US POSTAL SERVICE - Give Wings To Your Letters

THE ARTWORK

The "Give Wings to Your Letters" poster is part of the National Postal Museum's collection at the Smithsonian Institution. This vintage USPS poster was designed to promote the use of airmail services in the mid-20th century, emphasizing speed and efficiency for both personal and business correspondence. The image shows letters flying across the country with stylized wings, symbolizing the swift delivery of mail.

Such posters were widely used to encourage the public to take advantage of airmail as a faster alternative to standard mail, reflecting the growing importance of air transport in communication. The design and messaging of these posters played a key role in boosting airmail usage during its peak years

THE ARTIST

The United States Postal Service produced a variety of colorful vintage air mail posters during the early 20th century to promote its airmail service, which began formally in 1918. These posters were displayed in post offices across the United States, encouraging citizens to take advantage of the fast and reliable airmail service. Some posters featured slogans like “There goes the airmail, is your letter aboard?” or “Overnight Air Mail,” emphasizing speed and reliability, which were key selling points of airmail at the time.

During the early days, airmail pilots, often former military aviators, faced extreme flying conditions, navigating by visual landmarks and crude maps. Notable pilots like Max Miller were pioneers in establishing airmail routes, and these pilots’ daring feats became an essential part of airmail’s adventurous image. The early aircraft used included Curtiss JN-4H “Jenny” biplanes and later the Standard JR-1B mail planes, which were specially built for mail transport. These early efforts laid the foundation for the modern airmail industry and were celebrated through numerous promotional materials, including these iconic posters.

THE PRINT

• A4 Size = 29.7cm x 21cm = 11.7" x 8.25"
• A3 Size = 42cm x 29.7cm = 16.5" x 11.7"
• High resolution giclée print - 600dpi
• Printed to order
• Unframed & unmounted
• Professionally printed using Canon imagePROGRAF printers
• Digitally restored by OharaPrints from high resolution scans of the original artwork
• Made in and shipped from Casterton, Victoria, Australia

PAPER

• Canson Infinity - Arches BFK Rives White
• Paper weight = 310gsm
• 100% cotton
• Archival, museum grade
• Acid free
• No OBAs (optical brightening agents)

Arches BFK Rives is a high-quality, archival-grade paper manufactured at the Arches paper mill in France - one of the oldest papermakers in Europe. It is made from 100% cotton rag using a time-honoured manufacturing process, giving the paper exceptional durability, longevity, and resistance to yellowing or deterioration over time. Despite its substantial weight and thickness it maintains a very soft and supple feel. The paper has a natural white tone and is completely free of any optical brighteners (OBAs), allowing for superb colour rendition and deep blacks.

INK

• Canon Lucia Pro Inks
• Pigment based
• Archival, museum-grade
• Brilliant colours, even gradient and razor-sharp lines
• Highly stable and fade resistant, excellent humidity-fastness

SHIPPING & HANDLING

• All orders are dispatched on the NEXT BUSINESS DAY after receiving the order
• All prints are shipped via AUSTRALIA POST with TRACKING
• For postage rates and estimated delivery times please see our SHIPPING page
• All prints are shipped flat, not rolled
• Each print is individually placed into a resealable, archival grade plastic protective sleeve
• Prints are carefully packaged in very sturdy 700gsm cardboard envelopes, along with 1050gsm boxboard sheets which provide extra strength & rigidity to prevent bending or folding during transit