Early Ballooning Innovations

Engravings showcasing early aeronautical designs and adventures, including parachutes and balloons, depicting historical moments in flight.

The captive balloon built by Giffard in Turin, Italy. Europe. Old 19th century engraved illustration from La Nature 1884

Fourth voyage in a Montgolfier balloon, at Milan, 1784, manned by Count Paulo Andreani and the Gerli brothers, Agostino and Carlo. Woodblock engraving from Louis Figuier's "Les Merveilles de la Science: Aerostats" (Marvels of Science: Air Balloons), Furne, Jouvet et Cie, Paris, 1868.

Engraving depicting Jean-Pierre Blanchard (1753-1809) a French inventor and Dr. John Jeffries (1745-1819) an American physician, scientist, and a military surgeon. Dated 20th Century

The captive balloon built by Giffard in Turin, Italy. Europe. Old 19th century engraved illustration from La Nature 1884

Daring and Perilous performance of Harry Leslie, the Gymnast - suspended from the bottom of Professor Lowe's balloon, Saturday, Sept 30, 1865

Engraving depicting André-Jacques Garnerin's first parachute descent in 1797. André-Jacques Garnerin (1769-1823) a French balloonist and the inventor of the frameless parachute. He was appointed Official Aeronaut of France. Dated 19th century

Engraving depicting Samson's design for a navigable balloon. Dated 19th Century

Engraving depicting Henry Bell's design for an aerial machine, which had a rudder and two screw propellers. Henry Bell (1767-1830) a Scottish engineer. Dated 19th Century

The balloon is filled with 'inflammable Air drawn from Iron by means of a Vitriolic Acid' ; it will make an unmanned flight from the Champ de Mars to Gonzesse. Date: 27 August 1783

Engraving depicting the Robert brothers helping Professor Jacques Charles fill his balloon with hydrogen. Les Frères Robert were two French brothers. Anne-Jean Robert (17581820) and Nicolas-Louis Robert (17601820) were the engineers who built the world's first hydrogen balloon for professor Jacques Charles. Jacques Alexandre César Charles (1746-1823) a French inventor, scientist, mathematician, and balloonist. Dated 19th century

Parachute in 1880, floating down, historical, digital reproduction of an original from the 19th century

James Sadler setting off on the proposed first crossing of the Irish Sea from Dublin by balloon, 1812; with details of the hydrogen barrels and equipment. Engraving.

Engraving depicting Jean-Pierre Blanchard's balloon. Dated 18th Century

Le Flesselle Balloon made by the Montgolfier Brothers 1784 From the book Wondeful Balloon Ascents or The Conquest of the Skies published c 1870

Illustration depicting Henry Tracey Coxwell's plan for a triple balloon to be used for Arctic exploration. Henry Tracey Coxwell (1819-1900) a British aeronaut. Dated 19th Century

Observation balloon or spying balloon, "Neptune", for battlefield and artillery observation, Montmartre, Paris, France, historical scene from the Franco-Prussian War or Franco-German War, 1870-1871, between the French Empire and the Kingdom of Prussia, Europe

Herschel's telescope Date: 1797

The interior of the astronomical observatory of Washington, United States, illustration from L'Illustration, Journal Universel, No 1920, Volume LXXIV, December 13, 1879.

Robert brothers helping JAC Charles (1746-1823) to inflate balloon with hydrogen produced by covering barrel of iron filings with sulphuric acid. On 1 December 1783 Charles and one of brothers made first ascent in hydrogen balloon. After a contemporary engraving.

Henri Giffard's (1825-1882) steerable airship of 1852, the first dirigible. Engraving of 1903.

France, Paris. Preparations for the first ascent of the Captive Balloon in the Tuileries Garden, verified on July 18, 1878, during the Paris Universal Exhibition. Engraving by Capuz. La Ilustracion Espanola y Americana, 1878.

Engraving depicting Vincenzo Lunardi (1759-1839), an Italian aeronaut, making his first balloon ascent in England. Dated 18th Century

Illustration depicting Charles Green's balloon. Charles Green (1785-1870) a British balloonist. Dated 19th Century

Le Grand Ballon Captil, 1878, a captive balloon built by Giffard, flew during the Paris International Exposition in 1878, France, historic wood engraving, about 1888, Europe

Optical phenomenon observed on 8 June 1872 by Messrs against the Admiral Baron Roussin and Gaston Tissandier in a aerostatic ascension, vintage engraving. Optical phenomenon observed on 8 June 1872 by Messrs against the Admiral Baron Roussin and Gaston Tissandier in a aerostatic ascension, vintage engraved illustration. Magasin Pittoresque 1873. Copyright: xZoonar.com/PatrickxGuenettex 10679406

Le ballon dirigeable «l'Aigle», construit en 1834 par le comte de Lennox.. La Vaulx, Henry de, 1870-1930. Manuscripts, Portraits, Drawings, Prints. 1922. Science, Industry and Business Library: General Collection. Airships, Lennox, comte de

The ornithopter of Vincent de Groof, illustration from Nuova illustrazione Universale, Year 1, Vol II, No 37 and 38, August 2, 1874.

