KLM Collectibles – Hoarding or Hobby?

It’s not for me! Collecting KLM paraphernalia. Think of any object and the chances are that it’s been produced boasting the KLM logo. From pens and key cords to ashtrays, sets of glasses and even bicycles. KLM has created hundreds – if not thousands – of promotional products and objects for everyday use. And despite my objections, some of these objects have even made it to the cupboards and drawers of my own home.

KLM salt and pepper

Even excluding the well-known Delftware miniature houses, sufficient numbers of other collectibles remain. And they are traded and collected with enthusiasm. Every now and then I take a look at an online market place, offering loads of goodies as well as KLM collectibles. I soon came to the conclusion that it’s simply not viable for me. Collecting things randomly soon results in longing for an extra room, level or wing to be added to your house. You have to keep yourself in check. And you can; so it’s not for me.

KLM Booklets

Booklets and brochures

KLM employee or not, I don’t think I’ve ever met a colleague who doesn’t have something sporting the KLM logo at home. And I’m no exception of course. In recent years, even I have yielded to a few objects, however small. And second-hand stores are fun too! I live in an area where a relatively high number of KLM staff members reside, so I regularly run into a few things. Stacks of booklets and brochures. They’re flat and can be stacked neatly in a cupboard or drawer – what harm could that do? But there are so many…

KLM cufflinks

Cufflinks

I got hold of these cufflinks about eight years ago. I think they date from before the war and were well worn. Lots of cufflinks were made, and there are still some amazing pairs today. I seldom where a suit, so I’m out of the running here too.

KLM spoon

Jubilee items

Jubilee keepsakes are also great to have. Collecting these will soon manifested in plans to refurbish. This is an especially charming set of glasses. I couldn’t refuse. Still complete and in its original packaging, as presented to passengers on the occasion of KLM’s 50th anniversary in 1969. The logo you can see was used for tableware in Royal Class. Another category relates to jubilees beyond KLM, but of sufficient significance for the company to celebrate. Take this sugar scoop: created to commemorate Queen Juliana’s silver anniversary in 1973. It boasts the logo along with the years 1948-1973. Both beautiful and useful.

Model aircraft

I’ve managed to act with reasonable restraint. Is there really nothing that catches your fancy? Of course there’s something. But it’s just one thing. As the kid I had a model KLM aircraft. My father gave it to me at the beginning of the 1970s after visiting Schiphol one day. The way I remember it was that it had small rubber wheels, could be wound up and then driven around. Something like that. Before I went to bed, my Dad used to wind it up and together we’d watch it do its dance. I lost it ages ago and unfortunately I can’t ask my Dad any more, but if I could somehow manage to find a plane like that again…

Posted by:   Frido Ogier  | 
Join the conversation Show comments

ALETTA VANDERNAT

I don;t work for KLM, but I also have a huge amount of items from KLM. I;m a huge fan and anything I can get my hands on I;m happy with.

Frido Ogier

I can imagine Aletta, but there’s so much to collect. I try to limit myself and only buy the very special items. Sometimes I succeed sometimes I don’t.

Best of luck and I do hope you’ll find the missing five KLM houses soon!

Frido

ALETTA VANDERNAT

I also have 90 of the 95 Delft blue houses.

Bastiaan

I would really like a pair of those cufflinks

Frido Ogier

I can imagine Bastiaan. I bought these a few years ago but haven’t seen these since. Maybe they are rare. :-)

Kind regards,
Frido

Luiz Attias

Bom dia, já estou sentindo que será um prazer estar a bordo no dia 13 de Maio, rumo a Bruxelas.

Bram

Does collecting Holland Herald count?

Frido Ogier

Sure! This magazine exists since 1966 so there’s much to collect. How far did you get?

Best regards,

Frido

Mutalib Saifuddin

Fantastic collection! Does KLM have a heritage collection on its own for public access? That would be even more wonderful.

Frido Ogier

Dear Mutalib,

There is a collection which is stored in a depot. Sometimes we take some items from there to expose. Last year there was a exhibition on the occasion of the 95th anniversary. Maybe we organise another one whem we have our centennial. :-)

Kind regards,

Frido

Darius Jijina

I have been collecting stuff over the years. Recently got the farewell MD11 book but its in dutch so really hard to translate every page. Got the 787 model too and of course anything with the klm branding. Being in India, very difficult indeed

Frido Ogier

I can imagine Darius, unfortunately there is just an issue in Dutch. I think it’s rather unique that you have so much KLM stuff. Keep up the good spirit!

