A resurgent and proud French Line brought out two new ships in 1952. The Flandre and the Antilles. This bronze medallion is the maiden voyage medal for the Antilles as sold in her on-board gift shops. It is in excellent condition and has no loss to its gold wash. Measures 2" across. CGT made so many great medals for their ships over the years (more than 30!) that you can have great fun collecting the whole set. $85.
Completed in 1932 for the French Line, the Champlain was an intermediate liner used for the transatlantic run and also used for occasional cruising. Sadly, she struck a mine on June 17, 1940, and sank off La Pallice.
This is one of the large pre-World War II bronze medallions. Designed by Raymond Delamarre, it measures 2½" across. One of the more difficult medals to find because she was only in service for a few years. Excellent condition with no issues of any kind. $125.
Amazing pre-maiden voyage brochure for the Colombie. Built for the Le Havre-Caribbean run, she entered service in 1931. She was seized in Casablanca by the Americans after the attack on Pearl Harbor and was used as a transport and hospital ship before being returned to the French in 1946. She was eventually sold to Greek buyers in 1964, who used her mostly for Mediterranean cruises. She was laid up in the late 1960's, and final demolition was completed by 1974.
This brochure runs 40 pages. The first half is about the ship and the accommodations, and the second half is ads for various suppliers. Four tipped-in full-color illustrations as well as some additional renderings in the ads, including the captain's day room, the second-class dining, room, etc. Fold-out general arrangements plans in the back (oddly, not complete), a longitudinal cut-away, and a map of the shipyard in Dunkirk where she was built.
The covers are a beautiful metallic foil, and they are held on with a silk cord. Great condition with some roughness to edge of top and bottom of brochure. This is the first brochure I've ever had for her. In French. $275.
Unusual bronze centennial medallion for this French company, dated 1851-1951. Designed by Andre Lavrillier. Complete with the original box which is in very good condition with some separations at the corners. Before you ask how I know it's the original box, I've got an identical marked box (with medal) for the Ferdinand de Lesseps. Perfect condition. $95.
Post-war first-class deck plan. Printed on glossy paper with an exterior image of the ship. Because no other ships are listed, this might date to the immediate post-war period when she was the only French Line ship on the Atlantic. One my friends thinks that De Grasse is particularly special because she had to single-handedly carry on the tradition of what had, before the war, been considered one of the finest fleets afloat. Excellent condition. $25.
SOLD!
One of my best customers always refers to De Grasse as CGT's "spunky" ship. What he means is that she was built as an intermediate liner in the 1920's, but after the war, she alone carried the French flag and reestablished French Line service to New York for two lonely years until the Ile returned to service in 1949.
Connoisseurs of French Line medallions (among which I count myself) know that the few ships that did pre- and post-war service had two medallions made for them. This is De Grasse's post-war medal. Highly sought-after and in very good condition. Designed by M. Delannoy. $95.
Dated June, 1958, this tourist-class plan for the Flandre is printed on glossy paper and contains nine photos, some quite large. Measures 30" x 8". In excellent condition. $20.
Iconic gummed baggage tag from a beloved liner now sadly lost. Mint condition. A quantity available. $5 ea.
Here's your chance to obtain a rarely seen book about the construction of the France. Twenty pages with 14 fabulous photos (some in full color and some tipped in). Built on the same ways as Normandie, the poor France has been lost to history on the beaches of Alang. Dated 2-1960. Some dirt on the covers. Very hard to find. Hardbound. $125.
Fantastic tourist-class full-color brochure printed on glossy paper. The best on-board photos you can imagine! Complete with sample breakfast, lunch, and dinner menus -- oh, that French Line food. Great images for every part of tourist class. 18 pages with 28 color photos. Some scuffing on the covers otherwise excellent condition. $75.
Full-color brochure filled with 35 photos for both classes. Fold-out in the middle with an aerial photo of her at sea. Pull-out profile at the back which is color-coded to show you in what parts of the ship the different classes were located. Super photo on the cover! in French and English. Mint condition. $35.
As the France was intended to replace both the beloved Ile and the Liberté, the French Line really splashed out ordering exclusive St. Louis crystal for use in first class on board. This is likely an Alsatian wine glass. It reminds me of the Portland Vase at the British Museum because of the way blue and clear crystal are fused, and when facets were cut, they revealed the clear crystal under the blue. Stands 7" tall. Excellent condition and quite rarely seen. $145.
