1937 Heinz Pictorial Map of the World Tracing Famous Flights and Airlines

This is a 1937 H.J. Heinz Company pictorial map of the world promoting aviation milestones and air travel. The map depicts the world from the Americas to Australia and New Zealand and from the Arctic Ocean to the Antarctic Ocean. Aviation milestones are celebrated by views situated throughout. Charles Lindbergh's flight across the Atlantic, for example, is highlighted by a view of the Spirit of St. Louis (his airplane) and the Eiffel Tower placed in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean. Other historic flights include the first flight over the North Pole, the first flight over the South Pole, the first non-stop Pacific crossing from Japan to the United States, and the first solo flight around the world. The largest illustration, a Boeing flying boat situated along the right border, promotes the trans-Atlantic Air Service flown by Pan American. The famous Pan American Clipper also makes an appearance, illustrated near the bottom border in the Antarctic Ocean. Routes flown by the airlines of the era, including American Airlines, Air France, Pan American, K.L.M., and Imperial Airways are traced by lines of different colors and patterns. The Civil Air Trust of the U.S.S.R. is also noted. The whole is surrounded by a pictorial border consisting of portraits of famous aviators and illustrations of airplanes. A large portrait of Charles Lindbergh appears at top center and some of the other pilots appearing in the frame along the top include Eddie Rickenbacker, Louise Thaden, Clyde Pangborn, Jimmie Doolittle, and Ruth Nichols. The planes are illustrated along the bottom, with the Lockheed Model 10 Electra, the plane flown by Amelia Earhart when she disappeared over the Pacific, a Douglas DC-2, A Curtis-Wright Condor, several flying boats, and an autogiro.

Publication History and Census

This map was created and published by the H.J. Heinz Company in 1937. The only known institutional example is part of the David Rumsey Map Collection at Stanford University and this map does not appear in the OCLC. It is extremely rare on the market and highly sought after by collectors and aviation enthusiasts.