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1. Ackroyd, John. Pacific Flyer: Ocean Crossing Balloon Adventure. [8], 76 pp.
Illus. with vignettes from photographs, some color. 11x8-1/2, pictorial
wrappers.
[John Ackroyd: April 5, 1991]
Limited to 1000 copies. Signed by Ackroyd on dedication page, below which is
taped a piece of the balloon Pacific Flyer. Chronicle of the first crossing of
the Pacific Ocean in a balloon by Richard Branson and Per Lindstrand. About
fine. (50/80)
2. (Aerostation) 9 leaves from an 18th-century encyclopedia in English,
including the section titled Aerostation. Pp.197-214. 2 copper-engraved plates,
one with some hand-coloring. 10-1/4x8-1/2 (4to), disbound leaves from larger
volume. [England: c.1786]
An in-depth, 14-page essay on aerostation covering its history up to the
ascension from Chester on Sept.8, 1785 by Mr. Baldwin in Lunardi's balloon.
Also included is a discussion of the principles and practice of aerostation.
The two copper-engraved plates are by A. Bell. The first shows the
Montgolfier's balloon, Blanchard's balloon and Charles & Robert's balloon. The
second features technical aspects of aerostation as well as a colored aerial view as seen by Mr. Baldwin from his balloon. About
fine. (100/200)
3. Allen, Hugh. The Story of the Airship. 71 pp. Illus. throughout with photo
plates. 9x6, pictorial boards featuring a U.S. Navy airship flying above the
city. Sixth Edition. [and] Another copy. [4], 96 pp. Illus. throughout with
photo plates. 9x6, blue cloth with pictorial cover label depicting airships in
a hanger. Eighth Edition.
[Goodyear Tire & Rubber Co.,
1931 & 1932, respectively]
The eighth edition, though similar to the sixth, has an expanded text as well
as a variant binding, variant title page and different illustrations. The
eighth edition also includes a chapter titled An Atlantic
Crossing by Zeppelin by F.M. Harpham, reprinted from The Sportsman
Pilot, June, 1931. Binding rubbed on first, spine perished; the second is about
fine but the text has been bound-in upside down. (60/90)
4. Allen, Hugh. The Story of The Airship (Non-Rigid). A Study of One of
America's Lesser Known Defense Weapons. ix, [1], 74 pp. Illus. from
photographs. 9x6, jacket. Akron, Ohio:
[Lakeside Press], 1942.
Inscribed by Hugh Allen, 3/17/42, on front free endpaper. Jacket very worn,
lacking large fragment from front as well as pieces from spine, else jacket
fair, vol. extremely good. (40/60)
5. Amundsen, Roald & Lincoln Ellsworth. De Eerste Vlucht Over de Noordpool.
[6], 282 pp. 35 plates with multiple images from photographs; map at end.
9-3/4x6-3/4, blue cloth lettered in gilt.
Amsterdam: H.J.W. Becht, c.1927
(Gamble 4434 for the American Ed. & 4435 for the English Ed.): Dutch edition of
the First Crossing of the Polar Sea. After a failed attempt to fly across the
the North Pole in 1925, Amundsen and Ellsworth were successful the next year
when they joined Umberto Nobile's expedition in the Norge. However, a bitter
controversy followed when they vied with Nobile for credit for the expedition's
success. Ironically, Amundsen lost his life in 1928 when assisting in the
rescue effort of Nobile's Italia. Minor wear to covers, occasional foxing, else
very good. (60/90)
6. (Andrée, S.A.) 4 items: Andrée's Story: The Complete Record of His Polar
Flight, 1897. From the Diaries and Journals of S.A. Andrée, Nils Strindberg,
and K. Fraenkel, found on White Island in the Summer of 1930... Translated from
the Swedish by Edward Adams-Ray. xvi, 389 pp. Frontis. and plates. 9-1/4x6-1/4,
cloth. First American Edition. New York: Viking, 1930.
