Airline Butter Pats

By Richard Luckin

What ranges from 1-7/8 inches to more than 4 inches, is round, and used by airlines worldwide? The answer is simple: butter pats. Depending upon the manufacturer, they have different names: Butter, Butter Chip, Butter Dish-Coaster, Butter Pad, Butter Pot, Butter Tray, and Individual Butter. No matter what the name, they’re ALL butter pats.

However, butter pats can and are used for more than serving butter. They are also used for serving nuts or sauces in first and business classes on international flights. For this reason, some have a side wall that measures from 3/8” to 3/4” deep.

While some butter pats have only a front design, others are marked (back-stamped) with the manufacturer and airline name. While other forms of transportation have used butter pats, the airline variety is usually much lighter in weight and commonly made of bone china or fine porcelain.

A collector may ask, why does an airline bother to order butter pats from china companies? A butter pat adds a special touch to the meal service. For some airlines, particularly carriers that use a combination butter or nut dish, this ware permits multiple uses that provide cost savings.

Basically, there are three companies that supply butter pats to most of the world’s airlines. They are Royal Doulton and Wedgwood of England, and Noritake of Japan.

While it is not an absolute division of the market, it seems Royal Doulton has carved out its territory in Europe, Canada, the Middle East, some of the African continent, and New Zealand. Wedgwood caters to some of the smaller airlines of the world while Noritake has a foothold along the Pacific Rim, in South America, and in the United States.

Royal Doulton often features pinstripes and logos although it certainly has the capability of producing some very unique designs. Noritake often incorporates colorful floral designs which appeal to some of the Asian airlines. All three companies produce high-quality, fine bone china. Another strong contender for the airline china market is Hutschenreuther of Germany.

While COVID has altered airline travel and in-flight service, china is still being used.

Rich Luckin displays most of his airline butter pats in this wall-mounted display case. They represent over 40 years of collecting.
Founded in 1929, Cubana is Cuba’s flagship airline as well as the country’s largest one. This china is used in Club Class.
Business Class passengers on Air Malta are served their meals on Royal Doulton china. The airline operates flights to destinations in Europe, the Middle East and North Africa.
Royal Nepal Airlines was founded in 1958. The airline is now called Nepal Airlines and serves 36 destinations. This china was made by Noritake.
Known as the “Hibiscus” pattern, this china was used in First Class class service on Malaysia Airlines. Japanese china maker Noritake produced this floral design.
Iran Air was created in 1962 by the merger of other airlines. The pattern is called, “Simorgh” after the flying god of ancient Persian legends. Noritake also produced this pattern.
British Airways used this repetitive design for their Concorde service. Manufactured by Royal Doulton, this was the first china designed exclusively for the airline’s Concorde service.
Laker Airways operated two DC-10s for their transatlantic flights. The airline offered a “Regency Service” in 1966 where this butter pat was used.
Wedgwood of England supplied this bone china. Laker Airways ceased operations in 1982.
Malaysia Airlines is the flag carrier of Malaysia and it was formed in 1947. Manufactured by Noritake, this colorful pattern is known as “Golden Club” and was used in business class.
This is one of the oldest butter pats in my collection. Aeroflot was founded in 1923, making it one of the oldest active airlines in the world.
Ghana Airways was the flag carrier of Ghana. The airline ceased operations 2004. This butter pat was made in Thailand.
Pakistan International Airlines was founded in 1946. I believe this is a current pattern used in First Class service.
It’s always a bonus when a butter pat is marked with the airline’s name on the back. This one was made by Cera-e-Noor which claims to be the world’s oldest crockery manufacturer.
Shanghai Airlines was founded in 1985 and is a wholly-owned subsidiary of China Eastern Airlines.
China Airlines is the state-owned national carrier of the Republic of China. The airline operates over 1,400 flights weekly to 102 cities.
This pattern, known as “Golden Dragon Service,” was used by Continental Airlines in 1978 in First Class service between Los Angeles and Taipei, via Honolulu and Guam.
The airline used this unique pattern for 6-9 months. It was a stock pattern but the Contrails Logo in red was back stamped on each piece.
Backstamp for the Continental “Golden Dragon Service” butter pat.
Western Airlines used this butter pat with their brand mascot, Wally Bird. The airline merged with Delta Air Lines in 1987. The piece was made by Mayer China Company.
The Western Airlines butter pat has a full backstamp.
A gold-trimmed butter pat was produced for Peru’s President Alberto Fujimori. They were used until 1990 on his presidential Boeing 757 aircraft.
England’s Royal Air Force uses fine bone china for their VIP service. The planes are catered at Royal Air Force Brize Norton Base in Oxfordshire, located about 75 miles northwest of London.
This Royal Air Force butter pat was produced by Royal Doulton of England.
For this older Air France butter pat, the pattern name is known as “Hippocampe.” The logo was used until 1976. Haviland China of France produced this butter pat.
Ethiopian Airlines was founded on December 21, 1945. It is the country’s flagship carrier. This piece was made by Rosenthal of Germany.
Iberia is Spain’s national airline and was founded in 1927. Kaelis, who supplied this piece, is the world’s leading independent provider of onboard products and services.
Transaero was founded in 1990 in Moscow. It ceased operation in 2015. Imperial Porcelain produced this butter pat.

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El Al,Israel,Stickers

EL AL Israel Airlines – Labels (Stickers)

By Marvin G. Goldman

Since EL AL’s first scheduled flight in July 1949, it has issued numerous labels (sometimes called stickers) for promotional and identification purposes. Airline labels appeal to aviation enthusiasts as they form a historical record of the development of an airline’s logos and advertising themes.

I have more than 200 different EL AL labels in my collection, and even more exist. Each has an adhesive side, typically on the back, for placement on baggage, cargo, stationery and other items, while a few have adhesive on the front for affixing to windows. This article features a selection of some of my favorites.

EL AL’s earliest labels feature its first logo: a six-pointed star with added flying wings, designed by the noted Israeli artist, Franz Krausz. The six-pointed star has served as a Jewish symbol for several centuries, and some say it recalls the star symbol on the shield of the most famous Israelite monarch, King David. The star has adorned the tails of each EL AL aircraft since the founding of the airline shortly after the birth of the modern State of Israel in 1948. The logo with added flying wings remained EL AL’s principal logo from 1949 until the creation of the EL AL “block” logo in 1962.