Cute little juice glass from the service of the France of 1962. Frosted CGT logo. Stands about 3" tall. Excellent condition. A quantity available. $65 ea.
Coming in at a massive 46" long, this is an amazing cut-away. In full-color, 232 items are listed in the extensive key. Stamped on the front for the 1974 World Cruise, which would be her last. It is sad to think that this magnificent liner is now gone. As troubling as that is, you can still hang this French beauty on your wall. Excellent condition with some bumped corners. $175.
Superb fold-out color-coded deck plan for first class. Eight color photos on glossy paper. In French and English. One of the best deck plans you can find for her. Mint condition. $25.
Miniature deck plan. Great detail. Some photos of her interiors. $15.
Unusual four-page flyer for her second (and last) world cruise. Fares in pounds. Printed in June, 1972. $15.
You know the French Line went for broke when they gold washed their bronze medallions. The France was France's last transatlantic liner and one of the last ships of state to be built. She was amazing. Medallion is in excellent condition without the typical wear. Some wear to name and scuffing. $75.
Fireboats everywhere and the ship dressed overall. There's nothing quite like a maiden voyage arrival. Very clear. Measures 10" x 8". Very good condition. A fold to one of the corners. $22.
Like all of you, I was really sad to see France go to the breakers. As you can see from this photo, she had amazing lines. This at-sea shot shows her long, sleek lines to great advantage. Normandie-esque. Sad to compare this to photos of her on the beach at Alang. Measures 10" x 8". Very good condition. $22.
Wonderful aerial view of this recently scrapped liner. You can see much of Normandie's influence in her design. Measures 9" x 6½". Excellent condition. $20.
SOLD!
33203 France (1962) Poster
Say "hello" to the new centerpiece of your France collection! One of the better known posters for the France but still hard to find in this condition, which happily in excellent. No tears or tape. The colors are vibrant, and it is a real eye catcher! Measures about 46" x 30". It's begging to be framed and hung on your wall! $195.
36080 France (1962) Wine List
Printed on surprisingly good paper (many pages are watermarked), this wine list is dated May, 1972. Includes prices for wines, cigars, tobacco, playing cards, etc. In excellent condition. $20.
SOLD!
A log abstract from the Ile's September 23, 1931, crossing from Le Havre to New York. She was never meant to be a speed queen, but she always put in respectable times. On this crossing, she averaged 23.07 knots. Lots of information, including passenger totals by class. In excellent condition. $25.
NEW!
Fantastic brochure for first-class on this French beauty. She was very French art deco, and her decor was quite aggressive compared to the tamer and more toned-down British deco liners of the 1930's and 1940's. Dated April, 1935, just before Normandie's maiden voyage. This is CGT at their height! Fires and then losses in WWII left them never able to quite achieve that pre-war burnish. 28 pages with 33 photos. In English and in excellent condition with some rust to the staples. $185.
NEW!
Lovely pre-war brochure covering first-class dated April, 1937. Runs 16 pages with 11 photos, many of which are a full page. In English and in excellent condition. I have never seen another like it. In near mint condition. $135.
SOLD!
This brochure dates to her return to service after World War II in 1949. Covers both first and cabin class. 21 images, all full page. Most are renderings of the liner's new interiors. Includes a two-page longitudinal color spread showing the allocation of the space for each class. A few folds to the cover but otherwise excellent. From the Frank Braynard Collection. $75.
As one of the most famous of all ocean liners, it's nice to see that the French Line produced several brochures solely for the Ile de France. Here's one of the best. For you French Line collectors out there, here are 28 photos of all three classes, most full page. Ever wondered how they set the table in first class? Or cabin class? Or tourist class? It's amazing to see that even in her best first-class cabins, the steel beams of the ceiling are left bare aside from the cork insulation applied to the wet paint. Near mint condition. Text in French. From the Frank Braynard Collection. $75.
Deduction tells us that this brochure has to be dated 1949. Why? Because both the Ile and the De Grasse are in service but there is no mention of the Liberté anywhere. 12 images, mostly interior. Folds open to 16" x 10". Excellent condition. From the Frank Braynard Collection. $25.
SOLD!
