THE (NEW) FOUR ACES (1948)

 

Few know, unless they read industrial designer Henry Dreyfuss's book Designing for People, that American Export Lines's Independence and Constitution were actually in the planning stage at World War II's end, and would've entered service sooner, if not for matters of financing. Focus then turned on replacing their prewar Four Aces: Excalibur, Exochorda, Exeter, and Excambion.

 

This thoroughly modern quartet did sport an old-fashioned counter stern, and rather than detract, it made them look smarter.

 

ARTIST ROSTER

Loren MacIver, Oronzio Maldarelli, Mine Okubo, Mitzi Solomon, Saul Steinberg

 

BASIC STATS

Length: 473'  |  Beam: 66'  |  Passengers: 125  |  10,000 gross tons  |  Speed: 20 knots