Jacques Garnerin making the first parachute descent - 22 October 1797. Illustration published London circa 1870

Demonstration in the garden of the Tuileries, Paris in 1882, of a Marioni printing press worked by the French engineer Abel Pifre's (1852-1928) powered by steam generated by solar heat. Engraving, London, c1890.

Copper hot-air balloon invented by Edmond Marey-Monge, France, lithograph by Salvatore Puglia from Poliorama Pittoresco, n 41, May 18, 1844.

Luftfahrt: der Ballon von Henri Giffard, Aviation, digital restaurierte Reproduktion einer Originalvorlage aus dem 19. Jahrhundert, Originaldatum nich...

Engraving depicting a British parachute design. Dated 19th Century

Inflating balloon with hydrogen, produced by covering barrels of iron filings with sulphuric acid and feeding gas into balloon. Engraving 1845.

Balloon of Testu-Brissy, Pierre Testu-Brissy, 1770, 1829, was a pioneer of ballooning, France, Historical, digital reproduction of an original from the 19th century, Europe

Tethered balloon built by Henry Giffard in 1867. Woodblock engraving by L. Guiguet after Belloche from Louis Figuier's "Les Merveilles de la Science: Aerostats" (Marvels of Science: Air Balloons), Furne, Jouvet et Cie, Paris, 1868.

De Sanderval's Prototype Glider Date: 1870s

Crowds gathered, in the Champs de Mars, to watch the landing of the first successful hydrogen filled balloon. Dated 18th Century

Illustration depicting Henry Tracey Coxwell's plan for a triple balloon to be used for Arctic exploration. Henry Tracey Coxwell (1819-1900) a British aeronaut. Dated 19th Century

Engraving depicting François Laurent le Vieux d'Arlandes and Jean-François Piltre de Rozier in their Montgolfier balloon in which they made the first manned free balloon flight on 21 November 1783. François Laurent le Vieux d'Arlandes (1742-1809) was a French marquis, soldier and a pioneer of hot air ballooning. Jean-François Piltre de Rozier (1754-1785) was a French chemistry and physics teacher, and one of the first pioneers of aviation. Dated 18th century

Steerable war balloon to destroy strongholds using dynamite, General Thayer, historical illustration, circa 1886

Ville de Florence air balloon flying over the Ouche river, engraving from Histoire de mes Ascensions by Gaston Tissander, illustration from L'Illustration, Journal Universel, No 2027, Volume LXXVIII, December 31, 1881.

Lenormand's parachute, 1783, (1932). Creator: Unknown.

Gigantic Maillot kite, lifting a weight of 70 kg. Old 19th century engraved illustration from La Nature 1886

The hot air balloon used by Testu-Bressy for the ascent of June 17, 1786, France, illustration from L'Illustration, Journal Universel, No 405, Volume XVI, November 29-December 6, 1850.

Montgolfiere from September 11, 1783, Montgolfière is the name of the first hot air balloon, named after the French inventors Joseph Michel and Jacques Etienne Montgolfier / Montgolfiere vom 11. September 1783, Montgolfière ist der Name des ersten Heißluftballons, benannt nach den französischen Erfindern Joseph Michel und Jacques Etienne Montgolfier, Historisch, historical, digital improved reproduction of an original from the 19th century / digitale Reproduktion einer Originalvorlage aus dem 19. Jahrhundert,.

$Hevelius's plan for a tower observatory, showing various telescopes, including his 150-ft (16.240m) refracting telescope. From 'Selenographia' by Johannes Hevelius (Gedani, Gdansk, Danzig, 1647). Engraving.$

Crowds gathered, in the Champs de Mars, to watch the landing of the first successful hydrogen filled balloon. Dated 18th Century

American military balloon unit inflating a reconnaissance balloon with hydrogen (1862). The balloons used were of varnished silk and, in spite of a small amount of leakage, they still retained sufficient gas to make ascents some days after their initial inflation. Engraving from 'Astra Castra' by Hatton Turnor (London, 1865).

