In celebration of the airline\'s recent 85th anniversary, I am presenting a highly collectible keepsake from United Airlines. United has a rich history which began in April 1926 when a small Swallow bi-plane completed its first air mail flight between Pasco, Washington and Elko, Nevada. The bi-plane was owned by Walter Varney, an early aviation visionary who was among the first to recognize aviation for its business potential, rather than just as sport. Mr. Varney had acquired an air mail contract from the United States Postal Service in 1926 and commenced shortly thereafter as Varney Air Service.Mr. Varney eventually sold his company to William Boeing, another early aviation pioneer who had founded Boeing Air Transport. Boeing Air Transport also acquired National Air Transport and Pacific Air Transport. In March 1928, the four contract mail carriers were merged together to form United Air Lines, which provided the combined carrier with a transcontinental network consisting of both passenger and air mail services. As aircraft capacity grew larger, United hired registered nurses as the industry\'s first stewardesses to look after its passengers.Over the next several decades, United continued to be an aviation innovator. The carrier was among the first to introduce the Douglas DC-3 into scheduled airline operations during the 1930\'s. United ventured beyond the U.S. mainland for the first time when the carrier introduced service between both Los Angeles and San Francisco and Honolulu on May 1, 1947. Hawai\'i would become United\'s most prestigious and most heavily promoted destination over the next 35 years. The carrier introduced Boeing Stratocruiser aircraft on its Hawai\'i routes in 1950.As United entered the jet age with the introduction of the Douglas DC-8 aircraft in 1959, the larger and faster jets were deployed on the carrier\'s Hawai\'i routes in 1960. The carrier launched non-stop flights between Chicago and Honolulu on August 1, 1969, and between New York and Honolulu on October 1, 1969. United\'s New York-Hawai\'i route was the longest domestic route served by any carrier. By the early 1970\'s Boeing 747 and Douglas DC-8-71 aircraft (a stretched version of the original DC-8) were plying United\'s Hawai\'i routes. It was during this time that United introduced the menehune mascots in the airline\'s advertising and promotional campaigns for Hawai\'i.The term, \"menhune\" (pronounced meh-neh-hoo-neh) has its origins in Hawaiian mythology. According to Hawaiian folklore, the menehune were mystical little people who were dwellers of the deep forest and stood only about two feet in height. Legend has it that these little people were quite shy, but were master craftsmen and women who built temples (known as heiau), fish ponds, roads, canoes, and dwellings. Also according to legend, the menehune people only worked at night so they could not be seeing by other human forms. They were known to be very industrious in the cutting, transportation, and fitting of stones for their projects and were known to have worked in teams in a brigade-like fashion. The menehune people were especially adept at remaining unnoticed. Scholars have theorized that the term, \"menehune\" is rooted in the language of the Tahitians. The Tahitians settled in Hawai\'i and were known to have oppressed the descendants of the Marquesans. The Marquesans were among the first wave of early settlers of the Hawaiian Islands and settled there approximately six to seven hundred years before the Tahitians had arrived. (The Marquesans originated from the Marquesas Islands, a group of islands that are situated in French Polynesia and arelocated approximately 850 miles northeast of Tahiti). Some scholars have concluded that the Tahitians defeated the Marquesan descendants in Hawai\'i and then forced them into slave labor. Hence, the term, \"manahune\" in the Tahitian language is a reference to \"commoners\" or a lower class of people who were thought to have escaped oppression by fleeing to the mountainous regions of Hawai\'i. Throughout the 1970\'s, when Hawai\'i was United\'s sole destination served beyond the North American mainland, these iconic figurines could be seen in promotional displays at United Airlines ticket offices and in travel agencies throughout the airline\'s vast domestic network. This darling Hawaiian figurine is made of a plastic composite and stands approximately 23 inches in height (58.42 cm). She is the female counterpart to the male menehune that was also produced for United Airlines. She stands on a base that measures 6 3/4 x 9 3/4 x 3 inches (17.15 x 24.77 x 7.62 cm). The front of the base reads, \"The Menehune of Hawaii\" with \"United Air Lines\" in the wordmark that was reflective of the era of the early 1970\'s. She is constructed with great detail, including grooved waves and curls throughout her long black hair; stubby hands and feet that are replete with finger and toe nails; soft pink lips; and a life-like sparkle in her deep brown eyes. She is adorned in a muumuu, the traditional wrap of native Polynesian women.She has held up well over the years, however owing to her age, she is not without some minor blemishes. There are some slight scratch marks along the base and in some of the locks of her hair. Also, I cannot be sure if her muumuu and her flower lei are original. Nevertheless, these minor imperfections do not detract from the overall high quality and craftsmanship that went in to producing this lovely Hawaiian figurine. Because this item is original and is highly collectible, I have started this sale at a modest reserve price. As United Airlines\' brand identity fades away in the coming months through its merger with Continental Airlines, this wonderful keepsake is sure to bring back warm memories of another era in air travel when United really was, \"The Friendly Skies of United.\" Mahalo for looking and best of luck with your offerding. Aloha! ***NOTE: Shipping rates to Japan are approximately $115.00 US via Global Express Mail with tracking and insurance valued up to $1,000.00 US. Thank you.***




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