Light wear to covers. [and] Another copy. Second Printing. New York: Viking,
1930. Cloth faded and worn. [and] Putnam, George Palmer. Andrée: The Record of
a Tragic Adventure 239, [1] pp. Plates. 8x5, cloth. First Edition. New York:
Brewer & Warren, 1930. Some wear . [and] Sundman, Per Olof. The Flight of the
Eagle. [6], 382, [1] pp. Several plates. 8-1/4x5-1/2, jacket. First American
Edition. New York: Pantheon, [1970].Chronicles of the attempt in 1897 by
Swedish scientist S.A. Andrée to sail to the North Pole in a hydrogen gas
balloon. After 65 hours of flight in their balloon the Eagle, Andrée and his
companions were forced to land. Though they struggled to survive in the ice
fields for months, they eventually died. Thirty-three years later their remains
were discovered. Fine. (60/90)
7. (Andrée, S.A.) Lachambre, Henri & Alexis Machuron. Andrée and His Balloon.
305, [1] pp, blank leaf, 15, [1] ad pp. Chromolithograph frontispiece and 44
illustrations (counted in the pagination but all but two of them printed
separately on glossy paper). 9x5, blue cloth dec. and lettered in gilt,
including a vignette of Andrée's balloon on front cover and spine. First
British Edition.
Westminster: Archibald Constable, 1898
Maggs Cat. 619, # 431: This account ends with Andrée's departure from
Spitzbergen on July 11, 1897, for his second (ill-fated) attempt to explore the
Arctic. A little rubbing to extremities and spine, title becoming detached,
minor extremity tears to a few leaves, pp.171-4 poorly opened leaving jagged
margin, plate paginated 181 misbound after pp. 183-4. (120/200)
8. (Andrée, S.A.) Lachambre, Henri & Alexis Machuron. Andrée's Balloon
Expedition in Search of the North Pole. [6], 306 pp. Numerous illustrations
from photographs. 7-1/2x5, blue cloth with white lettering, vignette of a
balloon on front cover. First American Edition.
New York: Stokes, 1898
Brockett 7030; Gamble 4473: Slight rubbing to spine ends, light soiling to
spine, otherwise extremely good. (100/150)
9. Bacon, Gertrude. The Record of an Aeronaut: Being the Life of John M. Bacon.
357, [1] pp. Gravure frontis. port. of John M. Bacon & 40 plates from photos.
8-3/4x5-1/2, original blue cloth, gilt-lettered spine. First Edition.
London: John Long, 1907
Gamble 431; Maggs Cat. 619, #465: Biography of John M. Bacon, scientific aeronaut, written by his daughter and
incorporating some of his own writings. Bacon's balloon research included
experiments in acoustics. Covers somewhat worn, front joint starting, a bit of
foxing, good to very good. (100/150)
10. (Balloon Ascension). Valette, L'Abbé H., ed. Cosmos les Monde: Revue
Hebdomadaire des Sciences et de l'Industrie. 33 Année, 3 Série, T. VII, No. 4,
26 Janvier 1884. Pp. 121-160, as issued. 9-1/2x6-1/4, original printed light
blue wrappers, actually a double layer consisting of 2 wrap-around leaves,
including 7 pages of advertisements.
Paris: 1884.
Pages 124-5 include an article titled Sur les ascensions à grande hauteur en
ballon, discussing the balloon flight of MM. de Maupas and Anatole Brissonnet
fils in November of 1883, in which a height of over 3000 meters was reached.
The author of the article, Alfred Basin, questions the validity of making
scientific observations from that height. A few corners creased, else
exceptionally good. (50/80)
11. (Balloon Design). Gardissal, M., ed. L'Invention: Journal Mensuel de la
Propriété Industrielle, Littéraire, Artistique et Commerciale. No. 9, Septembre
1853, 8e année. Pp. 249-280, as issued. 10x6-1/4, original green printed
wrappers. Paris: 1853
This technical journal bears the ownership stamps of Ch. Chavoutier,
Constructeur Aéronaute, and J. Chavoutier, Architecte, Paris, on front wrapper.