Pneumatics of aerostation, the science of operating lighter-than-air aircraft, with two hot-air balloons and aeronauts. Copperplate engraving by Wilson Lowry from Abraham Rees' Cyclopedia or Universal Dictionary of Arts, Sciences and Literature, Longman, Hurst, Rees, Orme and Brown, London, 1820.

Leturr cleverly solves the problem of getting airborne by releasing himself from a balloon. Alas, his design is not so clever, and he plunges fatally to the ground. Date: 1854

Historical illustration from the 19th Century, a giant telescope from a German scholar in the 18th Century, Danzig, now Poland

Parachute in 1880, during ascent in closed condition, historical, digital reproduction of an original from the 19th century

Death of the French aviators Godard and Panis when their balloon was struck by lightning over Chicago. From 'Le Petit Journal', 15 July 1891. Accident Ballooning

The balloon ascent of Poitevin and his horse from the Champ-de-Mars, July 14, 1850, Paris, France, illustration from L'Illustration, Journal Universel, No 386, Volume XVI, July 20, 1850.

Engraving depicting Henry Tracey Coxwell's design for balloons to be used for Arctic exploration. Henry Tracey Coxwell (1819-1900) an English aeronaut. Dated 19th Century

Experience of the Aerostatic Machine of Mrrobert, / from St. Cloud on July 15, 1784. Anonymous. "Experience of the M.robert Aerostatic Machine, / from St. Cloud on July 15, 1784". Water-loud colored.

Aviation: The Navigable Balloon Developed by Dupuy de Lome in 1872, Aviation, digitally restored reproduction of an original 19th century artwork, original date unknown

Ascent of an elongated, manned balloon by Professor Jacques Charles and the Robert brothers, Anne-Jean and Nicolas-Louis, July 1784. Woodblock engraving by Mes from Louis Figuier's "Les Merveilles de la Science: Aerostats" (Marvels of Science: Air Balloons), Furne, Jouvet et Cie, Paris, 1868.

El Ictíneo, de Narciso Monturiol (1819-1885). Proyecto del submarino, vista lateral. Grabado de 1860.

Eddy's photographic aerial camera on a kite, 1888, England, Historic, digitally restored reproduction of an original 19th-century print, exact original date unknown

Engraving depicting Constantin Danilewsky's steerable balloon. Dated 20th Century

Engraving depicting the ascent of Eugène Godard's balloon 'Eagle' from the Cremorne Gardens, London. Eugène Godard (1827-1890) a French aeronaut. Dated 19th Century

This large, oblong propeller- driven 'airship' with search lights is seen by hundreds of witnesses over Sacramento, California, during a half-hour period, at about 120m altitude Date: 17 November 1896

Engraving depicting Henry Bell's design for an aerial machine, which had a rudder and two screw propellers. Henry Bell (1767-1830) a Scottish engineer. Dated 19th Century

Herschel's 40 foot reflecting telescope, illustration

Copperplate engraving of the Hydrogen Balloon designed by the Montgolfier Brothers. Joseph-Michel Montgolfier (1740-1810) and Jacques-Étienne Montgolfier (1745-1799) inventors of the Montgolfier-style hot air balloon, globe aérostatique. Dated 18th Century

Engraving depicting Laurent de Guzman's balloon. Dated 19th Century

Copperplate engraving of the Hydrogen Balloon designed by the Montgolfier Brothers. Joseph-Michel Montgolfier (1740-1810) and Jacques-Étienne Montgolfier (1745-1799) inventors of the Montgolfier-style hot air balloon, globe aérostatique. Dated 18th Century

Engraving depicting a balloon falling into the sea. Dated 19th Century

Andre-Jacques Garnerin and his parachute: closed for ascent beneath a balloon, and open for descent. Woodblock engraving from Louis Figuier's "Les Merveilles de la Science: Aerostats" (Marvels of Science: Air Balloons), Furne, Jouvet et Cie, Paris, 1868.

Illustration showing The Time Ball, New York. The descent of the ball was automatically controlled by a signal from Washington Observatory 360 km away. The purpose of such time balls was to enable the public to set their watches and chronometers accurately. 1883

First manned ascent of a hydrogen balloon, Paris, France, 1 December 1783, (1932). Creator: Unknown.

Engraving depicting Ernest Petin's flying machine. Ernest Petin (1812-1879) a French milliner and balloonist. Dated 19th Century

Ascent made by J.A. Charles (1745-1822) in a hydrogen balloon in the plain of Nesle, l December 1783. From Gaston Tissandier 'Histoire des Ballons', Paris, 1887.

