The birth of bag design.
Aeronaves de Mexico
Mexico, 1960s
Walter Brinker says he was told this bag is from 1938, but that he doesn't really believe it. The crimping on the base seems far too modern for a nearly septuagenarian bag.
Leticia Landeros agrees: she says that this bag dates from the period 1960 to 1971.
"The logo was the first Aztec eagle warrior used by Aeronaves de Mexico between 1960 until 1972, when the airline simplified it's name to "Aeromexico", keeping its corporate name "Aeronaves de Mexico". Thanks, Leticia, and sorry, Walter, it's not the antique you thought it might be...
Owner: Walter Brinker
Air Afrique
Côte d'Ivoire, 1960s
From before they discovered those wonderful Yoruba masks that adorned their later bags.
Owner: Bruce Kelly
Air France (shrimp)
"Very early bag, either 60's or possibly 50's", says Bruce.
Owner: Bruce Kelly
Air France (toy car)
"Supposedly from the 60's using a toy car ad", says Bruce.
Owner: Bruce Kelly
Air India
India, 1960s
Unusual for a 1960s bag - it's not even brown!
Owner: Bruce Kelly
Alitalia
Italy, 1960s
Alitalia used to tie passengers to an arrow and shoot them off into the blue yonder.
Owner: Bruce Kelly
British European (wide)
I don't think they make seat pockets big enough any more for bags this size.
Owner: Bruce Kelly
British European (deep)
From the days when you could be assured of a hearty meal in BEA - and the cabin staff wanted to be sure that none of it ended up on the furnishings.
Owner: Bruce Kelly
British Overseas Airways Corporation (turquoise)
With the old BOAC speedbird logo.
Owner: Bruce Kelly
British Overseas Airways Corporation (blue)
A cleaner colour - but maybe only because this bag has had more careful owners?
Owner: Bruce Kelly
Delta
USA, 1964
Comment from Bruce Kelly: "This one is dated 1964 and includes a quiz on the front and a gin rummy score card on the back....quite a busy bag!"
Owner: Bruce Kelly
Inex Adria Aviopromet
Slovenia, 1960s?
Catchy name for this airline - since abbreviated to a mere "Adria".
Owner: Bruce Kelly
Japan Airlines
Japan, 1960s?
From the days when JAL couldn't decide whether to be a flower, a bird, or a honeycomb.
Owner: Bruce Kelly
Loftleidir
Iceland, 1960s
"Old Iceland airline, merged into Icelandair in 1975, but I was told this one was from the 1960's", says Bruce Kelly.
The only bag I know that has usage instructions in Icelandic: current Icelandair bags eschew their native tongue.
Owner: Bruce Kelly
LOT (brown)
Poland, 1960s?
Any ideas on the age of this one? Janusz Tichoniuk says it's from the 1960s.
Owner: Bruce Kelly
LOT (green)
Poland, ?
Bruce seems to make a habit of picking up old Polish bags without any idea of their history. One hopes he confines this habit to his bag collection. Again, information on the age of this bag greatly appreciated.
Owner: Bruce Kelly
Lufthansa
Germany, 1960
Quadrilingual bag in German, Russian, English and French, from the height of the Cold War. This bags has been signed and dated (12.6.60, 16:10 Uhr, Am Bord D M - SKD) - by the crew, perhaps, or maybe by the other passengers in the bag collector's seat row?
Owner: Walter Brinker
Malaysia-Singapore Airlines
Malaysia/Singapore, 1960s
This airline existed between 1967 (when Singapore split from Malaysia, and Malaysian Airways was renamed accordingly) and 1971 (when the airline was split into Malaysian Airlines System and Singapore Airlines).
Owner: Bruce Kelly
MEA
Lebanon, 1966
The MEA logo looks like a road sign: caution, forest ahead.
Owner: Bruce Kelly
Royal Nepal (flying louse)
The louse has either sprouted wings, or is on fire.
Owner: Bruce Kelly
Royal Nepal (mountain)
Doesn't look like Everest. Could it be Annapurna III?
Owner: Bruce Kelly
SAS
Denmark, 1960s
From before the days white paper and blue ink had reached Scandinavia.
Owner: Bruce Kelly