Let’s start with EL AL’s first four non-cargo labels.

EL AL’s first label, designed by Israeli artist Franz Krausz, 1949. 9.7cm. diameter. This beautiful label is still surprisingly common today and can be obtained on eBay at a relatively low price.
Reproductions of this label (and of the next two shown) are also being sold, so if you want an original, check the description carefully.
EL AL’s second label, 1951, features its third aircraft type, a Lockheed Constellation (its first two types being the Douglas DC-4 Skymaster and Curtiss C-46 Commando). Designed by Franz Krausz. 10cm. diameter.
This label is still fairly common, but less common than the first one.
EL AL’s third label and its first vertical one, early 1950s. Designed by Franz Krausz. 9cm. width x 12cm height.
There are two printings of this label, with different type fonts
and wing details.
The one shown is by Artone Press and is uncommon. The other
printing is by Rand Litho and is fairly common.
EL AL’s fourth label not designed expressly for cargo. 12x8cm.
Uncommon.

EL AL started all-cargo flights in 1950 and introduced several cargo label types to give
special handling instructions and to identify cargo destinations.

In the early 1950s EL AL issued its first set of special instruction cargo labels, each with the same typeface of “EL AL” on the bottom. This one was placed on containers holding animals. 13.8×8.5cm.
Other such labels stated “Danger. Do not load in passenger
planes”; “Must Ride. Do not offload on route”; ‘Fragile”; and “With Care”.
Each is very uncommon.
On the left is the style of EL AL’s first cargo destination label. Early 1950s. The
destination would be filled in by a printed stamp or handwriting. 10.2x14cm.
Very uncommon.
On the right is the style of EL AL’s cargo destination label that replaced the left
one later in the 1950s and into the 1960s. 10.2×14.5cm. These have the destination
pre-printed.
I have 17 different destinations in this set – Amsterdam, Athens, Cologne,
“Diseldorf”, Geneve, Hamburg, Istanbul, Johannesburg, London, Munich, New York,
Nicosia, Paris, Rome, Teheran, Vienna and Zurich — and there probably are more.
Uncommon.
In 1961 ELAL introduced Boeing 707s to its fleet and issued the left label in the shape of an EL AL 707 tail. 6.2×8.3cm.
In 1962 Otto Treuman of the Netherlands and George Him, EL AL’s design consultant, created a new block logo for EL AL that became its principal logo, and soon thereafter EL AL revised its 707 tail label to include the block
logo as seen on the right.
The left label is uncommon.
The right one was included in seat packets in-flight and is more common.
In 1963 EL AL’s design consultant George Him created a logo that placed the EL AL block between the words ‘”EL AL” in Hebrew (read right to left). This label shows that logo with an outline of a 707, EL AL’s main aircraft type at the time. An identical label exists with a mint green background. 11.5×7.3cm.
Uncommon.
About 1965 George Him modified the original EL AL flying star logo, giving it a more modern look. His revision appears on this label, along with the EL AL block logo introduced in 1962. This label was issued in at least three background colors, blue, white and red, and a similar label issued after 1970 also shows an EL AL 747.
6.5×11.5cm. Very uncommon.
In 1969, for its 20th anniversary, EL AL issued its ‘flower plane’ designed by ADVICO of Zurich with artwork by Ruedi Külling. It appears on this label as well as on EL AL desktop and wall posters. 2.5x4cm.
Uncommon.
EL AL label publicizing service to the United States. Probably issued in the 1970s.
Similar to a series of EL AL destination posters designed in the late 1960s by noted
Israeli artist Dan Reisinger, where one of the letters in “EL AL” is transformed into a
symbol of the destination. This label also was issued in poster form. 18×15.5cm.
Very uncommon.
Several EL AL memorabilia, including this label, feature the Israeli character “Srulik,” created by the Israeli illustrator Kariel Gardosh, known as “Dosh.”
Here Srulik. as an EL AL Captain, offers a flower welcoming visitors to Israel.
Probably issued in the 1970s. 4×4.5cm. Uncommon.
The Boeing 747 entered EL AL’s fleet in 1971, and the airline issued this label featuring a
747 bearing the EL AL “linear” logo designed by Israeli artist Dan Reisinger. 25x5cm.
The “linear” logo intertwines the English and Hebrew words for EL AL using the
typefaces of the separate English and Hebrew block logos. The overall label design
was created by Israeli artist Effi Ryvkind. This label also exists with Hebrew text and no
747 aircraft, and another variation was issued as a poster.
Very uncommon.
Two EL AL labels issued in the 1970s with a play on words based on phrases from the
Bible. 37.5×9.5cm. and 37.5x9cm.
Very uncommon.
EL AL airmail etiquette probably issued in the 1970s. This is the only EL AL airmail sticker that I know of. 5x2cm.
Fairly common.
Sheet of EL AL aircraft labels issued in 1979, with artwork by Israeli artist Danny Shalom.
These scenes were also produced in postcard and poster form. Each label is 4×2.2cm.
Fairly common.
Label publicizing EL AL’s inaugural flight to Cairo, March 1980. 8.3×10.3cm.
Fairly common.
Label honoring 30 years of EL AL service between Tel Aviv and Frankfurt, June 11, 1992. 5x5cm.
Uncommon.
EL AL cargo label featuring one of its open-nose 747-200 freighters. The Hebrew text says “EL AL – Cargo” and “Efficient. Fast. Reliable.” Probably issued in the 1980s. Another version of this label exists with different Hebrew text. 32.8×23.2m.
Very uncommon.
Label issued in 1988/89 with EL AL’s 40th-anniversary logo. It features the four aircraft types in EL AL’s fleet at the time, the Boeing 757, 747, 767 and 737, each a -200 series.
The label also exists without the 40th-anniversary logo, and both variants were also issued in see-through form with adhesive on the front for affixing to windows. 22.5x9cm.
Each variation is common.
With the arrival of Boeing 747-400s in EL AL’s fleet in 1994, EL AL revised its aircraft fleet label to show its five aircraft types at the time, all Boeing: 757-200, 747-200, 767-200, 747-400 and 737-200. This label also shows that EL AL slightly modified its aircraft livery by changing the colors of the EL AL name from black and gold to light blue and
dark blue, and by having the cheatline on all its 747s come to a point near the nose to conform with that change already introduced on its other aircraft types. 19.7×12.4cm.
Fairly common.
At various times EL AL has served Eilat, the Israeli resort town at the southern tip of the country by the Red Sea, in either domestic or international flights.
This label promoting Eilat was probably issued in the early 2000s. 10cm. diameter.
Uncommon.
This label publicizes EL AL’s Boeing 787 Dreamliners, introduced In 2017 and serving as its main long-haul aircraft type. The 787 has EL AL’s blue and silver ribbons livery, first introduced in 1999 during EL AL’s 50th anniversary. Note also that the EL AL linear logo on this label has different typography, a change made by EL AL in 2006 and in continuous use since then. This label also exists in a see-through form for application to windows. 13.7x8cm. Issued in 2017.
Uncommon.
In 2018 EL AL started promoting its proposed new nonstop route from Tel Aviv to Tokyo, originally set to start at the beginning of 2020, and this label was part of that promotion. The new route was postponed due to the Covid-19 pandemic. The airline now plans to start flights to Tokyo in 2023. The Hebrew text in this label says: “New! Direct Flights to Tokyo”. 20×9.7cm.
Uncommon.
This label announces the availability of Wi-Fi on all of EL AL’s 787 Dreamliner aircraft. The Hebrew text says: “So you will also be connected in the air.” Issued in 2018. 11.8cm. diameter.
Uncommon.