The height of French Line paper collecting -- a first-class ISO deck plan for the Ile de France. Perhaps the most important ship to come out after WWI, the Ile was revolutionary in her decor. She rapidly took the crown as THE ship on which to cross the pond from her aging British competition. Frank Braynard's fantastic six-volume set for Leviathan documents how she immediately creamed off the highest-paying first-class traffic, much to the detriment of ships like Leviathan. Her popularity helped her greatly even after the depression began. As all ships lost passengers as the economic woes increased, the Ile suffered far less than the rest.
When open, the plan measures about 44" x 8½" with 25 photos, including one rendering of the soon-to-be finished Normandie and a broadside of the Ile with her decks labeled. Dates to March, 1934, and is in great condition. $295.
What's rarer than a first-class ISO deck plan for the Ile? How about one for tourist class? When open, the plan measures about 44" x 8½" with 8 photos, including one rendering of the soon-to-be finished Normandie and a broadside of the Ile with her decks labeled. Dates to April, 1935, and is in great condition. Iso deck plans are nearly impossible to find for tourist in such good condition. $245.
One of the more interesting deck plans I've seen. This one is a route map for a self-guided tour of the Ile. Definitely post war. Extensive coverage of the ship with twelve stops along the route. Shows the prospective passenger the highlights of first and second class. The route is marked by a red line and arrows, and you are told that by following the route "you will get achieve a complete visit of the Ile de France." And boy, did they mean it! The tour goes from the first-class Sun Deck to the swimming pool. It's a really neat piece. Measures about 24" x 18". Very good condition. From the Frank Braynard collection. $65.
Unusual card left in a passenger's stateroom upon embarkation to indicate what your lifeboat station was. This one was for Mlle. M. Vanderhask whose lifeboat was #24. She was in cabin 650. Lovely graphics. $25.
After Normandie, the most beloved ship of the French Line fleet is a toss up in my opinion between the France of 1962 and the Ile. Like De Grasse, Ile received a post-war medallion of which this is an example. Various heraldic shields on one side; the other showing the post-war profile of the ship and a porthole. Uniquely signed and dated by the artist, Marcel Renard. In excellent condition. $125.
SOLD!
A shot of the Ile at her pier at the conclusion of her maiden voyage by famed New York photographer Edwin Levick. Dressed overall and setting new standards on the Atlantic, she looks magnificent in this rare elevated angle. I love the white "Ile de France" pennant flying from her mast. Wonder where that went? Stamped on the back as from the Everett Viez Collection. What a day for CGT! $65.
Real-photo post card of the Ile de France in her pre-war appearance. Unused and in mint condition. $20.
Very unusual real-photo view of the liner at dock at the Gare Maritime. Deckle edged and unused. Some wear to the edges, but such an unusual view that it really doesn't matter! $35.
Real-photo card of the Ile de France at the Gare Maritime. Great view of the ship and the surrounding dock area. Deckle edged. Some wear to edges. $30.
Super stern real-photo card of the liner at dock in France. Deckle edged. Some wear to edges. $35.
Fantastic set of nine real-photo post cards of the pre-war Ile de France, showing many of the first- and second-class interiors. All unused except one. Needless to say these would scan amazingly well. These are an unusual set because they are real photos and not printed as most French Line cards are. All are in excellent condition. Only a selection are shown. $95.
Post-card booklet sold on the Ile de France in her on-board gift shops. Hard cover with a total of 20 deckle-edged real-photo cards -- one of her exterior and 19 of her interiors. Embossed shield on the cover. Dates to the post-war period because of the lack of a third funnel. Excellent condition with a few small marks on the cover. $40.
Unusual broad sheet titled "Pictorial News of the Day," showing the Ile in a very late image arriving in New York unaided by tugs. She's looking a bit rusty and would be gone from service within a few months. Some wrinkles and a few marks to the image that you might be able to remove, but I didn't try. Measures about 17" x 14". $25.
Program for a "Charity Fête" held on board the Ile de France on July 27, 1936. Tied with a fancy cord. Listed are the various charities with a description in French and English such as the "transatlantique maternity fund." Twenty years later, the liner would sail into New York with many of the survivors of the Andrea Doria. Very good condition. From the Frank Braynard Collection. $20.
