The great age of ocean travel has long since passed but ocean liners remain one of the most powerful and admired symbols of modernity. No form of transport was as romantic, remarkable, or contested. Ocean liner design became a matter of national prestige as well as an arena in which the larger dynamics of global competition were played out.
This beautifully illustrated book considers over a century of liner design. From the striking graphics created to promote liners to the triumphs of engineering, and from luxurious interiors to on board fashion and activities. Ocean Liners explores the design of Victorian and Art Deco ‘ floating palaces’, sleek post-war liners as well as these ships’ impact on avant-garde artists and architects such as Le Corbusier.
As a quick taster, there is a short video (25m) by Bradley Little on the groundbreaking RMS Mauretania and her 22 years holding The Blue Riband available here. There are some ancient pieces of film in this video including from March 1918, the Mauretania in Norman Wiklinson’s ‘dazzle’ paint camoflague. It also includes photographs and descriptions of her the sumtuous interiors and her Blue Riband runs.
As well as this style book, Abrahams Store also keeps a range of city guides which you can see here.