Article text copyright 2023, Marvin G. Goldman. All images from the author’s collection.

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Delft,Houses,KLM Royal Dutch Airlines

Miniature Delft-Style Collectibles of KLM Royal Dutch Airlines

By Pat and Keith Armes

Three Delft blue-style KLM houses
(Fig. 1) L-R: Houses 100-102)

Have you noticed the many Delft-style miniature ceramic Dutch canal houses produced for KLM Royal Dutch Airlines? They have become quite an airline collectible since their introduction in 1952. There are now 102 different houses that have been produced and distributed to KLM passengers.  In addition, KLM has added limited and special edition Dutch buildings, tile “coasters,’ and ashtrays to this unique area of airline collectibles.

HISTORY

Beginning in 1952, passengers traveling in “KLM Royal Class” (as first class was known at the time) on intercontinental flights were given one of these miniature KLM Delft Blue houses as a “gift” at the end of their flight. In order to be compliant with international rules and restrictions for gifts to passengers, KLM was quick to ensure the “gift” was a “last drink on the house” and cleverly served in a miniature Delft replica canal house. They were individually packaged in a blue box labeled KLM Royal Class, with the house number on top, and included a leaflet picturing previously-issued miniatures. (Fig. 2). The houses varied in size from about 3 to 4 inches tall to 1 ½ to 2 inches wide.  Depth varied slightly, most being around 2 inches.  Over the years the houses were filled with alcohol (Dutch genever/gin) produced in the Dutch distilleries of Rynbende, Henkes, and, since the 1980s, Bols. Today a miniature KLM Delft Blue house is given to all passengers with a business class ticket.

(Fig. 2)

Production and distribution of the miniature houses was sporadic between 1952 and 1994, with many houses produced at one time, and then none for several years. Through 1993, KLM had produced 60 miniature houses. The year 1994 was significant, as it was the 75th anniversary of KLM Royal Dutch Airlines. In honor of this milestone, an extra 15 houses (numbers 61-75) were produced to match the age of the airline. Annually since 1994, a new house is introduced on October 7th, KLM’s anniversary. The first production model is presented to the owner of the house the miniature is modeled after. The most recent house produced was #102, which began distribution on October 7, 2021.  It is modeled after the Tuschinski Theatre building in Amsterdam.

The houses were originally produced by Royal Goedewaagen in Gouda, the Netherlands. Even though not manufactured in Delft, they are made in the traditional Delft manner (tin-glazed porcelain, with blue printing and highlights).  KLM ended its contract with Royal Goedewaagen in 1995. Houses #75 and higher, as well as any additional production runs of the earlier numbered houses (reproductions), have been made in Taiwan. The houses are still in production today, so you may find some that have a low number, but are actually from a more recent production year. Beware if your plan is to complete your collection with “original” houses. In order to verify its authenticity, you should carefully examine any house you are considering for purchase. The reproduction houses were made from different molds and will normally have a slightly different “look,” with sharper features and different markings (Fig. 3).

(Fig. 3 additional description) The original house #1 (left) is marked on the base with an impressed “1”, stamped with “Rynbende Distilleries Holland,” and on the back there is a “KLM” stamp and a “Simon Rynbende & Sons” blue & white label. The second house is a reproduction of house #1 (center) which is marked on the base with an impressed “2015” and a “1″ stamped with “Blue Delft’s exclusively made for KLM by BOLS AMSTERDAM 1575” and the back has a “1” “BOLS AMSTERDAM 1575” and “KLM” stamped on it. The third house #1 (Right) is also a reproduction with a “1” impressed on the base along with a “Blue Delft’s exclusively made for KLM by BOLS Royal Distilleries Holland” stamp and “1”, “BOLS” and “KLM” stamped on the back.

HOUSE SELECTION

KLM has a team of real estate professionals and historians that make the recommendation for the next KLM Delft Blue house to be produced each year. The current manufacturing contract is with Bols (Royal Distilleries Holland). According to their requirements, the house must have “Dutch” character and be interesting architecturally and/or historically. It should also be linked to a special historical or cultural event, if possible. Many of the model houses selected are currently privately owned. They are also many that are designated as “local” or “national” monuments.

Most of the houses KLM has used as models have been identified by address and city. The exceptions include numbers 1, 3, 4, 5 & 7.  Identification and location of these houses continues to baffle city and architectural historians. It is speculated they may be the result of an artist adding features from many different houses to create a Dutch “fantasy” house.