On the upper margin of the front wrapper it has been noted in blue pencil (by
Ch. Chavoutier?) that on pp. 272-273 are itemized several categories of prizes
to be given out by La Société aérostatique et météorologique de France. Perhaps
Mr. Chavoutier is thinking of submitting a design for one of these prizes. The
pencilled note also refers to an article on pp. 268-9, an extract titled
Traitement du lin et du chanvre by M. Tanner. Linen, of course, is a material
often used in balloon making. Minor extremity wear and a bit of foxing, blue
pencil marks around cited articles, else very good. (40/70)
12. Bassett, Preston R. 3 items: Carlotta and Carl Meyers of the Balloon Farm.
Offprint from New York History, April 1963-October 1963. pp. 145-390 (as
issued). Printed wrappers. Inscribed to Crawford by Bassett inside front
wrapper and accompanied by a copy of a short half-page typed essay titled Carlotta's Daughter Bessie on which Crawford has noted that
the said essay was given to him by Bassett for insertion in this pamphlet.
Faint soiling to wrappers. [and] Aeronautics in New York State. Offprint from
New York History, Volume XLIII, No. 2, April 1962. pp. 115-148 (as issued).
Printed wrappers. Inscribed to Crawford by Bassett inside front wrapper. Minor
discoloration to wrappers.[and] The Life and Times of Preston R. Bassett. vi,
386 pp. Frontis. port. of Bassett, plates and diagrams. 9x6, gilt-lettered
cloth. Privately Printed: April, 1976. Inscribed to Crawford by Bassett on
front free endpaper. Fine.
Preston Bassett had one of the largest lighter-than-air collections in the
United States. (50/80)
13. (Binding) Figuier, Louis. Science & Industrie. [Industrie des Cuirs et des
Peaux]. Titlepage and pp. 341-548, as issued. Wood-engraved vignettes in the
text. 11x7-1/4, original red cloth with elaborate pictorial stamping ume in
gilt and black, including a vignette of an airship. Paris:
Combet & Cie., c.1875
A volume from the Bibliothèque Scientifique, this section on leather and fur
was issued separately. Elaborates on many types of animal skins and gives
technical information on the tanning process. It is likely that the cover
designs on all volumes of this encyclopedia are uniform, the depiction of an
airship being emblematic of modern technology. Laid in is a prize certificate
from the École Chrétienne des Frères dated Paris, 1905. Minor extremity wear to
covers, some internal darkening, else very good. (40/70)
14. (Bindings) 2 French publishers' bindings with vignettes featuring a ballon
on the front covers: Vie de M. D'Orléans de la Motte. Évêque d'Amiens par M.
L'Abbé Proyart. Nouvelle Édition. 200, [1] pp. Steel-engraved frontis. port.
7x4, publisher's decorative white boards heavily embossed in gilt and blind on
covers and spine, the front cover with inset tinted and colored lithograph
vignette of a pastoral scene in which three spectators surround a balloon.
Lille: L. Lefort, 1852. A touch of extremity wear to binding, but overall clean
and in excellent condition; occasional faint internal foxing. [and] Montbard,
M. de. Joanne ou Le Peintre d'Enseignes. 120 pp. Steel-engraved frontis.
7-3/4x5, publisher's decorative white boards heavily embossed in gilt and blind
on covers and spine, the front cover with inset tinted and colored lithograph
vignette of a pastoral scene in which three spectators surround a balloon.
Limoges: Barbou Frères, [c.1852]
Some wear to binding, spine worn & darkened, head and tail lacking fragments,
joints starting, removed bookplate from front pastedown, some internal
foxing.The first title is part of the series Bibliothèque Instructive et
Édifiante and the second from the series Bibliothèque Chrétienne et Morale.
Interestingly, though issued by different publishers, both volumes bear almost
the identical central lithographed vignette featuring a balloon. The lithograph
on the first is nicely printed and the hand-coloring refined, while on the
second the lithograph is very poorly printed and the hand-coloring cruder.
(150/250)
15. [Blanchard, Jean Pierre. The principles, history & use of air-balloons.
Also a prospectus of Messs. Blanchard & Baker's intended aerial voyage from the
city of New-York. New York: C.C. Van Alen for J. Fellows, 1796]. Pp.3-46
(lacking titlepage but text complete). [bound with] Sentiments upon the
Religion of Reason and Nature, carefully translated from the original French
manuscript, communicated by the Author. 108 pp. (including 8-pp. of publisher's
advertisements for Denoon & Condie & for T. Stephens). Philadelphia: for T.