The French Line did not do things by halves, and certainly that was true with the famed Ile. Her silver was by the renowned Christofle firm which later produced the silver for Normandie. Note archival photo at left taken on board the Ile where the French Line used silver individual tea pots as opposed to Cunard's china service.
This stunning tea pot measures about 6" tall and about 6" from handle to spout. Because of the size, I'm nearly certain that this is an individual tea pot holding at most one or two cups of tea. The best thing about this tea pot is its amazing condition. It is near mint with no dings, dents, or plate loss. There are very few of the expected use marks. It is a real show stopper for any collection. $495.
Lovely pepper grinder by Christofle. I really dig the simple beauty of the pattern chosen by CGT for the Ile, not to mention the quality of the silver plate, which is impressive. It just feels nice in your hand. In excellent condition with only a few use marks and very small dings. It measures about 4" tall. $275.
Interesting double covered wine list. Depending on how you close it, the cover is in either English or French with different art on each one. Dated June, 1931. As to be expected on a French ship, the wine list is extensive. Also covered are liqueurs, mineral water, cocktails, and tobacco. All the cocktails are in English, but everything else is in French. Oh, those poor thirsty, "dry" Americans. Excellent condition. From the Frank Braynard Collection. $20.
Another huge (and very uncommon) pre-World War II medallion for the French Line's Lafayette. Entering service in 1930, she burned in Le Havre on May 4, 1938. Seems to be the fate of many French ships. This medal is in excellent condition with the very slightest of roughness to the edge. Amazing relief on this medal, right down to the hair on Lafayette's head. Designed by M. Delannay. $135.
The French Line really splashed out with advertising for their pre-WWI ships. This hard-covered book is no exception. Produced for the La Provence, this book has dozens of illustrations of her interiors and is probably pre-maiden voyage. Complete with embossed covers, and the edges of the pages are gold leafed! Fold-out cut-away.
All kinds of interesting information like, during the year 1905, CGT ships burned 552,000 tons of coal. Incredibly detailed. La Provence was also one of the first ships on the Atlantic to have an elevator, and there's a drawing showing it. Also has some great ads! There's even one for Luis Vuitton luggage that fits under your berth! Pull-out plan at the back of the shipbuilding yard at Penhoët.
This booklet is large and covers far too much information to go into here. You will not be disappointed! Very good condition with some slight separation at spine but still tight. $245.
SOLD!
Arguably the best brochure ever produced for the Liberté. Dated April, 1956, it sports 32 glossy pages filled with photos of her decks and interiors. Covers all classes -- first, cabin, and tourist. She was amazingly beautiful inside and very French. Little of her German decor remained. In fact, her lounge was very similar to Normandie's with red tapestry furniture and even some of Normandie's original Dupas panels (although cut down to fit this smaller room). In excellent condition. $95.
SOLD!
As popular as the Liberté and Ile were on the post-war Atlantic service, it is curious that there is a lack of deck plans for the Liberté. Despite their rarity, here is great example for first-class. When open, measures about 33" x 8½" with 17 photos. In excellent condition. $50.
The Liberté, in conjunction with the Ile de France, helped a shattered France and CGT struggle to its feet in 1950. The Liberté was, as we all know, the heavily rebuilt German liner Europa. Now aptly renamed, she would sail for France. I have always dug the image on the obverse of a women breaking the chains that held her. A Liberté medal exactly like this was the first medallion I bought when I started my own collection of medals back in 1998. A lovely bronze piece for an underrated and lovely ship. In excellent condition. $95.
What can I say? There's memorabilia and then there's memorabilia! This is as good as it gets for Normandie. The famous "Green Book."
Oversized at 14" x 11", this book is printed on glossy paper, it runs 72 pages with 67 images. All the photos are exceptionally clear and many, many are full color images of her interiors, many I've never seen elsewhere. Too much to list, but a sampling of the photos includes the children's dining room, the swimming pool in a full-color photo, the private bar in full color, lots of her art, to name just a few!
Very good condition with some wear to spine and edges of the cover. The insides are loose but still attached. In English. Grab it while you can. It won't last long! $395.
NEW!
Lovely fold-open brochure measuring about 31" x 17" when open. Printed front and back, the brochure has 12 photos and renderings (some in color). In excellent condition with some slight holes at the fold intersections. Has what looks to be a date of 9-1935. $175.
