Balloonist Collection (#7)

Mr. Robert Cocking - Aviator

Charles Durant, the first American aeronaut, ascending in his balloon over Boston, 13 September 1834
HOT AIR BALLOON ASCENT. Charles Durant, the first American aeronaut, ascending in his balloon over Boston, 13 September 1834. 19th century engraving

Balloons in the Siege of Paris, 1870-1 C017 / 7840
Balloons in the Siege of Paris. 1874 broadside listing the balloons used to evade the Siege of Paris (1870-71) during the Franco-Prussian War

Jacques Charles, French balloonist
Jacques Alexandre Cesar Charles (1746-1823), French chemist, physicist and aeronaut, historical artwork. A scientist and professor of physics

Biot Jean Baptiste, French physicist
Jean Baptiste Biot (1774-1862), French physicist. Biots most famous work concerned optical activity. He showed for the first time that different types of quartz rotate the plane of polarised light in

Colonel Frederick Burnaby in his hot air balloon, 1882
Engraving showing Colonel Frederick Burnaby (1842-1885), the English soldier and explorer, in his hot-air balloon just prior to his 1882 crossing of the English Channel

Figure and exact proportions of the Aerostatic Globe, 1786. Found in the Collection of Library of Congress, Washington D. C

The Balloon or The defense of Paris, 1870-1871. Found in the collection of Musee Carnavalet, Paris

Balloon Ascent. Artist: Kaemmerer, Frederik Hendrik (1839-1902)
Balloon Ascent. Private Collection

Poster for the Potolowsky Glove Manufacturer, 1897. Artist: Orlik, Emil (1870?1932)
Poster for the Potolowsky Glove Manufacturer, 1897. From a private collection

Ascent of a Balloon in the Presence of the Court of Charles IV, ca. 1783. Artist: Carnicero, Antonio (1748-1814)
Ascent of a Balloon in the Presence of the Court of Charles IV, ca. 1783. Found in the collection of the Museo de Bellas Artes de Bilbao

The Brothers Montgolfier, 18th century, (1910). Artist: JC De Mayr
The Brothers Montgolfier, 1910. Joseph-Michel Montgolfier (1740-1810) and Jacques-Etienne Montgolfier (1745-1799) were the inventors of the Montgolfiere-style hot air balloon

Title-Page of one of the Pamphlets written by Vincent Lunardi, 1786, (1910). Artist: Vincenzo Lunardi
Title-Page of one of the Pamphlets written by Vincent Lunardi, 1786, (1910). Vicenzo Lunardi (1759-1806) was a pioneering Italian aeronaut, born in Lucca

The Ascent of Vincent Lunardi, accompanied by Mrs. Sage and Mr. Biggin, 1785, (1910). Vicenzo Lunardi (1759-1806), was a pioneering Italian aeronaut, born in Lucca

Canadian official cinematographer and assistant ready to ascend in a kite balloon, c1917 (1919). From The Wonder Book of Aircraft for Boys and Girls, edited by Harry Golding. [Ward. Lock & Co

Ready to test instruments for use in the attempt on the words height record in 1935 (c1937). American balloonists Orvil Arson Anderson (1895-1965) and Albert William Stevens (1886-1949)

Sadler over the Lighthouse, Dublin, 19th century. Artist: Robert Havell
Sadler over the Lighthouse, Dublin, 19th century. William Windham Sadler (1796-1824), balloonist and gas engineer. This picture shows sadler over the lighthouse in Dublin, on 24th July 1817

A Critical Moment, 1890. The descent of the great war balloon from the military exhibition. From a sketch by a passenger. An illustration from The Graphic, 19 July 1890

Joseph Louis Gay-Lussac, French physicist and chemist, 1848. Gay-Lussac (1778-1850) made balloon ascents to investigate terrestrial magnetism and composition

Joseph Louis Gay-Lussacs hot air balloon ascent, Paris, September 1804 (1900). On this flight, French chemist and physicist Gay-Lussac (1778-1850)

Knut Fraenkel, Swedish engineer and arctic explorer, (1931). Fraenkel (1870-1897) was one of the three members of Salomon August Andrees ill-fated Arctic hydrogen balloon expedition of 1897

Nils Strindberg, (1872-1897), Swedish photographer, 1931
Nils Strindberg, Swedish photographer, (1931). Strindberg (1872-1897) was one of the three members of Salomon August Andrees ill-fated Arctic hydrogen balloon expedition of 1897

Salomon August Andree, Swedish engineer and aeronaut, (1931). Andree (1854-1897) perished during a failed attempt to reach the Geographic North Pole by hydrogen balloon

The balloon of Jean-Pierre Blanchard ascending from Lille on August 26, 1785, 1785. Artist: Watteau, Louis (1731-1798)
The balloon of Jean-Pierre Blanchard ascending from Lille on August 26, 1785, 1785. From a private collection

Lenormand jumps from the tower of the Montpellier observatory, 1783, 19th century. Artist: Anonymous
Lenormand jumps from the tower of the Montpellier observatory, 1783, 19th century. From a private collection

Jean Pierre Blanchard and John Jefferies arriving in Calais after crossing the English Channel in a hot air balloon, 1785. From a private collection

Portrait of French balloonist Sophie Blanchard during her flight in Milan, Italy, 1811. Artist: Luigi Rados
Portrait of French balloonist Sophie Blanchard during her flight in Milan, Italy, 1811. Sophie Blanchard (1778-1819) was the wife of ballooning pioneer Jean-Pierre Blanchard