$An engraving depicting James Nasmyth's 20-inch refractor, the base of which was mounted on a railway turntable. James Nasmyth (1808-1890) a Scottish engineer, inventor, and astronomer. With the extra mirrors, the observer's eye could remain stationary. This style of mounting pioneered new engineering methods for mounting telescopes. Dated 19th century$

An engraving depicting the Assan balloon passing over Liege at night. Dated 19th century

'The Moon Pirates' Neil R Jones A spaceship from Earth arrives on Mars, through the transparent domes which house the cities Date: 1934

Experience of globe of the brothers Anne-Jean and Marie-Nol Robert in the Tuileries Garden (19th September 1784). Engraving.

Death of the French aviators Godard and Panis when their balloon was struck by lightning over Chicago. From 'Le Petit Journal', 15 July 1891. Accident Ballooning

Accident to the Nassau Balloon, between Gravesend and the Nore, Kent, 1850. '...Mr. Green ascended...accompanied by Mr. Rush...for the express purpose of testing the improvements made by that gentleman in the newly-invented aneroid barometer...They lost no time in making the intended experiments...then found themselves sailing rapidly down Sea Reach...Mr. Green...opened the valve, and the car first struck the water about two miles north of Sheerness...they were drawn with considerable rapidity through the river...the...crew of the cutter found great difficulty in securing the balloon; but, b

Equatorial telescope of Catania, engraving

Benjamin Franklin's conducting his lightning experiments in Philadelphia. Date: September 1752

$Engraving depicting a 23-inch refractor built by Alvan Clark (1804-1887) an American astronomer and telescope maker. Dated 19th Century$

Engraving depicting the interior of the Kuffner Observatory, is one of two telescope-equipped public astronomical observatories situated in Austria's capital, Vienna. Dated 19th Century

Wind engine for agricultural purposes, millstone, mill, around 1890, digitally enhanced reproduction of a 19th-century model, historical, exact date unknown.

Ascension of Lunardi's Balloon in Madrid August 12, 1792. Old 19th century engraved illustration from La Nature 1884

Engraving depicting the filling of a balloon in England. Dated 19th Century

Illustration from Theatrum Machinarum Novum 1661 by Georg Andreas Böckler; A hand operated milling machine

Reflecting telescope with focal length of 40 feet (12.19m), showing top of brick foundation and wheeled platform on which instrument mounted. Slough, England., William Herschel's (1738-1822), Engraving 1809

William Herschel's (1738-1822) reflecting telescope with focal length of 40 feet (12.19m), showing top of brick foundation and wheeled platform on which the instrument mounted. Slough, England. Engraving 1809.

The Great Astronomical Telescope by Johannes Hevelius (1611-1687) Illustration of Machina Coelestis by Johannes Hevelius, Danzig, 1670

Air balloon flight in June 1783 by the Montgolfier brothers, Etienne and Joseph, at Annonay. Woodblock engraving by Lara after A. de la Fage from Louis Figuier's "Les Merveilles de la Science: Aerostats" (Marvels of Science: Air Balloons), Furne, Jouvet et Cie, Paris, 1868.

Leturr cleverly solves the problem of getting airborne by releasing himself from a balloon : alas, his design is not so clever, and he plunges fatally to the ground. Date: 1854

General Meusnier's airship project 1783. France, Europe. Old 19th century engraved illustration from La Nature 1888

$Refractive optical phenomena observed during a balloon ascension, illustration from L'Illustration, Journal Universel, No 514, Volume XXI, January 1, 1853.$

It's the cinenzano airship SEM (Georges Goursat, said, 1863-1934). "It's the Cinzano Airship". Color photomechanical process.

Ballooning: hydrogen barrels and other equipment used in ballooning. Engraving by W. Lowry, 1803.

ASSAY AEROSTATIC BALLOON OF JOSE MONTGOLFIER Y ETIENNE 1740-1810. Author: HERMANOS MONTGOLFIER JOSE 1740-1810 ETIENNE.

Engraving depicting a ballerina's electric diadem (a metal ring with a star worn on the head): switch at c enabled the dancer to turn the light on and off, fitted with Scrivanow's silver chloride batteries. Designed by Gustave Trouve.

Illustration depicting a copper hot-air balloon on display in Paris. Dated 19th Century

The Grand Ballon Captil in the city of Barcelona in 1889, a captive balloon built by Giffard, flew during the Paris International Exposition in 1878. Old 19th century engraved illustration from La Nature 1889

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