Stephens& Denoon &Condie by Bioren & Madan, 1795.Second Edition. [bound with]
Palmer, Elihu. An Enquiry relative to the Moral & Political Improvement of the
Human Species. An Oration, delivered in the City of New-York on the Fourth of
July, being the Twenty-First Anniversary of American Independence. 35, [1]
pp.New York: by John Crookes, 1797.Together, 3 works bound together. 6-3/8x4
(12mo), old mottled sheep.
The first item (bound at the end of the volume) appears to be Randers-Pehrson &
Renstrom, Aeronautic Americana 6 (this copy lacking title page and with no
illus.).Not in Gamble or Tissandier: One of the earliest items printed in
America on Aeronautics, it begins with a short account of the history of
aerostation, detailing the most notable flights and advances until about 1785.
It also includes scientific information on the lighter-than-air principles
which govern balloon flights. In addition, the author discusses the materials
used to make both inflammable and rarefied
air-balloons and the best ways to fill and navigate them. Appended to
this essay is A Sketch of Mr. Blanchard's Aerial Voyage at
Philadelphia, January 9, 1793 (a reprint of the report of the first
balloon voyage in America); Detail of the Experiment with
the Parachute, and the Operations preceding the Same; List of Mr. Blanchard's Aerial Voyages (from 2 March 1784
in Paris through 9 January 1793 in Philadelphia), Prospectus
of the intended Aerial Ascension, to be made from the city of New-York in the
course of the ensuing month, August...by M. Blanchard and Mr. Gardiner
Baker... This final prospectus is a plea for subscriptions so that the
said aerial Ascension of Blanchard and Gardiner Baker can take place (the
author says three thousand dollars are needed) and promises the spectators will
witness such experiments as animals being pitched
from the balloon who will ...by means of the parachute
invented by the aerostatic captain...descend slowly and gently to the
earth...; also, ...they will throw out a bottle of
wine or other liquors, which, after an accelerated fall of seven or eight
hundred feet, will uncork itself, and the fluid, which will rush out with
impetuosity and violence, will form a cloud in the air of about fourteen
thousand times its former volume. This ascension, however, never took
place.The other items bound in the volume, though unrelated, are nice examples
of late 18th-century American printing. A bit of rubbing to binding, joints
cracking, occasional foxing within. Old signature and rubberstamp of Samuel
Borden, New York, on preliminary blank and title.Accompanying this lot is The
First Air Voyage in America...The Blanchard Balloon Voyage of January 9,
1793..., published by The Penn Mutual Life Insurance Company, Philadelphia,
1943. ( 1000/2000)
16. Brereton, Lt.-Col. F.S. The Great Airship: A Tale of Adventure. 360 pp.
Illus. with 4 monochrome plates from drawings by C.M. Padday. 7-1/4x5,
pictorial blue cloth stamped in navy blue, orange and white, both front cover
and spine featuring airships.
London & Glasgow: Blackie & Son, n.d.
Adventure novel for boys with a dramatic cover design showing an airship flying
over a sea filled with ships and an exploding missile. A touch of rubbing to
binding corners and spine ends, faint soiling to rear cover, otherwise
extremely good. (40/70)
17. Brockett, Paul. 2 items: Bibliography of Aeronautics. Smithsonian
Miscellaneous Collection, Volume 55. xiv, 940 pp. 9-1/2x6, green cloth lettered
in gilt. City of Washington: Smithsonian, 1910. [and] Bibliography of
Aeronautics 1931. 312 pp. 10x6-3/4, tan cloth.
Washington: Government Printing Office, 1935
Important reference source for aeronautics listing 13,487 items published up to
the year 1909. Accompanied by the supplement for 1931 covering all titles on
the subject for that year. Both ex-library copies with markings, some cover
wear, pen and pencil notations to first, but overall both very good,
serviceable copies. (150/250)
18. Bruel, François-Louis. Histoire Aéronautique par les Monuments Peints,
Sculptés, Dessinés et Gravés des Origines a 1830. [4], 93, [4] pp. Illus. with
plates containing 206 facsimiles (sometimes more than one per plate) of
engravings, ephemera, letters, prints, drawings, etc., related to aeronautics;
all are beautifully printed heliotypes on rag paper; some are hand-colored, a
few are mounted, and some are inserted. 14x10-1/2, contemporary half vellum and
marbled boards, manuscript spine title, original wrappers bound in; marbled
slipcase.