43007 Normandie China, Oyster Dish
Oyster dish from the Normandie. Made by Limoges, this plate measures nearly 10" across and has places for 6 oysters. I don't like oysters myself (just about the only food I don't enjoy), but if I did, I can only imagine how good French Line oysters must have been. In excellent condition with no chips. cracks, or crazing, but has the slightest wear to some of the gold and some use marks. $195.
NEW!
The French Line was well known for their superb cutaways, and this one is no exception. Made from the famous painting by Albert Sébille, this cutaway is one of the most desirable in all of shipdom. Measuring a full 50" long when open, this would be fantastic framed. One of the more interesting aspects of this Normandie cutaway is that it is over-printed with the much larger 82,799 tonnage figure. Under the black bar on the cover you can just make out the original 79,280 figure. One wonders why the French Line did not put some small deck house on her when built just to get the ship over the magic 80,000-ton mark. Aside from a few brown age spots on the cutaway itself, it is in excellent condition. $450.
SOLD!
Here is a crowd pleaser. A deck plan for one of the greatest ships ever built, the Normandie. Dated August 31, 1938, and printed especially for the Raymond-Whitcomb Rio cruise in 1939, this color-coded cruise plan covers both first and second class so we get to see more of her layout than usual in a typical plan. Measures an amazing 54" x 9" when open with six photos. Boy, did she have huge suites! Mentioned on the plan is the average speed from her first Rio cruise in 1938, which was 28.07 knots. She was fast thanks to the Yourkevich hull. No cruise ship today can do those speeds except QM2. Unfortunately, QM2 doesn't cruise that fast because of the cost of fuel, even on the transatlantic. In excellent condition with only a couple of slight small tears which do no detract. $365.
Designed by Jean Vernon, this incredibly thick and much sought-after medallion would be a prize in any collection. Measures almost 1/4" thick. The front is in very good condition. The back has a few dings on the edge and a spot of green that can be seen in the photo. Displays very well. $125.
Unused. Near mint condition. "The longest gangplank in the world". $8.
Beautiful first generation real photo card of the winter garden. Unused. Absolutely mint condition. This room was not air-conditioned. Unfortunately all the birds in the cages died when the ship when on her first cruise to Rio due to the heat. $10.
Beauty at sea. This aerial advertising print shows Normandie after her 1936 refit. I never really liked the additions made to her during this refit, and John Maxton-Graham asserts that it was more than necessary considering the very tough competition from Queen Mary. Given its age, this print is in fantastic condition as is its original frame. Measures 32" x 2" including frame. $195.
Superb 16-page brochure for this hard-to-find French liner. Dated April, 1937, the brochure contains 10 photos printed on glossy paper so they are quite clear. All first class photos, including the children's dining room. A slightly unusually decorated ship in that she bridged the gap between the pre-war France and the Art Deco Ile de France. Excellent condition. Super rare. $175.
SOLD!
Unbelievable full-color cut-away of the Paris, measuring a huge 43" x 12". Still attached to its original card cover. Full key at the bottom for 110 interesting details, including the "salle de mécanothérapie (what we would call the gym, which was oddly located under the bridge but what a great view!)," "descente de l'équipage (crew staircase)," the "salon du commandant" (captain's room), etc. In the original cover with the sailing ship that is the symbol for the city of Paris. No fading and only the slightest of tears at a few folds. Some very light foxing which does not detract. Similar cut-aways at auction go for much more than this. Grab it while you can! $495.
Incredible color-coded deck plan for the ill-fated French liner Paris. This deck plan was printed on January 20, 1939, for her Norway-Europe cruise which was to take place on June 24 but never happened. She burned on April 18 and was lying on the bottom of the harbor at Le Havre.
Seven photos of the ship, the rest are of the ports seen on the cruise. Also includes a schedule of cruise rates. Aside form the Iso plan, this beautiful cruise plan is the best you'll find for the Paris. Measures 43" x 32" when opened. In super condition. This is the first like this I've had. As rare as it gets for her. Let's just say she wasn't in cruising condition! $235.
Super sharp real photo of Verandah Cabin 77 on board the Paris. This was one of ten cabins with private verandahs aft on A Deck. What an amazing room! Great flower vases! Mounted to a stiff backing (probably removed from an agent's photo book), the photo itself measures about 9" x 6½". Excellent condition. (See deck plan image showing location of cabin.) $65.
