Poster " USA: 1937 Hawaii - DOLE Pineapple Map ...

This is a quite pleasing, decorative map of the Hawaiian Islands, created by Parker Edwards for the Hawaiian Pineapple Company in the 1930s. This fine lithograph is rich with color and detail that compliments the art deco style of its time. This map displays a glorious mixture of art, cartography, advertising, tourism, and nature specific to the Hawaiian Islands. As best described in the sub-title of this map, it was designed as “a descriptive portrayal of the history, transportation, industries and geography of the Territory of Hawaii, U.S.A.” Depictions of various peoples, activities, geographical landmarks, primary cities, and of course pineapples fill and surround each island. The map is bordered with a series of indigenous flowers along the top, and a variety of marine animals along the bottom. In the lower left corner of the map, a compass rose indicates north to the upper left and the position of the Hawaiian Islands in the central pacific, with distances from Australia, North America, and Asia. The Hawaiian Pineapple Company was founded in 1901 by James Dole, who opened his first pineapple plantation in the central plateau of the Hawaiian island of Oahu. The annexation of Hawaii to the United States made selling agricultural products to the mainland much more profitable, since they would never be subject to import tariffs. At its height, the Hawaiian Pineapple Company was a major contributor to supplying 80% of the world’s output of canned pineapple.