Best regards,

Frido

Donald Bailey

I have two special KLM items.

One is a medalion almost two inches in diameter. It has an airplane, and the caption reads “The air-ocean unites all people.” This was given to me by Dr. Albert Pllesman, founder and first president of KLM, IN 1953.

The other is an autographed photograph about eight by ten inches, of Gen. Aler, the second president of KLM. I first met Gen. Aler when he was chief of staff of the Royal Dutch Air Force. I have a picture of myself with him, with a newspaper on the table, and he was telling me that the newspaper headlines proclaimed that the war in Korea had ended that day.

Frido Ogier

Dear Donald,

These are very unique things and unique memories as well. Nice to read such stories, because this kind of stories make history vivit.

Thank you and kind regards,

Frido

Stephen McKay

My father, Donald McKay, retired from KLM in St. Louis. I would like to get a KLM Desk

Frido Ogier

Dear Stephen,

I think a KLM desk will be very difficult to get. :-) But maybe you can collect some other KLM items which are easier to purchase.

Kind regards,

Frido

Dimitri Rentenaar

Frido, het is je wederom gelukt om een leuk blogverhaal te plaatsen. Ik ken en deel je gevoel van de KLM collectibles…het is bij mij alleen een beetje uit de hand gelopen of misschien toch niet (maar dat zegt iedere verzamelaar, toch?).

Frido Ogier

Je slaat de spijker op zijn kop, Dimitri. Soms kan ik het niet laten en dus dijt de verzameling toch uit, zij het langzaam. Maar langzaam is ook een tempo…

Groeten en dank voor je compliment!

Frido

Len Preskow

I collect KLM items including models, houses and printed material. Buy my main collection covers KLM postcards – mainly issued by the airline but some issued by other publishers.
The KLM postcards range in age from the early Fokker airplanes to modern jetliners.
I believe KLM does not issue postcards anymore. Please let me know it that is not the case!

My related postcards feature Transavia and Martinair airplanes, plus Schiphol postcards depicting KLM airplanes.

Frido Ogier

Dear Len,

I think that you must have quite a lot items :-) I’m sure that you have much more than I. Do you display these? As far as I know KLM doesn’t issue postcards on a regaular base. Please contact KLM by Facebook with your request, maybe our agents know more.

Kind regards,

Frido

Yvonne

ik heb op de openlag van de KLM een heerlijk warme hoodie gekocht, mis nu nog een mooie passende broek erbij om heerlijk mee op de bank te zitten

Marc

Hi Frido, Nice new blog!
The thing about starting a collection is that its better to set clear guidelines for yourself about what you collect and what not, BEFORE you start. I am an enthusiastic model airplane collector and sometimes look at other collections with disbelief.
Therefor my guidelines were simple: Only one airline (KLM), from 1919 to current, only different types, full KLM livery and only one scale (1:200). This may result in a modest collection (55 pieces so far), but also keeps the financial aspect in check and the space the collection takes up in the house. The challenge to find a valuable piece is bigger that way as well. Isn’t that the idea of collecting after all?

Frido Ogier

Dear Marc, you are absolutely right. Focus is very important in collecting. I think that it wasn’t easy to collect 55 pieces of model airplanes and I’m sure that it’s a beautiful collection to look at. Did you put it somewhere free of dust? Do hope so :-) because cleaning isn’t easy. Maybe I should put the focus on books which I perhaps like the most. I already have at least one shelf. Thanks for your advice!

Best regards, Frido

Marc van Maarland

Maybe an idea to bring together some special collections when KLM turns 100 in 2019. Would be great to have a showcase at the airport for all to see.

Frido Ogier

That would be nice! I’ll keep it in mind. Thanks.

Ine van Ketel Eilander

Dag Frido.
Wat gezellig toch altijd jouw blog. Ik lees het graag.
Toen mijn man nog leefde vlogen we altijd business class en heb 77 huisjes daardoor verworven. En…..ze zijn nog vol ook.
Heb je mijn mail gekregen waarin ik vertel dat mijn man en ik op een KLM toestel boven de Karoo in Zuid Afrika zijn getrouwd in october 1993. Het was een soort van reclame stunt en natuurlijk kwam het in De Telegraaf (Stan Huygens journaal) te staan.
Vriendelijke groeten, Ine van Ketel Eilander.