Measures about 4½" across. Crazed overall but not sure if it was meant to look like that. A few small nicks. Probably dates to the 1950's. $35.
Pottery ashtray probably dating to the 1950's. Measures about 2" tall and 5" across. In very good condition. Interestingly, only one spot for a cigarette. $45.
SOLD!
Sought-after heavy glass ashtray as used on the France of 1962. Lovely CGT logo molded into the bottom. One chip out of the cigarette rest that is hard to notice and one flea bite out of the bottom. $45.
SOLD!
Most of you probably know the saga of the ashtrays used on Normandie at the beginning of her career. When Normandie entered service, the ashtrays read "French Line" on one side and "Normandie" on the other. Since they are pocket sized, they were easily swiped. Because of the early heavy loss of ashtrays, the French Line removed the remaining stock that read "Normandie" and put a black bar over the name of the ship to discourage theft. The final version of this design used in the later half of the 1930's is the type offered here.
This pre-war example is made of porcelain unlike the glass post-war version. In excellent condition except a very small chip out of the base that can't be seen when the ashtray is on display. Measures about 3" x 2½". $135.
Everyone loved these art deco ashtrays when they were introduced on the Normandie. So much so that many of the Normandie's were swiped as souvenirs so the French Line was forced to remove the ship's name from them. The shape and style remained popular and continued in use after the war. This post-war version, made of glass not porcelain and manufactured by Opalex, dates to the Liberté / Ile de France era. Doesn't quite sit exactly because of a manufacturing issue, but you really can't tell when it's sitting on a flat surface. Measures about 3" x 2½". Excellent condition. $40.
One of the most amazing advertising items I have ever offered for the French Line. The reason you'll want this huge-format book is for the photos. Runs 56 pages with 28 full-page images of the interiors and exteriors of the France of 1912, La Provence, La Savoie, and La Lorraine. Each image is artistically presented by itself on the page with nothing opposite to detract. Tied with a silk cord.
Some text at the front of the book in French with particulars about the history of the company and a full page of information about each ship and a fleet list.
This will be the coffee-table centerpiece for your French Line collection. Dates to the pre-World War I period, and most likely from 1912 when the France entered service.
Fabulous condition with just the slightest bit of dirt on the cover and a very small scratch. You will never see a better one offered, and in fact I've never seen one before! Measures 15" x 11". $695.
Produced in 1955, for the 100th anniversary of the Compagnie Général Transatlantique, this book is the finest ever written on the French Line and its history. In French, the book runs 430 pages with more illustrations and photos than I can count (running into the many hundreds), including a number in full color. See some examples at left.
There is so much information in the tables in the back, it makes the book an invaluable piece for anyone interested in the French Line. As one might expect, a whole chapter on Normandie. Don't worry about the French text as there is so much that can be gleaned from this book from the tables and photos alone. Besides my English speaking customers can always use web based translation for any passages in French that you cannot divine on your own. Very thick and extremely heavy. In excellent condition, and the only issue I saw was that page 20 is torn but complete. How I pine for a contemporary history of White Star like this one! $250.
Unusual bridge score pad from the 1950's. Know someone who likes to play bridge? This would make a nice vintage gift. $15.
Pre-WWII Christmas card from Henri Cangardel, the director general of the French Line. Written at a time when Normandie was still afloat and just five months before the fall of France. One wonders what happened to the French Line during the occupation. Excellent condition. $20.
(A second one is also available with a much longer message written by Pierre Laure, the assistant director general of the French Line. $20.)
Oversized Christmas card from André Coquillat of the French Line. Opens to reveal a fantastic painting of the Antilles. Card is dated 1955, the 100th year of the French Line. Cover art shows the Paris of 427 tons. She was used on the Le Havre to Hamburg service. $20.
SOLD!
43579 French Line Letter Opener
French Line letter opener with the company name at the top. Made of an early form of plastic. $20.
36399 French Line Pin Tray, Large
This is the larger of the two sizes of souvenir pin dishes I've seen. Measures almost 5" across. Excellent condition. $40.
36200 French Line Pin Tray, Small
Great souvenir pin dish with the famous "sailor at the helm" logo as seen on many French Line souvenirs. Measures 4¼" across. Excellent condition. $35.