Crossing of the English Channel by Blanchard and Jeffries, 1785 (1890s). Frenchman Jean Pierre Blanchard and American Dr John Jeffries made the first aerial crossing of the English Channel in a

First attempt by Guyton de Morveau to direct a balloon, Dijon, France, 1784 (1890s). Louis-Bernard Guyton de Morveau (1737-1816) was a French chemist and politician

First aerial voyage of Pilatre de Rozier and d Arlandes, Paris, France, 1783 (1890s). On 21 November 1783, Jean-Francois Pilatre de Rozier (1754-1785) and Francois Laurent d Arlandes (1742-1809)

Jacques Charles launches his first aerostat from the Champ de Mars, Paris, 1783 (1890s). French aeronauts Jacques Charles (1746-1823)

First test flight of a hot air balloon at Annonay, France, 4 June, 1783 (1890s). Enthusiastic crowds watching the first unmanned test flight by brothers Joseph Michel and Jacques Etienne Montgolfier

The Montgolfier brothers, French ballooning pioneers, (1890s). Joseph Michel (1740-1810) and Jacques Etienne Montgolfier (1745-1799)

A French faience plate depicting Jean-Pierre Blanchards balloon trip. Jean-Pierre Blanchard (1753-1809) was a French inventor, most remembered as a pioneer in aviation and ballooning

A French faience plate with aeronauts with flags, 1785. A popular painted scene was the Charles and Robert balloon, Globe

Joseph Louis Gay-Lussac, 19th century French chemist and physicist, (1900). Gay-Lussac (1778-1850) made balloon ascents to investigate terrestrial magnetism and the composition

A balloon on a roof, 1894. Firemen trying to come to the aid of a balloonist who has crash landed on a roof. Illustration in Le Petit Journal, 1894

On the Open Sea, 1901. A balloon on the bow of a ship. Illustration in Le Petit Journal, 1901

Death of an aeronaut over Beuzeville, France, 1899. Illustration in Le Petit Journal, 1899

A Balloon struck by lightning near Chicago, Illinois, USA, 1891. Illustration in Le Petit Journal, 1891

Reception of the Robert Brothers by the Prince of Ghistelles in 1784, (1887). Artist: Gaston Tissandier
Reception of the Robert Brothers by the Prince of Ghistelles in 1784, (1887). French balloonists Noel and Jean Robert, recieved by Philippe-Alexandre-Emmanuel-Francois-Joseph de Ghistelles at his

The Aero Club, costume of a female ballooner, 15th November 1898. A print from La Vie au Grand Air, 15th November 1898

Dr John Jeffries, American balloonist, 1786. Jeffries (1744-1819) during a balloon ascent to investigate the atmospheric temperature

Jacques Alexandre Cesar Charles, French physicist, c1783. Artist: Simon Charles Miger
Jacques Alexandre Cesar Charles, French physicist, c1783. Print celebrating the first ascent in a hydrogen-balloon, made by Charles (1746-1823) from the Tuileries, Paris, on 1 December 1783

Joseph Louis Gay-Lussac making a balloon ascent from Paris, 14 September 1804 (1910). On this flight, French chemist and physicist Gay-Lussac (1778-1850)

Joseph Louis Gay-Lussac, French chemist, physicist and balloonist, c1824. Gay-Lussac (1778-1850) investigated the behaviour of gases and developed techniques of chemical analysis

Jean Baptiste Biot and Joseph Louis Gay-Lussac, French scientists, 1804 (1870). Biot (1774-1864) and Gay-Lussac (1778-1850)

Experiment to calculate the speed of sound in air, Paris, 1822, (c1880). Artist: Robert Brown
Experiment to calculate the speed of sound in air, Paris, 1822, (c1880). In 1822 the French appointed a commission to find the speed of sound in air

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"The Balloonist: A Journey through Time and Space" Step into the fascinating world of balloonists, where adventure knows no bounds. From the early days of aerostation to modern-day explorations, these fearless individuals have captured our imagination throughout history. The Schneider Trophy, a prestigious air race in the 1920s and 1930s, showcased the incredible skills of balloonists as they pushed the limits of speed and innovation. Their daring feats inspired awe and admiration. Alexander Friedman, a Soviet cosmologist, saw balloons as more than just vessels for flight. He envisioned them as tools for scientific exploration, allowing us to reach new heights and uncover secrets hidden in the skies above. In "The Adventures of Uncle Lubin, " an enchanting children's book from 1902 illustrated by W Heath Robinson, we are transported to a whimsical world where balloonists embark on magical journeys filled with wonder and excitement. Dating back even further is Robertson's Minerve balloon from 1804—a testament to humanity's enduring fascination with flight. This pioneering creation paved the way for future advancements in aviation technology. During the US Civil War, observation balloons played a crucial role in gathering intelligence on enemy movements. These floating platforms provided valuable insights that shaped military strategies during this tumultuous time. Before taking off on their daring expeditions, balloonists would consult with experts at Royal Vauxhall—an iconic pre-flight ritual that ensured safety precautions were meticulously followed before embarking on their airborne adventures. F. H Butler was one such intrepid individual who graced Vanity Fair magazine's pages—an esteemed recognition for his contributions to ballooning history. His passion for flight propelled him skyward amidst an era defined by courage and audacity. Gaspard-Felix Tournachon—known as Nadar—was not only a renowned French photographer but also an avid supporter of ballooning endeavors. Through his lens, he captured breathtaking images that immortalized the spirit of these airborne pioneers.