The "KLM Royal Dutch Airlines Amsterdam-Batavia Weekly Service Map" is a captivating artifact from the golden age of aviation, created in 1934 by KLM Royal Dutch Airlines. This map is not just a visual delight but a historical document that showcases the pioneering spirit of one of the world's oldest airlines. KLM, established in 1919, played a crucial role in the development of commercial aviation, and this map illustrates their ambitious routes connecting Amsterdam to Batavia, now Jakarta, Indonesia. The meticulously charted course includes stops in major cities such as London, Athens, Cairo, Baghdad, Karachi, Calcutta, Rangoon, Bangkok, Medan, and Singapore, reflecting the airline's extensive reach and the burgeoning global connectivity of the era.

This thematic and pictorial map serves as an advertisement for KLM's services, highlighting not only their air routes but also the interconnected network of railways and steamship routes. It provides a snapshot of a time when air travel was a luxury and an adventure, capturing the imagination of travelers and the public alike. The map emphasizes the airline's "Twice Weekly Service," a significant upgrade from the previous weekly service, underscoring KLM's commitment to expanding and improving its offerings.

The design of the map is a stunning example of early 20th-century cartographic art. Rendered in a color lithograph, it employs a global projection to represent the world, giving viewers a sense of the vast distances covered by KLM's flights. The map is adorned with illustrative elements, including a detailed depiction of an airplane soaring above the globe and a backdrop of stars, evoking the romance and excitement of early air travel. The use of vibrant colors and clear, bold lines ensures that the routes and connections are easily distinguishable, making the map both informative and aesthetically pleasing.

Beyond its visual appeal, the map is rich with historical significance. It captures a moment in time when international air travel was beginning to shrink the world, making distant lands more accessible and fostering greater cultural and economic exchange. The routes depicted on the map highlight key cities and regions that were pivotal in global trade and communication, reflecting the strategic importance of these hubs in the early 20th century. This map is not just a representation of KLM's routes but a testament to the transformative power of aviation in connecting people and places.

In addition to the main routes, the map also highlights other airlines' services, railways, and steamship connections, painting a comprehensive picture of the transportation network of the time. The annotations and historical notes provide further context, making this map a valuable resource for historians and enthusiasts of early aviation. Its blend of artistry, historical context, and detailed information makes the "KLM Royal Dutch Airlines Amsterdam-Batavia Weekly Service Map" a remarkable piece for any collection, offering a window into a bygone era of exploration and innovation.

Countries and regions on this map

• Continents:
• Europe
• Asia
• Australia
• Countries and regions:
• Netherlands (Amsterdam)
• United Kingdom (London)
• Greece (Athens)
• Egypt (Cairo)
• Iraq (Baghdad)
• Pakistan (Karachi)
• India (Calcutta)
• Myanmar (Rangoon)
• Thailand (Bangkok)
• Indonesia (Medan, Batavia)
• Singapore
• Australia

Notable Features & Landmarks

• Inset maps or additional illustrations:
• Illustration of an airplane near the top center of the map
• Bodies of water:
• Various oceans and seas, including the Atlantic Ocean, Indian Ocean, and Pacific Ocean
• Sea routes:
• Steamship routes are highlighted
• Rail routes:
• Railways are depicted, connecting various regions
• Other interesting features:
• Historical notes such as "Twice Weekly Service" indicating the frequency of flights
• Annotations indicating airline connections and services

Historical and design context

• Name of the map: KLM Royal Dutch Airlines Amsterdam-Batavia Weekly Service Map
• Date created: 1934
• Mapmaker/Publisher: KLM Royal Dutch Airlines
• Interesting context about the mapmaker: KLM is one of the oldest airlines in the world, established in 1919, and has played a significant role in the development of commercial aviation.
• Topics and themes:
• Airline routes: Depicts the air travel routes of KLM and other airlines
• Transportation: Highlights railways and steamship routes
• Global connectivity: Emphasizes the interconnectedness of different regions through air travel
• Design or style:
• Pictorial and thematic map
• Color lithograph
• Uses a global shape to represent the world
• Includes illustrative elements such as an airplane and stars
• Historical significance:
• Reflects the early days of commercial aviation and the expansion of international air travel
• Showcases the routes and services offered by one of the pioneering airlines of the time

Please double check the images to make sure that a specific town or place is shown on this map. You can also get in touch and ask us to check the map for you.

This map looks great at every size, but I always recommend going for a larger size if you have space. That way you can easily make out all of the details.

This map looks amazing at sizes all the way up to 100in (250cm). If you are looking for a larger map, please get in touch.

The model in the listing images is holding the 18x24in (45x60cm) version of this map.

The fifth listing image shows an example of my map personalisation service.

If you’re looking for something slightly different, check out my collection of the best old maps to see if something else catches your eye.

Please contact me to check if a certain location, landmark or feature is shown on this map.

This would make a wonderful birthday, Christmas, Father's Day, work leaving, anniversary or housewarming gift for someone from the areas covered by this map.

This map is available as a giclée print on acid free archival matte paper, or you can buy it framed. The frame is a nice, simple black frame that suits most aesthetics. Please get in touch if you'd like a different frame colour or material. My frames are glazed with super-clear museum-grade acrylic (perspex/acrylite), which is significantly less reflective than glass, safer, and will always arrive in perfect condition.

This map is also available as a float framed canvas, sometimes known as a shadow gap framed canvas or canvas floater. The map is printed on artist's cotton canvas and then stretched over a handmade box frame. We then "float" the canvas inside a wooden frame, which is available in a range of colours (black, dark brown, oak, antique gold and white). This is a wonderful way to present a map without glazing in front. See some examples of float framed canvas maps and explore the differences between my different finishes.