Paris: Andre Marty, 1909
Gamble 170; Maggs Cat. 619, #497: Limited to 325 copies. A lavish production
containing beautifully executed facsimiles from both public and private
aeronautic collections of rare ephemera, prints and drawings. The plates are
organized into sections, including: the precursors of aviation; early
aerostation; ascents in France; ascents in other countries; war balloons;
aeronautical events; aeronautics in fantasy and legend. Volume near fine in a
somewhat worn slipcase. (2000/3000)
19. Caproni Guasti, Timina & Achille Bertarelli. L'Aeronavtica Italiana
Nell'Immagine 1487-1875. Bibliografia di Giuseppe Boffito, con aggiunte di
Paolo Arrigoni. [4], iv, 184, [1] pp. (plus 2 half titles). Illus. with 174
plates, some in color. 15-1/2x12, pictorial boards featuring a color
reproduction of Zambeccari's aerostat on both covers over which the titling and
the Caproni family device are stamped in gilt; vellum spine with raised bands
and gilt fillets and lettering; slipcase.
Milan: Museo Caproni, 1938
L'Art Ancien S.A.'s catalogue Flight, 1980, no. 48: Limited to 600 copies (500
of which were hors'commerce and only 100 of which were for sale). The
beautifully reproduced plates present a visual history of Italian flight from
Leonardo da Vinci's macchina volante to Forlanini's l'elicottero a vapore
(1871-78). There is also a comprehensive bibliography of Italian aeronautics,
by renowned scholar Giuseppe Boffito. A stunning work in nearly fine condition
(the slipcase tattered & repaired). (500/800)
20. Célière, Paul. The Startling Exploits of Dr. J.B. Quiès. Trans. from the
French by Mrs. Cashel Hoey and Mr. John Lillie. xi, [1], 328 + 8 ad pp.
Wood-engraved plates, some full-page, in the text. 8x5-1/4, original navy blue
cloth lettered in gilt with a vignette of a balloon in silver and red on the
front cover. First American Edition.
New York: Harper, 1887
Adventure novel for boys. Light extremity rubbing to covers, ex-library copy
with some stamps and markings. (50/80)
21. Coffin, James Henry. The Winds of the Globe: or the Laws of Atmospheric
Circulation over the Surface of the Earth.... viii, [4], xxv, [3], 756 pp.
Tables throughout, 26 plates of maps and charts at end. 12-1/2x9, later green
library buckram.
Washington D.C.: Smithsonian,
December, 1875
Vol. XX in the series Smithsonian ontributions to Knowledge. Contents browning,
some preliminaries brittle and becoming torn or detached, else good to very
good. (100/150)
22.(Cruikshank, George) 2 items: George Cruikshank's Omnibus. Edited by Laman
Blanchard. vi, [2], ii, [2], 300 pp. Illus. with steel-engraved plates and
numerous wood-engraved vignettes. 8-3/4x5-1/2, later half morocco & marbled
boards. London: Tilt & Bogue, 1842. Binding worn & rubbed, cover practically
detached, some soiling & offset to contents. [and] [Dickens, Charles]. Sketches
by Boz. Illustrative of Every-Day Life and Every-Day People. viii, 376 pp.
Illus. with 40 engraved plates (including frontis. & vignette title) by
Cruikshank. 8-1/4x5-1/4, original maroon cloth. London: Chapman & Hall, 1890.
Frontis. to Cruikshank's Omnibus shows both a balloon and a parachute. The
vignette title on Sketches by Boz features a balloon. Very good condition.
(100/150)
23. Demuyter, Ernest. La Navigation Aérienne et les Randonnées Victorieuses du
Belgica. Conquête de la Coupe Gordon-Bennett. 135,
[1] pp. 21 plates, mostly from photographs. 9-1/4x6, pictorial wrappers.
