1936 Maston Travels Pictorial Map of the South Pacific

A dramatic impressively proportioned 1936 travel poster promoting Matson Navigation's luxury cruises to the South Pacific.

The Tour of a Lifetime

The main image is an imaginative pictorial map highlighting the cruise route, as well as the beauty and exoticism of the south seas. The cruise took travelers from San Francisco to Hawaii, then on to Samoa, Fiji, New Zealand, and Australia. The total tour took 48 days (47 from LA), but the truly adventurous could extend their travel in Australia for 9-, or New Zealand for 16-day add-on excursions. The map's border consists of stunning illustrations of tropical plant, animal, and fish life. As promoted here,

The march of progress can never dim the vast Pacific's romantic heritage. You sense it as you sail in the sun-gilded wakes of bygone ships … Polynesian war canoes, galleons, sloops and clipper ship … whose intrepid navigators … Uenga and Tukuiho and Karika; Magellan Drake and Captain Cook … wrote their names boldly across the entire world! … You will find within this folder many reasons why the South Pacific is the outstanding travel field of 1936.

Promotional material on the verso promotes Matson Navigation's luxurious cruise ships, the beauty and history of the South Pacific, and the tour itself.

Matson Navigation Company

Matson was founded in 1882 by Captain William Matson (1850 - 1917). The firm initial focused on shipped between California and Hawaii, but in 1887 expanded into cruise tourism. By 1917 the fleet operated the largest, fastest, and most modern private American fleet in the Pacific. During World War II (1939 - 1945), most of the ships were requisitioned as transports, but most revered to civilian duty after the war. Matson still operates as a shipping logistics company based in Hawaii.

Publication History and Census

This enormous travel pamphlet was issued by Matson Navigation Company in 1936. We note but one other example, located at the Huntington Library.