For something truly unique, this map is also available in "Unique 3D", our trademarked process that dramatically transforms the map so that it has a wonderful sense of depth. We combine the original map with detailed topography and elevation data, so that mountains and the terrain really "pop". For more info and examples of 3D maps, check my Unique 3D page.

Many of our maps and art prints are chosen as thoughtful gifts for homes, offices, studies and meaningful places.

Choose a framed option for the easiest ready-to-hang gift, or choose an unframed print if the recipient may prefer to select their own frame.

We make orders locally in 23 countries around the world, so gifts can often be produced close to the recipient. This helps them arrive faster, travel more safely, and avoid customs or import duty surprises.

• We can deliver directly to the recipient
• Framed pieces arrive ready to hang
• Unframed prints are carefully packed in a strong protective tube
• Almost every order is made locally, for faster, safer gifting
• 90-day returns give the recipient time to decide

If you are not sure what to choose, please contact us. We can help you pick the right map, size, finish or delivery option.

Most orders are made locally and delivered in around 2–3 working days, depending on the product, size and destination.

We print and frame maps and artwork in 23 countries around the world, so your order is usually made close to you or your recipient. That means faster delivery, less time in transit, and no customs or import duty surprises.

Personalised and customised pieces usually take an extra 1–2 working days, because we prepare your design and send it to you for approval before printing.

Very large framed orders can take a little longer, as they need extra care in production and delivery.

Every order is carefully packaged: unframed prints are sent in a strong protective tube, while framed pieces are securely packed with protective materials around the frame.

If you need your order by a particular date, please contact us before ordering. We’ll check the best production route and delivery option for your location.

Express delivery is available at checkout for most countries. Next-day delivery is available in the UK, US, Singapore and the UAE.

Your order is covered by our 90-day returns policy and 5-year guarantee.

Read our full delivery and local production guide

My standard frame is a gallery style black ash hardwood frame. It is simple and quite modern looking. My standard frame is around 20mm (0.8in) wide.

I use super-clear acrylic (perspex/acrylite) for the frame glass. It's lighter and safer than glass - and it looks better, as the reflectivity is lower.

Six standard frame colours are available for free (black, dark brown, dark grey, oak, white and antique gold). Custom framing and mounting/matting is available if you're looking for something else.

Most maps, art and illustrations are also available as a framed canvas. We use matte (not shiny) cotton canvas, stretch it over a sustainably sourced box wood frame, and then 'float' the piece within a wood frame. The end result is quite beautiful, and there's no glazing to get in the way.

All frames are provided "ready to hang", with either a string or brackets on the back. Very large frames will have heavy duty hanging plates and/or a mounting baton. If you have any questions, please get in touch.

See some examples of my framed maps and framed canvas maps.

Alternatively, I can also supply old maps and artwork on canvas, foam board, cotton rag and other materials.

If you want to frame your map or artwork yourself, please read my size guide first.

My maps are extremely high quality reproductions of original maps.

I source original, rare maps from libraries, auction houses and private collections around the world, restore them at my London workshop, and then use specialist giclée inks and printers to create beautiful maps that look even better than the original.

My maps are printed on acid-free archival matte (not glossy) paper that feels very high quality and almost like card. In technical terms the paper weight/thickness is 10mil/200gsm. It's perfect for framing.

I print with Epson ultrachrome giclée UV fade resistant pigment inks - some of the best inks you can find.

I can also make maps on canvas, cotton rag and other exotic materials.

Learn more about The Unique Maps Co.

Map personalisation

If you're looking for the perfect anniversary or housewarming gift, I can personalise your map to make it truly unique. For example, I can add a short message, or highlight an important location, or add your family's coat of arms.

The options are almost infinite. Please see my map personalisation page for some wonderful examples of what's possible.

To order a personalised map, select "personalise your map" before adding it to your basket.

Get in touch if you're looking for more complex customisations and personalisations.

Map ageing

I have been asked hundreds of times over the years by customers if they could buy a map that looks even older.

Well, now you can, by selecting Aged before you add a map to your basket.

All the product photos you see on this page show the map in its Original form. This is what the map looks like today.

If you select Aged, I will age your map by hand, using a special and unique process developed through years of studying old maps, talking to researchers to understand the chemistry of aging paper, and of course... lots of practice!

If you're unsure, stick to the Original colour of the map. If you want something a bit darker and older looking, go for Aged.

See some amazing examples of Aged maps.

If you are not happy with your order for any reason, contact me and I'll get it fixed ASAP, free of charge. Please see my returns and refund policy for more information.

I am very confident you will like your restored map or art print. I have been doing this since 1984. I'm a 5-star Etsy seller. I have sold tens of thousands of maps and art prints and have over 5,000 real 5-star reviews. My work has been featured in interior design magazines, on the BBC, and on the walls of dozens of 5-star hotels.

I use a unique process to restore maps and artwork that is massively time consuming and labour intensive. Hunting down the original maps and illustrations can take months. I use state of the art and eye-wateringly expensive technology to scan and restore them. As a result, I guarantee my maps and art prints are a cut above the rest. I stand by my products and will always make sure you're 100% happy with what you receive.

Almost all of my maps and art prints look amazing at large sizes (200cm, 6.5ft+) and I can frame and deliver them to you as well, via special oversized courier. Contact me to discuss your specific needs.