Brussels: Expansion Belge Vers
Le Levant, c.1936
Gamble 525: Inscribed by Belgian author and aeronaut Ernest Demuyter on fly
title. Demuyter's card and a 4-page pamphlet detailing his life and aeronautic
accomplishments, laid in. Demuyter made his first balloon ascension in 1908 at
age 15.Though ballooning was his main passion, he also piloted airships and
airplanes. He won the Gordon-Bennett cup several times during the 1920s.
Wrappers a bit worn and foxed, stain from paper clip to first few leaves,
contents uniformly browned. (70/100)
24. Dollfus, Charles & Henri Bouché. Histoire de L'aéronautique. xxiii, [1],
571, [5] pp. Profusely illustrated including full-page plates, some mounted and
in color, counted in the pagination. 15x11, publisher's blue simulated leather
with embossed design and lettering. First Edition.
Paris: L'Illustration, 1932
Maggs Cat. 619, #715: A very informative encyclopedia of aeronautics with
numerous illustrations, including stunning color plates reproduced from
important early paintings and prints. The organization follows significant
periods in the history of aeronautics: the origins of aviation to 1843; flying
machines, 1843-1900; dirigibles and airplanes, 1900-1914; aeronautics applied
to war, 1914-1918; aeronautics of today. Also
includes a chronology of aeronautics and a comprehensive index. See L'Art
Ancien S.A.'s catalogue Flight, 1980, nos. 67 & 68 for later editions of this
work. Covers a bit rubbed and abraded, else very good. (300/400)
25. Dronier, Pierre. La Navigation Aérienne.Project d'une Ligne Transatlantique
Aérienne... 64 pp. 2 plates with diagrams. 8-3/4x5-1/2, printed wrappers.
Paris: 1894
L-W 1272; Maggs Cat. 619, #415: Author projects a transatlantic project of
side-wheel propeller dirigible balloons. The plates detail the design and
construction of these balloons. Brittle pamphlet with front wrapper detached,
spine perished, large fragment lacking from rear wrapper, contents browned and
delicate. (70/100)
26. Duke, Neville & Edward Lanchbery, editors. The Crowded Sky: An Anthology of
flight from the beginnings to the age of the guided missile. xv, [1], 421 pp.
9-3/4x6-1/4, jacket. First Edition. London: Cassell,
[1959]
Includes a lengthy chapter on World Wars I & II. Light wear to jacket with a
few extremity tears and a bit of chipping at head & tail, else very good.
Accompanied by a defective copy of A History of the U.S. Signal Corps (which is
lacking leaves.). (30/50)
27. Eckert, Alfred. Am Himmel ohne Motor. Wie der Mensch an den Himmel Kam.
Fruhgeschichte der Luftfahrt. Erlebnis und Sport Heute in der dritten
Dimension. 300, [4] pp. Illus. throughout including many color images; original
color block print by Dieter Grieshaber. 10-3/4x8-1/4, printed boards, acetate
wrapper, publisher's cardboard chemise and slipcase.
Augsburg: Die Brigg, [1975]
Inscribed by the author to John Crawford, 1977. The front endpaper is a folding
plate incorporating a pop-up balloon. Comprehensive and well-illustrated
history of ballooning and non-motorized flying vehicles, including a
chronological table of important dates in the history of flight, 1452-1975.
Fine. (80/120)
28. Glaisher, James, Camille Flammarion, W. de Fonvielle and Gaston Tissandier.
Travels in the Air. xxix, [3], 398, [1] pp. Illus. with 6 chromolithograph
plates (including frontis.) and 12 lithographed charts & views; numerous
wood-engravings in the text, many full-page. 9-1/2x6-1/4 (8vo), contemporary
half morocco and marbled boards. Second Edition.
London: Richard Bentley & Son, 1871
Maggs Cat. 619, # 303; (French ed. of 1870: Brockett 5272, Gamble 4824,
Tissandier, p.24, L-W 1203): This second edition includes a list of the
balloons launched from Paris during the Siege. Glaisher was
one of the founders of the (Royal) Aeronautical Society in 1866...He was
responsible for the finest of nineteenth century books on ballooning, Travels
in the Air with its superb illustrations and flight charts, its contributions
by Flammarion, de Fonvielle and Gaston Tissandier and, above all, Glaisher's
own graphic descriptions of his flights. He writes of the great sense of peace
he felt in the intense silence of the upper air... - Rolt, The
Aeronauts: A History of Ballooning, 1783-1903, 1966, p.198. Lacking half title.
