Please note that the Minneapolis Show previously scheduled for May 5th has been cancelled.

The purpose of this site is to promote the collecting of airline-oriented memorabilia.  We intend to cover a wide range of collectible airline items, and hope that by sharing our knowledge and interest in these various facets of collecting, we can increase the amount of enjoyment that others receive from this hobby.  Sometimes the simple realization that one's interests are shared by others can make the endeavor much more rewarding.

We hope to bring attention to the many fine airline collectible shows that are put on in the US and around the world.  For those who have never experienced an airline collectible show, be advised that they are wonderful displays of airline memorabilia, and also a great way to "rub shoulders" with people having similar interests.

We intend to update our site on a regular basis, continually adding to the store of information on this subject.  As with nearly any Web Site, this one will forever be a "work in progress", so comments and suggestions for improvements will be welcome!

Our ultimate goal is to become the greatest repository of information on airline collectibles anywhere, with links to commercial aviation, as well as military aviation sites.

The following is an introduction to airline collectibles written by Richard R. Wallin, author of the book Commercial Aviation Collectibles.
 

These days, it seems like an item is made one day and is a so-called "Collectible" the next.  But those of us in the antique & collectible hobby know that the more likely an item is to be discarded, the more likely it is that it will, in fact become a "true" collectible.  Conversely, those items MADE as collectibles stand little chance of increasing in value due to the large numbers of collectors and dealers who all stash caseloads of such items in their closets with dream of future financial splendor.

Thus it comes as no surprise that many of the items issued by and for the airline industry have become true collectibles.  Most items associated with commercial aviation are items that are designed for a specific purpose at a particular point in time, after which they are superseded by later versions, with the older item then presumably being discarded.

Fortunately for us, those involved in the early years of commercial aviation either as employees or passengers, did not always discard those older items; many ended up in desk drawers, etc.

In terms of the generally accepted definition of an antique (at least 100 years old) commercial aviation doesn't quite make the cut.  The Wright Brothers" first flight will not have its 100th anniversary for about 3 more years now. Actual commercial aviation, at least passenger-carrying flights, first started in the late teens, but for all practical purposes, it was the late 1920's before traditional airlines first took root.

So while an "early" railroad item would be from the 1880's, an early commercial aviation item would be from around 1930. A surprising number of items from those early days do exist, although their rarity now commands substantial prices.

Today's airlines have fleets of hundreds of aircraft, thousands of pilots, and tens of thousands of flight attendants.  But we must remember that in the early days, each airline had only a handful of planes and employees.  Thus the early items not only command a premium because of their age, but because of their scarcity.

Commercial aviation collectibles cuts a broad swath; there is little that is not collected.  Timetables, crew wings, uniforms, dishes, glassware, timetables, safety cards, barf bags, and on the list goes.  One fellow even collects aircraft emergency exit doors!

So whatever you have or find from commercial aviation, it probably has value as long as it has an airline name or logo.  It is a fascinating hobby, and one that will reward you with a sense of satisfaction, not only from the items which you amass, but for the personal contacts you will make with others who have a similar interest.