LIMITED AND SPECIAL EDITION HOUSES

In addition to the canal houses, there are several well-known “Limited and Special Edition” buildings commissioned by KLM and produced by Bols in the same Delft style.  They were never given away on KLM flights, are not numbered, are larger than the miniature canal houses, and usually more valuable.  Shown below (Fig. 4-7) are the Frans Hals Museum (Groot Heiligland 62, Haarlem), the “Scheepvaart Museum” (National Maritime Museum), “The Royal Palace” (Palace on Dam Square), and “Kaaswaag Gouda” (Cheese Weigh House, Gouda).  They also produced the Hotel Waldorf Astoria Amsterdam (House Marot – Herengracht 548), Hermitage Museum (Amstel 5 Amsterdam), Royal Theater Carré (Amstel 115-125, Amsterdam), Royal Palace Het Loo (Koninklijk Park 1, Apeldorn), The Royal Concertgebouw (Concerthall – Concertgebouwplein 10, Amsterdam) and Huisterkleef (oldest inner tennis courts– Kleverlaan 9, Haarlem) as well as others.

(Fig. 4) The Frans Hals Museum, Groot Heiligland 62, Harleem

(Fig. 5) The Scheepvaart Museum (National Maritime Museum – Kattenburgerplein 1)
(Fig. 6) The Palace on Dam Square – The Royal Palace – Nieuwezijds Voorburgwal 147
(Fig. 7) The Kaaswaag Gouda (The Cheese Weigh House – Markt 35, Gouda)

A larger version of the Palace on Dam Square (approximately 19.7” X 10.6” X 4.3”) is presented to the winner of the KLM Open Golf Tournament annually. Newlyweds flying KLM World Business Class on their honeymoon have, in the past, been gifted with a limited edition “The Palace on Dam Square” or the “Cheese Weigh house” in Gouda.

If you run across KLM houses #25, #26 or #27 that have purple-colored trim and lettering, you might want to add these elusive houses to your collection (Fig. 8).  They are a special set that was produced to commemorate KLM resuming flights to Bonaire, the Netherlands on April 23, 2000. They use the same design as the KLM houses, including the original numbers, and are appropriately called “Bonaire Houses.”

(Fig. 8) Bonaire purple lettered and highlighted houses

In 1999, the 100th anniversary of KLM, a 100th house was produced representing the Huis ten Bosch Palace (Fig. 1). A second version was also produced and given as a special gift to guests, business partners, and the employees of KLM.  This version was unique in that it did not have alcohol in it, and consequently did not need a chimney.  It also has a special dedication stamp on the back of the house (Fig. 9).

(Fig. 9)

IN ADDITION TO KLM HOUSES AND BUILDINGS

During the 1980s KLM also produced Dutch ceramic tile “coasters” with blue felt affixed to the back. These were given to business class passengers, while the Royal Class passengers received the miniature KLM canal houses. These tile coasters featured classic Dutch house gables (produced in 1981), row houses that could be placed together to form a street (produced in 1984), and Dutch windmills, crafts, children’s games and ships (produced in 1986).   When Royal Class was discontinued in 1994, KLM discontinued producing these tiles. World Business Class passengers were then given the KLM miniature houses.

At one time KLM also produced ashtrays, in the form of miniature houses, for distribution in markets that did not allow alcohol to be served, such as the Middle East (Fig. 14).

(Fig. 14)
(Fig. 15)

Once smoking was banned on airlines, KLM began offering the same miniature houses with special notations on them: “empty due to customs regulations” (Fig. 15).  This is still the practice today for those destinations.

CANAL HOUSE MARKINGS

The KLM miniature canal houses produced through 2021 are House #1 through House #102. Photos of our collection are at the end of this article. While collecting, we noticed that the labels and markings on the KLM houses changed many times over the years. Our research indicates that Rynbende started the distillery in 1793, then in 1953 it was sold to Henkes and was then taken over by Bols in the 1980s. The earlier (original) houses have the Rynebende stamp, the house number impressed, and usually a “Simon Rynebende & Sons” paper label attached. The numbers are sometimes difficult to read and the labels may have been lost over time. In another version, the house number is printed on the base between the “Rynebende” and “Distilleries Holland” while others have “Blue Delft’s Made for HENKES Distilleries Holland” printed on the base (Fig. 16). At some point in the early years, the production year was added and impressed on the base of each house along with house number. This marking method was also used in later years on the reproductions (Fig. 17).

We have a House #1, in our collection, labeled as “made for KLM by BOLS” and a House #1 that has a “made for KLM by BOLS AMSTERDAM 1575” with the year 2015 on it (Fig. 3). Originally House #1 was distributed to passengers in 1952, but BOLS did not take over the distillery until the 1980s, so they are more than likely reproductions. In the center house on Fig. 17 you will notice that there is a marking “HKDNP” which is the abbreviation of “Hong Kong Duty Not Paid” so at some point it must have been in transit (from Taiwan) through Hong Kong.

MOST WELL-KNOWN MINIATURES

Most of the houses have an interesting history that directly relates to when they were built and events that were taking place at the time. Most of the canal houses have had multiple owners over the years with some being built as early as the 1600s. Over the hundreds of years they have existed, and with many owners, the canal houses’ appearance has often changed from the original construction. These include cornice modifications and architectural embellishments.  Many of the houses have been saved from destruction and restored back to their original look thanks to preservation foundations. One of those is the Vereniging Hendrick de Keyser (named after the famous Dutch architect of the same name) which purchases, preserves and restores houses with architectural and historical value in the Netherlands.

