Being stuck inside most of the day, with no plans to go anywhere anytime soon, I’m daydreaming about travel. I wrote about hotel luggage labels from the ‘golden age of travel’ last year. Now, I want to share some posters by British freelance illustrator Maurice Laban (1912-1970). The following poster advertisements were were made in the late 1950s, and were used to promote the British Overseas Airways Corporation (or BOAC) and Qantas.
The images I’m sharing here are from the art auction site invaluable. Go have a look over there to see these posters at a higher resolution (as well as other vintage posters from this era) if you’re into this type of commercial art.
This is my favourite of the posters. I love the racoon’s eyes being stylised as stars! Quite dazzling! The racoon is a little more anthropomorphic than the other animals in this set – standing on its back legs, and wearing a bow tie.
VIA EUROPE AND INDIA
NEW ZEALAND
Another poster that I really like. I just find the dogs’ faces very humorous.
These digitised images here aren’t likely as vivid as the physical posters; the original works having been produced through serigraphy (screen printing).
Creatives behind commercial illustration in the 20th century weren’t generally recognised for their contributions as graphic designers are today, and it makes finding information on freelance illustrators such as Maurice Laban difficult. But the fact that these pieces were preserved at all shows their lasting appeal… thank you for the inspiration, Maurice Laban!
DESIGN WORKS 
I am so seduced by the whimsey and modern style of these animals, to my eyes they evoke so many stereo typical personality concepts too, and each seem to be blessed with a kind of insight or wisdom within their expressions…
The German “sausage” dog, the French Poodle,and the British Bulldog, seem to have been interrupted in the middle of some European summit meeting by their tight lipped smiles..
Ah well, my imagination on overdrive.
Thank you Imogen, they are gorgeous.
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Ahahaahaa, yes, I like your interpretation of the circumstances for the dogs to have met up like that! As always, thank you for your comment. It’s fun to share such works here… and it’s nice to collect (graphic design) works that appeal to me, and keep them all in one space to look through!
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