Welcome to The Airline Archives

The Airline Archives

The Charles C. Quarles Collection of Airline Memorabilia

Dr. Charles Quarles maintains one of the largest privately-owned collections of airline memorabilia in the country.  The collection encompasses literally thousands of different types of items including airline histories, books, manuals, slides, photographs, advertising items, timetables, brochures, lithographs, aircraft small parts, display model airliners, and many, many other items.  The largest section and Charles' primary interest is the Flight Crew Uniform Insignia.  There are now over 10,000 Pilot and Steward/ess-Flight Attendant Wings, Hat Emblems, and Service Pins dating from the 1920's to the Present.  There are also over two hundred complete uniforms, primarily Stewardess, dating from the 1930's through the 1980's.  Forty-three of the uniforms are displayed at any one time on vintage mannequins.  The insignia and uniforms are thus one of the most significant such assemblages of its kind in existence.  The collection is truly a time warp into the "Golden Age" of the airlines and dedicated to preserving this great period of airline history.  The collection has appeared in print media including "Collectables Illustrated" magazine and the January 2000 edition of "Airways" magazine and has been videographed by Susan Spencer /CBS News "48 Hours" and CNN.   Charles welcomes inquiries regarding the collection; please feel free to contact him by email.