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Image Not Available for Travel Shaw Savill
Travel Shaw Savill
Image Not Available for Travel Shaw Savill

Travel Shaw Savill

Maker (British, founded 1882)
Maker (New Zealand)
Date1960s
Object number00004864
NamePoster
MediumColour lithograph on paper
DimensionsOverall: 1010 x 631 mm
ClassificationsPosters and postcards
Credit LineANMM Collection Gift from Nico Peters
DescriptionThis travel poster was designed for the Shaw Savill Line 'round the world' service, advertising ports in Africa, Australia, the Pacific and Central and South America. The poster depicts the SOUTHERN CROSS, the first Shaw Savill ocean liner to carry passengers only. SOUTHERN CROSS was used on the company's inaugural 'round the world' service in 1955.HistoryCompleted in 1955 by Harland and Wolff in Belfast, the SOUTHERN CROSS was the first Shaw Savill & Albion liner to carry passengers only, rather than a combination of passengers and cargo. It was used on the Line's inaugural 'round the world' service, and was scheduled to make four round the world voyages per year, which took approximately 76 days per voyage. The design of the SOUTHERN CROSS was revolutionary for the period. The engines were located aft providing passengers with more deck space, and public rooms were not obstructed by funnel casings. In 1962 the Line launched the NORTHERN STAR and from this time SOUTHERN CROSS operated the Line's westward service while the NORTHERN STAR voyaged eastward. Diminishing demand for 'round the world' voyages eventually diverted the ship to cruising and it made its final circumnavigation in 1971. SOUTHERN CROSS was later bought by a Greek company and in 1975, as the CALYPSO, entered service as a full time cruise ship in the Mediterranean, Atlantic Islands and Scandinavia.SignificanceThe poster's design is representative of mid-20th century advertising compositions that often combined traditional ship portrait imagery with a Modernist aesthetic.