Ted Pettine

Where can I buy a set (of 4) KLM glasses?

Frido Ogier

Dear Ted.

I’m afraid that this kind of items isn’t for sale. Maybe you’ll succeed at Ebay.

Kind regards,

Frido

Ted Pettine

Where can I buy a set of KLM glasses ?

Javier

I have more than 50 aircraft of KLM in scale 1:400 including DC3,DC8,B737,MD-11,B747,etc. I’m happy with my collection i want to build a “mini” Schiphol. :D

Frido Ogier

Hi Javier,

That’s nice! Have you even been to the Netherlands? When you plan a visit, please visit The Hague. There is a very small town called Madurodam. There’s a Schiphol as well :-)

Best regards,

Frido

Nick Lambrechtsen

Hi Frido
I see people writing about KLM houses, but nobody has mentioned the exhibition “Sterke Verhalen – de jeneverhuisjes van de KLM” which can be viewed at the Nationaal Jenevermuseum, Schiedam, at the moment. It would be interesting to see if they have the complete collection of 95 houses.
Perhaps you know, Frido?
Kind regards, Nick

andre

Ik heb thuis een delft bordje van KLM met de volgende teksten:

Voor: een vliegtuig + tekst The air ocean unites all people

Achter : Presented by KLM Royal Dutch Airlines as a souvenir of your visit to the Netherlands, June 1952

Is dit iets waard voor iemand?

Frido Ogier

Beste André, daar zijn zeker verzamelaars voor. Misschien iets om op Marktplaats te verkopen? Dan bereik je meteen een grote groep geinteresseerden.

Groeten,

Frido

Lolita M. Balboa

Only KLM magazines I have with me. I visited Madurodam – it’s a beautiful place with all the miniatures – especially the Schipol.

Elizabeth Phillips

Fantastic marketing merchandise, I would love to have a collection of these amazing versatile and re-useable items, only problem is, I need to book a ticket 2 somewhere

Cristina Speluzzi

Hello, good day Frido. A few years ago a very old neighbour who had been a pilot for KLM and Lufthansa passed away and his nephew gave me some things I liked. I sold most of them on EBay but kept a beautiful silver windmill with a plaque that reads KLM and a golden medal: KLM World’s Dog Club, Member, (uniting the canine élite who fly). They are very nice. Did you know them?
Kind regards, Cristina

Gineke

I have a little dog with the medal! The dog is falling apart…. I can’t upload a picture, unfortunately…

hr. van helvoirt

hallo,
ik ben nieuw op deze site en wil graag weten hoe je aan een gebruiksaanwijzing kan komen van een smart time horloge van klm.
en in welk jaar ze geproduceerd zijn plus het merk(fabrikant)
graag uw reactie en alvast bedankt.
gr hr van helvoirt

Hayo Harmens

Hi, I have a .833 silver model of a single engined Fokker F.VII, 8.8 x 6.0cm and datemarked 1986. It has no specific KLM markings so it may be an item of Fokker rather than KLM memorabilia, but I have to start somewhere…

Frido Ogier

Dear Hayo, I know that these models exist, but is wasn’t produced for KLM as you already presumed. I asked one of my colleagues but he didn’t knew either the origin of this model. I’m sorry..

Kind regards,

Frido

Frits Edelenbos

I was recently given 8 miniature pewter animals, the owner told me he bought them aboard a KLM flight from Holland to Australia, he was unsure when. There are no KLM markings on them, there is one with a mark “1989 J.C.” underneath.
The animals are duck, rabbit, dog, owl, cat, mouse, wombat and tortoise, which has the mark. I cannot find any references to these at all and I agree with the blogger that the purpose is to sell the KLM brand, so to sell something unbranded and with no relationship to flying or service seems unlikely. However the owner is adamant he bought them aboard a KLM flight. Can anyone help. Frits

michael

I just discovered a square plate of heavy lead, it was buried two meters on the ground, it looks very old it has inscriptions on it

David Noronha

I come from a family of KLM employees. I worked in KLM Traffic, My Mother 35 years in KLM Sales and my brother in law in KLM accounting. My mother recently passed away and when my sister and I were going through her stuff we found a treasure trove of KLM and Garuda stuff, from Delft, Pewter, Glassware, bags, T-Shirts etc she collected over the years. Some items date back to the 60s. When i get some time i will photograph them and post here including stuff i collected over the years

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