Below are some of the more well-known buildings used as KLM Miniatures

  • House #47 at Prinsengracht 263, Amsterdam, known as the Anne Frank House. It was built in 1635. This is the canal house in Amsterdam where Anne Frank and her family hid to avoid persecution by the Nazis during World War II. They lived in hiding there from July 6, 1942, until August 4, 1944. Anne recorded her story in a series of diaries which her father had published in 1947 after his return from the concentration camps. The house is currently operated as a museum and is owned by the Anne Frank Foundation. It attracts more than a million visitors each year.
  • House #48 at Josenbreesstraat 4, Amsterdam, known as the Rembrandt House. The house was built in 1606 on three vacant lots. Rembrandt van Rijn owned it from 1639 until 1656 when he went bankrupt. The house was purchased by the Amsterdam City Council in 1906 and currently operates as the Rembrandthuis Museum.
  • House #75 at Hofweg 9-11, The Hague, known as the KLM House. The building was built in 1915 as a luxury department store. It was designed by the famous modern Dutch architect, H.P. Berlage. The corner building at 9 Hofweg was occupied by an automobile sales company on the 1st floor. KLM occupied the upper floors as a ticketing office beginning May 1925. KLM continues to operate, in the Berlage building, offering many services including a KLM Travel Clinic. The sandstone relief structure on the front of the building is of Saint Martin handing half of his cloak to a beggar.
  • House #76 at Vlamingstraat 40-42, Delft, known as “The Little Street.” Johannes Vermeer is an important Dutch painter who lived from 1632-1675. His famous paintings include “View of the Houses in Delft,” which is better known as “The Little Street,” and “Girl with a Pearl Earring.” His attention to detail required long periods of time to complete paintings so there are only 36 known paintings by this artist. After an exhaustive search, it was determined the house depicted in the painting by Vermeer was of the Little House which is also the model for KLM House #76.
  • House #26 at Nieuwe Uitleg 16, The Hague, known as a secret hideaway for secret agent Mata Hari. Mata Hari was a Dutch exotic dancer born in 1876 who later became a spy for Germany, England, and later France. She lived in the house at Uitleg 16 in 1914 until she was executed in France for espionage on October 15, 1917.
  • House #95 at Stadhouderskade 78, Amsterdam, known as the Heineken Brew House. The original red brick building on Stadhouderskade was built in 1865 with a boiler building next door to house the steam engine. The new brewhouse was erected in 1913 with distinct lancet-shaped windows and colorful stained-glass panes. A second brewery was built on the property in 1958 and a laboratory was added in 1968 but the complex became too small due to the demand and production moved out of Amsterdam in 1987. The house has reopened as a visitors’ center for the “Heineken Experience.”
  • House #102 at Reguliersbreestraat 26-34, Amsterdam is the Tuschinski Theatre, which is one of the oldest original theatres in the world. It is a 1920s movie palace located in Rembrandtplein (Rembrandt Square) in City Center. This cinema was opened by Polish immigrant Icek Tuschinski on October 28, 1921, and has been restored to its original grandeur. It is on the list of Rijkmonuments (National Monuments) of the Netherlands.

OUR KLM HOUSE COLLECTION

Below are images of our personal collection of KLM Houses (Fig. 18-27).

(Fig. 18) L-R: Houses 1-12
(Fig. 19) L-R: Houses 13-24
(Fig. 20) L-R: Houses 25-36
(Fig. 21) :-R: Houses 37-48
(Fig. 22) L-R: Houses 49-60
(Fig. 23) L-R: Houses 61-72
(Fig. 24) L-R: Houses 73-84
(Fig. 25) L-R: Houses 85-94
(Fig. 26) L-R: Houses 95-99
(Fig. 27) L-R: Houses 100-102

WHERE TO FIND KLM DELFT MINIATURES

There are several ways to obtain these KLM Delft Miniatures. The first, and most expensive, would be to purchase a business class ticket on a KLM international flight and receive one on board that day. Airline memorabilia shows are another good source, where vendors usually have a selection of these KLM miniatures for sale. Information on these shows can be found on this site with the next annual Airliners International show scheduled in Dallas, TX, in June 2023. Internet Auction Sites, such as Ebay and Etsy, have sellers that offer these miniatures at varying prices (be careful of bidding wars that may overinflate the value). There are also two websites that offer the entire collection so you can fill in missing houses and obtain new releases for your collection. These websites are www.klmhouses.com and www.klmdutchhouses.com. The shipping is expensive to the U.S. but the cost is the same for a single house or multiple houses, so buying in quantity can greatly reduce the shipping cost per house.

RESOURCES

The book, House No. 90, written by Bonnie Parren and Limoen Producties in 2009 for KLM Royal Dutch Airlines, is a very interesting introductory reading related to the KLM miniature houses. As indicated by its title, the history only goes through house #90 and the descriptions of the actual model houses are very brief. This book comes in a nice box with a “relief” style plastic house #90 glued to the cover.

House No. 90

The second book used for research and highly recommended is Little Kingdom By the Sea: A Tribute to Dutch Cultural Heritage written by Mark Zegeling and published in 2019.  It has very detailed information about the history of each KLM model house, including the current status of most of them.  It also has helpful maps of Amsterdam and the Netherlands which show the location of the model houses still in existence. See Appendix 1 for house listing.

Little Kingdom By the Sea

COLLECTING THOUGHTS

Hopefully, this review of the KLM miniature houses and other specialty items will help you in finding and identifying these unique collectibles. Or, as this is just one small group of the thousands of gift and advertising items airlines have produced from their beginning (from commemorative plates and glasses to kiddie wings and beyond), it will whet your appetite in seeking those airline items that you find most desirable to collect. After all, it’s finding that one special new or historical airline item that makes collecting so much fun!

Happy Collecting,

Pat and Keith Armes


APPENDIX 1

Below is a listing of the KLM Houses, with numbering sequence and the Address and City of the modeled house as referenced in the book Little Kingdom by the Sea.

