A super rare menu cover from the SS America when she sailed briefly for Venture Cruise Lines … just 2 voyages. Venture and the ship were just not prepared to start operations … the ship was in poor condition and the passengers basically demanded the ship return to shore to escape the hellish conditions onboard. Such a rare item!

Lovely 5 page mimeograph of the artists and their artworks featured aboard the ship. The corners have some minor curls .. the the pages are clean and full of info about  artwork on the ship (most but not all). I found a whole stack of these on the ship in the early 1990’s when i was onboard and they were still in excellent condition.

Nice printed stock share sheet sold to the Wertheim company in 1956. Just love the rendering of the America in the crest. Sealed in plastic

One of the hundreds and hundreds of forms used on the ship … this is a Landing Card form P-27 for Tourist Class. Pink and in Excellent shape.

One of the hundreds of forms used on the ship … this one for passengers to use to sign up for onboard competitions.

Undated Cruise Plan for the Mighty SSUS … she took her first cruise in 1962. Her Tourist Class spaces were not used for cruises … so this cruise plan only shows First and Cabin areas of the ship. Made from a heavier tissue paper … this is in great condition. the plans include a lovely starboard side profile photo of the ship. The plan is in great condition with a few little odd folds.

Nice Popular Mechanics Magazine dated for December 1952 … with the first installment of drawings and information on how to build and SSUS model. Of course, many of the underwater parts of the ship were still secret .. so the model could not be completely authentic .. but it was pretty close. Plans and info continued in several issues in 1953 … but this first issue covers a good portion of the ship and includes some plans. Models built from these plans show up for sale form time to time  … there are very cool!

An excellent copy of a preliminary February 1953 Deck Plan for Cabin Class. nO photos … but excellent blue color renderings of her interior spaces. Lost of good printed information describing the ship as well. Like New condition as shown. These early plans are getting harder to find all the time.

Lovely First day cover for the ship … send to Donald Palmer. Stamped both in NY and on the back in Le Harve. Very good condition .. could be framed

Nice little wine card for the SSUS … great little full hull profile of the liner. It’s possible this is a modern reprint.

Nice brand new Xmas card for the SSUS .. the image is from a painting by George Gaadt. This is an extra card from a set I purchased a number of years ago. Message Inside: Wishing you calm seas and smooth sailings this holiday season.  Excellent unused condition ready to send out.

Another one of bill many many books … this one with a focused look into American Shipping. Good like new condition.

Good Hardcover book covering all sort of US liners … those serving the Atlantic and Pacific and some coastal route as well. Like New condition, this came in a large collection of books I recently purchased

One of Bill’s many many books about American Liners  … this one covers quite a few ships! Like New condition .. good reference book and covers all the greats like Leviathan, SSUS, America etc etc

Nice blue Cabin Class landing card ( form D-59)for the port of Le Harve … One of the hundreds of forms and cards used in conjunction with the ship’s operation.

Cool super elongated image of the ship printed on linen …the ship is steaming ahead with an impressive wave along her bow. Nice condition with a little age toning.

Nice Unused baggage tag Tourist Cass Unused: for items to be placed in the Stateroom

Nice Unused baggage tag

Cabin Cass for items to be placed in the Stateroom

Nice Unused baggage tag Tourist Cass Unused: for items to be placed in the baggage room

Wonderful 2 page 8 1/2 x 14 legal sized fact sheet that was printed onboard to be given out to the curious passengers. Loaded with Ship Trivia: 21 different types of glasses were used onboard, average of 25 chairs reupholstered each voyage, 9100 square yards of carpeting onboard … and many more interesting tids n bits. These all show some aging and all came of the ship during the 1984 auction.

One of the millions of paper items left onboard when she was laid up … this deposit envelope is practically brand new. The guards onboard in the USC years gave these to folks filled with little souvenirs, forms and whatever bits they could to get rid of them. I’m sure many of these found some new life when the ship went to Turkey/Ukraine.

A very nice VHS (later DVD) video released by the Mariners Museum telling the early story of the ship with a nice focus on her building. If you still use a VHS player … this is a good copy for you!

Directly from the radio room … a blank pristine telegram sheet from the ship. The ships names is stamped in the upper corner.  Make your own message.

Nice SSUS cardstock … these were used for presentations and events onboard. The print shop would have used this stock by the 1000’s on each voyage. Paper supplies like there were left onboard when the ship was mothballed and were auctioned off in 1984 … and practically given away after that as surplus. Brand new unfolded condition. I just love the RWB graphics and coloring.

The story of the Gibbs brothers and their maritime portfolio. This was commissioned by Frederic Gibbs really as a tribute to his brother William Francis … and was written front to back by Frank Braynard. It covers all sorts of vessels passenger ships, Military vessels. Working vessels (like Fireboats and ice breakers) and on, and on, and on. Their work was prolific and incredible. A very good read .. this does not have a dust jacket … and I have never seen a copy with a dustjacket. There was only one printing … so this is a scarce book. VERY desirable and comprehensive.