Binding a bit worn, joints cracking, some internal foxing (more so to
chromolithographed plates, some of which are very foxed, as usual, one of them
loose but present), else very good. (300/500)
29. Glaisher, J[ames]., C. Flammarion, W. de Fonvielle & G. Tissandier.
Upptäcktsresor i Lufthafvet. [10], 487 [but 485], [1] pp., numerous
wood-engravings in the text, many full-page. 9-3/4x6-1/2, original quarter blue
cloth and pictorial boards.
Stockholm: F.C. Askerbergs, [1874]
The Swedish version of Travels in the Air. Covers a bit soiled and worn,
contents uniformly darkened. (100/200)
30. [Goodrich, Samuel Griswold]. Balloon Travels of Robert Merry and his Young
Friends, over various Countries in Europe. Edited by Peter Parley. 312 pp.
Engraved frontis., half-title and 6 plates. 7-1/4x4-3/4 (12mo), publisher's red
cloth elaborately blocked in gilt on covers and spine. First Edition.
New York: Derby, 1855
Brockett 5344; Randers-Pehrson & Renstrom, Aeronautic Americana 33 - Under the
pretext of an imaginary balloon voyage, Goodrich conveys lessons in geography
and culture to youngsters. Samuel Griswold Goodrich (1793-1860) was a Boston
publisher and founder of the annual gift book, The Token. ...Under his pseudonym, Peter Parley, were published more than 100
moralistic books for juvenile instruction, beginning with The Tales of Peter
Parley about America (1827). Sugar-coated with fiction, they were significant
for their break away from religious didacticism - Oxford Companion to
American Literature. Covers worn, small tears to spine, some foxing to
contents, several signatures detached or becoming so. (100/150)
31. [Goodrich, Samuel Griswold]. Balloon Travels of Robert Merry and his Young
Friends, over various Countries in Europe. [with] The Voyages, Travels &
Adventures of Gilbert Go Ahead, in Foreign Parts, written by Himself. 2 titles
in 1 vol., issued thus by the publisher as Peter Parley's Book of Travels and
Adventures over various Countries in Europe. [2], 312; 295 pp. Illus. with 16
wood-engraved plates (including vignette titles & frontispieces), all printed
on yellow paper. 9-1/2x6, publisher's dark green cloth embossed in blind on
covers and in gilt on spine, original spine label.
New York: Derby & Jackson, 1857
Attractive edition, nicely illustrated. Light wear & rubbing to covers, more so
to extremities, spines ends frayed, split starting on lower front joint, pencil
inscription on flyleaf, some darkening and foxing to contents.
(100/150)
32. [Hodgson, J[ohn].E[dmund]. The History of Aeronautics in Great Britain from
the Earliest Times to the Latter Half of the Nineteenth Century. xxii, 436 pp.
Illus. with 150 images, most of them on 91 plates, 12 of them in color.
11x7-1/2, original buckram. Oxford:
University Press/London:
Humphrey Milford, 1924
Limited to 1000 copies. Definitive reference on British aeronautics, including
a lengthy bibliography. Most of the illustrations are reproduced from the
prints and books in the Cuthbert Collection. The Cuthbert Collection which was
begun about 1820 by ballooning enthusiast John Cuthbert, consists mainly of
contemporary engravings and drawings, a great quantity of
cuttings and excerpts from newspapers, magazines, and a large number of
hand-bills and posters of balloon ascents, together with fragments of notable
balloons... (from Appendix IV, p.416). Covers worn and rubbed, contents
leaning, occasional minor foxing, else good to very good. (500/700)
Lots 1. ACKROYD through 32. HODGSON
Lots 33. INTERNATIONAL through 62. SANTOS-DUMONT
Lots. 63. TISSANDIER through 94. BALLOONS
Lots 95. BALLOONS through 127. ZEPPELIN