HOUSE#ADDRESSCITY
#1UNIDENTIFIED HOUSE
#2SPUISTRAAT 294AMSTERDAM
#3UNIDENTIFIED HOUSE
#4UNIDENTIFIED HOUSE
#5UNIDENTIFIED HOUSE
#6ACHTER HET HOFPLEINMIDDELBURG
#7UNIDENTIFIED HOUSE
#8OUDEZIJDS VOORBURGWAL (OLD RAMPART) 18A/BAMSTERDAM
#9LEIDSEGRACHT 10AMSTERDAM
#10OUDEZIJDS VOORBURGWAL 57AMSTERDAM
#11PIJLSTEEG 31 (Same as house #23)AMSTERDAM
#12ZANDHOEK 4AMSTERDAM
#13KAMP 10AMERSFOORT
#14HERENGRACHT 510AMSTERDAM
#15VOORSTRAAT 282DORDRECHT
#16HOUTMARKT 17HAARLEM
#17SPIERINGSTRAAT 1-3  (Same as house #25)GOUDA
#18OUDEGRACHT 111UTRECHT
#19RAPENBURG 31LEIDEN
#20DAMPLEIN 8EDAM
#21MARKT 47DELFT
#22KAAI 25VEERE
#23PIJLSTEEG 31 (Same as house #11)AMSTERDAM
#24MIENT 31ALKMAAR
#25SPIERINGSTRAAT 1-3 (Same as house #17)GOUDA
#26NIEUWE UITLEG 16THE HAGUE
#27NIEUWEHAVEN 59 – DESTROYED BY FIRE 1940ROTTERDAM
#28GROOTE MARKT 2A – DESTROYED BY FIRE 1940ROTTERDAM
#29KORT GALGEWATER 21LEIDEN
#30HIPPOLYTUSBUURT 26DELFT
#31KOORNMARKT 87DELFT
#32KOORNMARKT 81DELFT
#33VOORHAVEN 12ROTTERDAM
#34WIJNHAVEN 16DELFT
#35OUDE DELFT 39DELFT
#36HIPPOLYTUSBUURT 8DELFT
#37OUDEZIJDS VOORBURGWAL 300AMSTERDAM
#38HERENGRACHT 607AMSTERDAM
#39NIEUWEWEG 12 HINDELOOPEN
#40KEIZERSGRACHT 104AMSTERDAM
#41SINT JACOBSSTRAAT 13LEEUWARDEN
#42PRINSENGRACHT 514AMSTERDAM
#43PRINSENGRACHT 516AMSTERDAM
#44HOOGLANDSE KERKGRACHT 19LEIDEN
#45KEIZERSGRACHT 140AMSTERDAM
#46BEGIJNHOF 27AMSTERDAM
#47PRINSENGRACHT 263AMSTERDAM
#48JODENBREESTRAAT 4AMSTERDAM
#49FR+B13IESESTRAAT 42COEVORDEN
#50ROZENGRACHT 106AMSTERDAM
#51VOORSTRAAT 49FRANEKER
#52HERENGRACHT 415AMSTERDAM
#53HERENGRACHT 203AMSTERDAM
#54PRINSENGRACHT 773AMSTERDAM
#55OUDE SLUIS 19SCHIEDAM
#56HERENGRACHT 64AMSTERDAM
#57HERENGRACHT 95AMSTERDAM
#58HERENGRACHT 101AMSTERDAM
#59HERENGRACHT 163AMSTERDAM
#60HERENGRACHT 314AMSTERDAM
#61KEIZERSGRACHT 439AMSTERDAM
#62PRINSENGRACHT 305AMSTERDAM
#63KEIZERSGRACHT 407AMSTERDAM
#64KEIZERSGRACHT 755AMSTERDAM
#65KEIZERSGRACHT 487AMSTERDAM
#66KEIZERSGRACHT 403AMSTERDAM
#67PRINSENGRACHT 721AMSTERDAM
#68PRINSENGRACHT 969AMSTERDAM
#69KEIZERSGRACHT 319AMSTERDAM
#70KONINGSSTRAAT 4ALKMAAR
#71SINGEL 81AMSTERDAM
#72SINGEL 87AMSTERDAM
#73DIJK 11ALKMAAR
#74REGULIERSGRACHT 7AMSTERDAM
#75HOFWEG 9-11THE HAGUE
#76VLAMINGSTRAAT 40-42DELFT
#77SCHOOLSTRAAT 2BREDA
#78LEIDSEGRACHT 51AMSTERDAM
#79LANGE HAVEN 74-76SCHIEDAM
#80GRAVENSTRAAT 18AMSTERDAM
#81WAAGPLEIN 1GRONINGEN
#82BONNEFANTENSTRAAT 5MAASTRICHT
#83KEIZERGRACHT 672AMSTERDAM
#84MUNTPROMENADE 7WEERT
#85HEERENSTRAAT 1CURACAO
#86SPAARNE 16HAARLEM
#87WIERDIJK 12ENKHUIZEN
#88ROZENGRACHT 99-101AMSTERDAM
#89MUURHUIZEN 109AMERSFOORT
#90AMSTELDIJK NOORD 55AMSTELVEEN
#91BADHUISWEG 175THE HAGUE
#92BRINK 55DEVENTER
#93RAPENBURG 19LEIDEN
#94KOGERSTRAAT 1DEN BURG/TEXEL
#95STADHOUDERSKADE 78AMSTERDAM
#96KORTENDIJK 67GORINCHEM
#97KONINGINNENHOOFD 1ROTTERDAM
#98KLEINE HOUTWEG 65HAARLEM
#9997 MIDSTRAATJOURE
#100‘S-GRAVENHAAGSE BOS 10THE HAGUE
#101‘S-HERTOGENBOSCH MARKET 79‘S-HERTOGENBOSCH
#102REGULIERSBREESTAAT 26-34AMSTERDAM

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TACAN,VOR,VOR-DME,VORTAC

VOR Chasing: My Unusual Hobby

By Phil Brooks

Being a Private Pilot and Aircraft Dispatcher for several decades, I’ve always been interested in various aspects of aerial navigation.  In the mid-1990s, with GPS navigation on the horizon, I decided it was time to document the “brick and mortar” navaids.  My favorite is the VOR station- that stands for very high frequency, omni-directional range.

These short-range navigation facilities exist worldwide, and were developed by the U.S. Civil Aeronautics Administration in the late 1930s, and perfected during WWII. These beacons transmit a signal in 360 directions (radials) over a VHF frequency, in the range of 108-117.95 MHz. Pilots tune in that frequency and the receiver in the aircraft directs them to fly to or from that VOR. It also allows them to identify and intercept certain radials, for en-route navigation (on so-called Victor Airways below 18,000 feet above mean sea level, or on Jet Routes, above Flight Level 180) as well as instrument approach procedures. The intersection of two radials, from two different VORs, can also allow one to determine their present position.

I concentrate on those in the United States, so this article will focus on those maintained by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), the successor to the CAA.  There are other aviation navaids, but VORs are large, easily identifiable structures, so they caught my eye first.

VORs basically come in two versions, one that looks sort of like a big bowling pin, and another, the Doppler variety, which is typically elevated above the surrounding terrain, when nearby structures might affect the signal, which is usable in “line of sight” only. Some are classified as VORTACs, because they have the military’s TACAN (Tactical Air Navigation) system built-in, which provides similar information. There are also VOR-DMEs, which provide distance to the station. More detailed information can be found on wikipedia.com. They can be identified in flight by the Morse code of their identifier, aurally broadcast on the same frequency.

