Scandinavian Airlines System - Tokyo

An attractive original SAS (Scandinavian Airlines System) travel poster from 1960, designed by Alf Lannerbäck, who worked within SAS's advertising department during the airline's golden age of international expansion.

The poster promotes SAS's pioneering "Over the Pole" route to Tokyo, one of the most important developments in post-war aviation. A beautifully dressed Japanese geisha holds a globe bearing the slogan "Over the Pole – Around the World", symbolizing the revolutionary polar routes that significantly shortened travel times between Europe, North America, and Asia. Traditional Japanese lanterns in the background reinforce the destination's cultural identity, while the elegant composition reflects the optimism and sophistication associated with international air travel in the jet age.

When SAS inaugurated its polar services, it became one of the first airlines to connect continents via the Arctic, establishing Copenhagen as a key gateway between East and West. Tokyo was promoted as "the exotic gateway between two worlds," reflecting both Japan's growing international importance and the fascination many Western travelers felt for the country's unique blend of tradition and modernity.

Alf Lannerbäck created several memorable posters for SAS, helping to shape the airline's visual identity during a period when travel posters were among the most powerful forms of international advertising.

Professionally mounted on linen with an acid-free barrier for preservation. A beautiful and increasingly scarce SAS poster from the era when Scandinavian Airlines helped pioneer global air travel.