and QM.

That certainly looks like the Windsors.  The Duke’s forehead, shown behind the Duchess,  is unmistakable.  The Windsors were frequent passengers on the Cunarders.  They were very frugal…always insisting on paying basic First Class rate and then being upgraded to the best suite available…lol.  

[norboy76]

12 hours ago, CGTNORMANDIE said:

That certainly looks like the Windsors.  The Duke’s forehead, shown behind the Duchess,  is unmistakable.  The Windsors were frequent passengers on the Cunarders.  They were very frugal…always insisting on paying basic First Class rate and then being upgraded to the best suite available…lol.  

lol nice, wish I could have that done on cruises, being upgraded lol, also check the NDL and Hapag thread, I added a couple more things to it

[rkacruiser]

On 6/27/2021 at 10:36 PM, CGTNORMANDIE said:

That certainly looks like the Windsors.

 

Your eyesight is better than mine.  Don't doubt that you are correct.  Why would such a picture be taken and saved by someone for so long if the woman/gentleman were not "celebrities"?  

 

On 6/27/2021 at 10:36 PM, CGTNORMANDIE said:

They were very frugal

 

Never thought about from where their income came.  Does a King that abdicates receive a "pension"?  🤣

[rkacruiser]

On 6/27/2021 at 4:09 PM, CGTNORMANDIE said:

The Bremen wasn’t as big or as fancy as Rotterdam but the Bremen had class.

 

It was the Bremen's history as a pre-war "classic" liner when she was the French Line's Pasteur that intrigued me.  North German Llyod modernized her interiors sufficiently that made me think that the Rotterdam would be more "her original self", which it was.  

 

NGL's brochures of the Bremen and studying her deck plan really made my decision a difficult one at the time.  Being of German heritage on my Father's side didn't help, either.  

[norboy76]

17 hours ago, rkacruiser said:

 

Your eyesight is better than mine.  Don't doubt that you are correct.  Why would such a picture be taken and saved by someone for so long if the woman/gentleman were not "celebrities"?  

 

 

Never thought about from where their income came.  Does a King that abdicates receive a "pension"?  🤣

I just noticed something on the bottom of the photos, I had to enlarge to see what it was and there looks to be like two letters and two numbers. The one at the bottom of that photo of the Duke and Duchess, I can make out the numbers and I guess the letters are maybe the initials of the photographer? the number at the bottom of that photo says *38* and the letters when used a magnifying glass look like *AW*, so I am unsure what *AW 38* means, if any guesses? And how did a photo of onboard the Queen Mary with the Duke and Duchess end up in Skagway? 

 

RKA, I also posted a message to you on my NDL thread

Edited June 30, 2021 by norboy76
updated info

[rkacruiser]

5 hours ago, norboy76 said:

so I am unsure what *AW 38* means, if any guesses?

 

I am going to guess that "38" is 1938 when the photo was taken.  "AW"?  Maybe the photographer's initials?  Or, Atlantic Westbound?  

[norboy76]

21 hours ago, rkacruiser said:

 

I am going to guess that "38" is 1938 when the photo was taken.  "AW"?  Maybe the photographer's initials?  Or, Atlantic Westbound?  

I don't know if heard or not, have you heard there is going to be a new ship joining the Cunard Fleet? The style is going to be based off HAL's MS Koningsdam Pinnacle Class, so it's um lets just say unique looking with a rather large bulky front on the superstructure. No name has been given yet but this is what she is most likely going to look like when done. As can see not a typical looking Cunard ship, this is also going to be Cunard ship #249, as they've has 248 ships in their fleet total, making this cunard ship #249. What do you think of the design and look?

[rkacruiser]

4 hours ago, norboy76 said:

What do you think of the design and look?

 

This is the first artist's conception of the newbuild that I have seen.  No question that it is a knock-off of HAL's Pinnacle Class.  The bulky front superstructure does require a bit of "getting used to" in the pictures.  I sailed on Nieuw Statendam and actually thought the ship was attractive looking when I saw her in person.  The interior of Nieuw Statendam is spacious on the public room decks.  There will be venues that Cunard ought to be able to create that ought to be most attractive to guests.  

 

My question is:  will this be a "new Queen"?  Since it is a new class of ships for Cunard, maybe time to break out of the "Queen" nomenclature and return to some classic Cunard names such as Mauretania, Caronia, Scythia, Franconia, etc.?  

[norboy76]

On 7/1/2021 at 5:10 PM, rkacruiser said:

 

My question is:  will this be a "new Queen"?  Since it is a new class of ships for Cunard, maybe time to break out of the "Queen" nomenclature and return to some classic Cunard names such as Mauretania, Caronia, Scythia, Franconia, etc.?  

I would so love to see the old names brought back for a new Cunard Class. I like the ones you mentioned, also maybe Carinthia, Ivernia, Saxonia, Aquitania (imagine a new Aquitania?) 

 

Also i'm adding other German items and postcards to my NDL Hapag thread if still check  that one out?

[norboy76]

I  have 3 nice map dishes for Cunard, 2 for the Sagafjord one is from 1989, the other one from 1995, but one has 2 company names on it from what I can see (see second photo), and 1 really nice one for the QE2 World Cruise 1991 (96 Days, 40 Ports)

[rkacruiser]

18 hours ago, norboy76 said:

I  have 3 nice map dishes for Cunard, 2 for the Sagafjord one is from 1989, the other one from 1995, but one has 2 company names on it from what I can see (see second photo)

 

On your second Sagafjord dish, is that "NAC" in blue print next to "Cunard"?

 

Cruise lines during those years must have liked to produce small souvenir itinerary dishes for their guests.  I am relatively certain that these were given to guests and were not sold in the ships' gift shops.  

[norboy76]

5 hours ago, rkacruiser said:

 

On your second Sagafjord dish, is that "NAC" in blue print next to "Cunard"?

 

Cruise lines during those years must have liked to produce small souvenir itinerary dishes for their guests.  I am relatively certain that these were given to guests and were not sold in the ships' gift shops.  

Yes, I had to use a magnifying glass and both Cunard and NAC are on that dish, which I though was interesting. Also enjoy the photo I posted in cruise memorabilia, see what you think of my spoon collection of 246 spoons all from cruise ships and ocean liners, except for 3 from the Royal Naval Lifeboat Institute in the UK. 

[rkacruiser]

17 hours ago, norboy76 said:

I had to use a magnifying glass and both Cunard and NAC are on that dish, which I though was interesting.

 

This cruise must have sailed in the time period shortly after Cunard "took over" Nowegian American Line.