Here is an example of the Doppler VOR:

Maverick Doppler VOR/DME (TTT) at Dallas/Ft. Worth International Airport,
October 2019
Photo Courtesy: Phil Brooks.

The technology, the world standard for more than 50 years, is still in use, but GPS (also known as GNSS-Global Navigation Satellite System) now dominates aerial navigation.  The FAA is decommissioning most VORs over the next few years, but keeping what they call a Minimum Operational Network (MON), to provide basic conventional navigation service for operators to use if GNSS becomes unavailable.

The MON is intended to provide signal reception starting at above 5,000 feet Above Ground Level (AGL) over the continental United States, giving pilots the ability to navigate to a MON airport within 100 nautical miles and conduct an Instrument Approach without the use of GPS. This is planned to consist of 590 VORs, out of the almost 1,000 that existed in 2016, when de-commissioning began. So my hobby will continue for the indefinite future! While GPS is wonderful, it is vulnerable to some extent, and certainly has none of the “romance” or physical presence of the VOR system. Perhaps when the last VOR is de-commissioned, that will be my time to retire!

I appreciate both the history of the VOR system, because it was such an improvement over earlier systems of navigation, and, as a student of geography. My favorite VOR is the one nearest to my home, Brickyard (identifier: VHP), near Indianapolis, IN. I have dragged my wife Pam, even when we were dating, to a number of VORs, and she has a favorite too-Dove Creek (DVC) in southwest Colorado.

The author and the Dove Creek VORTAC (DVC) in southwest Colorado in February 2002.
Photo Courtesy: Phil Brooks

The first VOR in the U.S. was located at the Indianapolis municipal airport, now Indianapolis International (IND). This was the location of the CAA’s Technical Center at the time. Indianapolis VOR was moved about 7 miles northwest of the airport at some point, and the name was later changed from Indianapolis (IND) to Brickyard (a nickname for the nearby Indianapolis Motor Speedway) in the 1990s, to avoid confusion between the VOR and the airport, since they were no longer co-located.

They are mostly named for nearby towns or cities, but sometimes after people.  They also have three-letter codes, like airports.  Some unusual names are Crazy Woman (CZI) in Wyoming, and Gipper (GIJ) near South Bend, IN and Notre Dame University.

Here is an example of what a VOR/DME looks like on the St. Louis Aeronautical Sectional Aeronautical Chart showing the Samsville VOR:

St. Louis Sectional Chart with Samsville VOR
Image Courtesy: Phil Brooks via Public Domain.

Some are hard to find from the ground, because they are located on ridges or mountaintops, to provide an unobstructed signal.  Others are easy, located right on airports.  Their locations can be viewed on charts accessible via www.skyvector.com.  In the “old days” before smartphones, I went on a few “wild goose chases” where I was unable to locate a VOR from ground level, much to the frustration of my wife!  The Google Maps website (maps.google.com) has made it a lot easier to find them in advance of a search.  Some come up in a location search, but for others you must enter the latitude and longitude (available from www.airnav.com). 

When taking pictures of VORs, it’s important to stay on public property or get permission from the landowner.  I’ve met some nice people this way, but it sometimes takes a bit of explanation as to why I am interested!  I like that some people, even landowners, who receive payment for the use of their land, don’t know what those “bowling pins” are for.

I am a member of the Airline Dispatchers Federation (www.Dispatcher.org) and post a photo every month of a VOR, with clues as to its identity, for people to guess.  Check it out, you don’t need to be a Dispatcher to play!  The website can also be used to learn about the Dispatch profession, which I love.

Pictures of VORs from Captain’s Log readers around the world would be appreciated!

This article is dedicated to my wife, Pam, for putting up with many “VOR hunts,” and also to retired FAA technician Bill “Guido” Hyler, who has answered many of my VOR questions over the years.

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Airline,Airways,Flag,Pan Am,Pin

Pan American Airways: A Collector’s Guide to Pan Am Flag Pins

By Tiemen Spits

The flag pins were a private issue and were allowed by the Airline’s corporate office to adorn the Pan Am uniform. No clear policy existed about the usage of the pins; the popularity of it was purely driven by the flight personnel. Research shows that the use was multi-purpose.

  • As a destination pin: the flight attendant wore the flag of the country or state that was the final destination of the flight. For ease of use, we have divided the pins in three groups:
    • Country contains the pins from the different foreign countries,
    • USA State/Territory/Commonwealth contains the USA state and Commonwealth pins,
    • Special/other, for example Berlin and the Pan Am globe pins are found in this group.
  • As an indication of the country/state of origin of the flight attendants: this was not the original intention of the pins, but developed over time and was widely embraced in support of national pride of the individuals.
  • As an indication of the linguistic skills of the person wearing it: this is not to be confused with the language pin/badge.

The pins are a simple but elegant form: two flags crossed at the pole with the Pan Am stylized globe underneath. The flag on the left is always the flag of the USA, while the flag on the right varies with the country of origin. The example below is the flag pin of Guatemala.

USA-Guatemala Pin

From ex-Pan Am employees we learned that the pins started to show up in the mid to late 1980s. However, the existence of the Cuba pin indicates that the earliest use must be before 1963 when the Cuba travel restrictions were put in place. These were not lifted until the year after Pan Am’s bankruptcy in 1991.

There are a few pins that do not adhere to the general format described above. These include the Joint Venture pins, the EU pin, and the Pan Am logo pin.

Joint Venture (JV) Pins

The Joint Venture (JV) pins were issued to show the commitment of Pan Am to partnerships with Russia and Hungary with respectively Aeroflot and Malev airlines. The Russia/Aeroflot partnership was signed in 1988 and operated flights between New York Kennedy Airport and Moscow International Airport. The flights used the Pan Am 747’s and the cockpit and cabin crews were Pan Am, while three of the flight attendants were Aeroflot. They would also act as interpreters. The Malev partnership was signed in 1989 and committed to non-stop flights between New York and Budapest. Both joint ventures lasted until Pan Am’s demise in 1991.

The Pan Am logo pin is distinguished from the others by the fact it does not sport the blue ball/globe.

