Vintage 1950s Cunard White Star oak coat hanger

Vintage 1950s Cunard White Star oak coat hanger. This wonderful wooden coat hanger is from a time and era when everything was made with love and quality. It is clearly stamped Cunard White Star. Some minor age related wear (shirt not included, can be purchased in all good menswear stores 🤣).

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43 CM wide

17 cm tall to top of hook

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The Cunard White Star Line was formed in 1934 when Cunard Line merged with its main competitor, White Star Line, to survive the Great Depression. The new company, Cunard-White Star Line, operated until 1950 when Cunard bought out White Star's share, renaming it Cunard Line. The merger was driven by the need for government support and the ambition to build new ships like the Queen Mary and Queen Elizabeth.

Cunard Line history

Founded in 1840 by Samuel Cunard, it became a dominant transatlantic passenger line.

The company focused on speed and express service.

White Star Line history

Founded in the 1840s, it initially focused on the Australian service but was re-established in the 1860s as a rival to Cunard on the transatlantic route.

White Star was known for luxury and high-quality service, but also for significant losses, including the Titanic (1912) and Britannic (1916).

The merger and aftermath

The Great Depression severely impacted both companies, leading them to seek government support for a merger.

The government helped facilitate the creation of Cunard-White Star Line in 1934, providing funding to build the Queen Mary and Queen Elizabeth.

The company operated under the "Cunard-White Star" name until 1950 when Cunard became the sole owner.

The "White Star Service" is still used today to denote the high standard of customer service Cunard offers.