Pan Am Malev JV Pin

The European Union Pin

The European Union pin depicts the European Union logo which was designed in the mid-1950s when the European Economic Community (EEC) was formed.

Pan Am EU Pin

The Berlin Pin

The Berlin pin is a special issue to show that Pan Am was one of only three airlines to fly into West Berlin, Germany after Berlin was isolated at the end of World War II. Commercial flights into Berlin were limited during the Cold War. The only three airlines flying into Tegelhoff were British Airways, Air France, and Pan Am.

Pan Am Berlin Pin

The Flying Flag Pin

Instead of a static flag, the flag is designed actively flying in the wind. The pin is thicker, the wells are deeper, and the cloisonné has been deposited thicker. In my years of collecting I have only found one pin in this style: Indonesia.

Variant Versions of the Same Country Pin

Finally, there are country pins that exist in multiple variant issues due to a change of the national flag while the pins were in use at Pan Am. These pins are

  • Austria
    • Without any device in the horizontal white bar.
    • With the Austrian coat of arms in the horizontal white horizontal bar (variant version). Because the new Austrian coat of arms was officially approved/adopted in its current form in 1984, it is possible that this variant version started to appear in the same year.
  • Romania
    • With the communist device in the yellow vertical bar. (30 Dec. 1947 – 27 Dec. 1989).
    • Without any device in the yellow vertical bar (from 27 Dec. 1989 – end of use).

How to Use This Guide

To find whether a pin was issued for the country/region of interest, use this alphabetical index.  For easy identification we have divided the pins into three main groups:

  1. International destination pins
  2. USA State/Territory/Commonwealth pins
  3. Other pins

Within each group, the pins are listed in alphabetical order by their country/state/commonwealth’s name. Each pin’s image is accompanied by the country represented by the flag and a one-line note elaborating on the image when needed. The author is still looking for Honduras and Portugal and any other pin not shown in this collector’s guide.

International flag pins

USA flag pins

In the USA these pins present the state of origin or destination. According to some sources, pins existed for all 50 states; however, I have found no evidence of this. Below are the currently known state pins.

Miscellaneous Flag Pins

There are two pins in this group that deviate from the “standard” issue, namely the Pan Am logo and the Indonesia pins. The Pan Am logo pin does not have the globe in the center below the flags and the Indonesia pin is made thicker than the “normal” pin and the cloisonné wells are deeper. Also, the flag is not draped but waving.

Each pin is approximately 1” wide by 1 ¼” high, except for the Aeroflot pin, which is approximately 1 ½ “high.

As of March 2018 – a total of 77 pins have been identified. If you have additional information about the pin usage, personal experience with them, or want to trade, please contact me at terschellin49@gmail.com or leave a comment below. Happy collecting!

This article and all images originally appeared on www.halpostcards.com (copyright 2017-2021) and are used here with the author’s permission.

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Musings from a Passenger’s Seat ~ Pictorial Tour of Some Boarding Passes (plus)

Written by Lester Anderson

There was a day when you needed a paper ticket to get on an airplane.  You checked in at a ticket counter (or sometimes a gate) and if assigned seating was available, you were assigned a seat.

You were given a gate pass folder (or envelope) telling you the gate assigned to the flight and the flight details.  Some airlines then took your flight coupon and your next step was boarding the aircraft. Some airlines put the flight coupon in the boarding envelope and collected it as you exited the gate to go the airplane, or sometimes the stewardess (too early to call them flight attendants) collected it as you entered the aircraft. Early tickets were handwritten. Later came computer tab cards with a magnetic stripe on back along with multi page dot matrix computer printout, often with a distinctive print of bright red carbon paper marking the impression.

Airlines used this paper opportunity to market their own services (like fly now pay later) and promoted new aircraft. Many  included a graphic of their route map and lines to show what city pairs they were authorized to fly (recall the days when the Civil Aeronautics Board dictated routes).

Most probably through a joint marketing program gate passes often also promoted a car rental company (or in the case of the Northeast gate pass included, the petroleum company that provides them fuel or for American the official timepiece ). Boarding passes from the 60’s and 70’s were universal in their reminder to reconfirm you reservations if you have break in your travel.

As time and technology progressed, the ticket became a record in the airline computer.  The boarding pass became a card (the standard size of an IBM computer punch card). Then as check in became more self-service, the boarding pass was generated at self-check in kiosks at check in using a thermal printer.

My collection is exceedingly small and in no way comprehensive. Besides creating this record of history for your to enjoy, I use this as an opportunity to ask all of those reading who have old boarding passes and other interesting airline memorabilia, to write an article and submit it to share those images on the Captain’s Log.

As a pictorial I am grouping them by airline.  Except for the Northwest Orient shown here, all were my flights (NW was a visit by my grandmother). I did find an occasional treasure with them, which I have also included.

Enjoy the memories:

American
This was more an envelope than a folder. The image is of the front and the back of that envelope

Continental


As a personal note – these thermal boarding passes were my son’s favorite bookmark for all his books.

Delta

Eastern

Note the graphic design is different on the computer generated passes, and no longer were the details hand written on the boarding envelope, just a boarding pass stapled.

And in the days where travel agents were a big facilitator in ticketing, some airlines provided special travel agent boarding passes for the agent to provide to their customers.

Mohawk Airlines


Northeast

And if you asked nicely at the gate, often the agent would give you an airline sticker that you would put on our suitcase to show your travel experience!

 

Northwest Orient

In the first Airport movie one of the characters who would sneak onto the plane as a stowaway explained she always carried a thick black crayon pencil to write on a blank gate pass.  Here is a real example of a 1960 Northwest gate pass written with a thick black crayon/pencil.

My grandmother took that flight, and saved two of the napkins from her meal service.  She flew on a Northwest DC7C for this segment of her trip.

United Airlines

 

A United Suitcase sticker

And this is the way you get on a United flight today

The physical size of this boarding pass is a throwback to the IBM Punch Card, used years before. It is no longer used in that fashion and no holes are punched in it to signify data (that is done by scanning the bar on the right).  In the early days of computer reservations, flight tickets were issued on IBM punch cards at the ticket counter and even when tickets became dot matrix printer output, they size of the ticket still echoed the punch card.

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