Historical Balloon Aeronautics

Engravings and illustrations of early ballooning attempts and technology, showcasing significant historical figures and innovative designs in aeronautics.

Nacelle of a captive aerostat built for the Russian army by Gabriel Yon. Old 19th century engraved illustration from La Nature 1885

Comte d'Artois', Alban and Vallet's attempt to produce a steerable balloon - 1785. Illustration published circa 1870

Engraving depicting Jacques Charles, with the help of the Robert Brothers filling his balloon with hydrogen. Jacques Charles (1746-1823) a French inventor, scientist, mathematician, and balloonist. Dated 18th Century

Manned balloon flight by Captain Vincenzo Lunardi, the Italian daredevil aeronaut, at London, September 1784. Woodblock engraving from Louis Figuier's "Les Merveilles de la Science: Aerostats" (Marvels of Science: Air Balloons), Furne, Jouvet et Cie, Paris, 1868.

The Great Melbourne Telescope on a temporary mounting in Ireland before being shipped out to Australia. Built by Grubbs of Dublin this instrument, a Cassegrain reflector, had a 48 inch (122 cm) speculum metal mirror and was fully steerable. Part of the tube was built in lattice form to reduce weight. From The Illustrated London News (London, 14 November 1868).

Electro-heatsinks designed by Jean-Francois Dupuis Delcourt-to protect from the hail, France, illustration from L'Illustration, Journal Universel, No 380, Volume XV, June 8, 1850.

Engraving depicting the balloon 'Flesselles' which made an ascent from Lyons with seven passengers. Dated 18th Century

Old Testament. Book of Genesis. The flood. Engraving. "Los Héroes y las Grandezas de la Tierra". Volume I. 1854.

Geysers; 1880-1900 (1880-00-00-1900-00-00);

Filling a balloon at the gasworks, circa 1885

Nacelle of a captive aerostat built for the Russian army by Gabriel Yon. Old 19th century engraved illustration from La Nature 1885

Jean-Pierre Blanchard and the American Dr. John Jeffries on their cross-channel balloon flight from Dover to Calais, January 1785. Woodblock engraving by Mes after E. Deschamps from Louis Figuier's "Les Merveilles de la Science: Aerostats" (Marvels of Science: Air Balloons), Furne, Jouvet et Cie, Paris, 1868.

Engraving depicting Nadar's balloon 'Le Geant' which made its debut in Paris. Dated 19th Century

Huhn smoke consuming device applied to an internal hearth boiler, illustration from L'Industria, Rivista tecnica ed economica illustrata, Milan, 1903.

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

Dangerous landing of the balloon by Gypson and Coxwell, London, July 6, 1847, United Kingdom, illustration from L'Illustration, Journal Universel, No 229, July 17, 1847.

Europe. Work project to connect the ports of Calais (France) and Dover (England), through the English Channel. Engraving depicting the longitudinal section of the underwater tunnel. Visionary project of the French engineer Aime Thome de Gamond (1807-1876) that believed of the viability to build a tunnel of the Channel under the Strait of Dover. Engraving by Burgun. La Ilustracion Espaola y Americana. January 30, 1876.

Elévation du cimetière de la ville de Chaux, Architecture considerée sous le rapport de l'art, des moeurs et de la législation, Ledoux, Claude Nicolas, 1736-1806, Engraving, 1846-1847

Main forms of clouds, vintage engraved illustration. From the Universe and Humanity, 1910.

Air navigation system with hot-air balloons and propellers, designed by Petin, illustration from L'Illustration, Journal Universel, No 393, Volume XVI, September 6-13, 1850.

First flight in a hydrogen gas balloon by Professor Jacques Charles and the Robert brothers, Anne-Jean and Nicolas-Louis, August 1783. Woodblock engraving by A.St. from Louis Figuier's "Les Merveilles de la Science: Aerostats" (Marvels of Science: Air Balloons), Furne, Jouvet et Cie, Paris, 1868.

Ascent of Bell's Aerial Machine, from Vauxhall Gardens, London, 1850. 'The machine which Mr. Bell has constructed...is capable of sustaining a weight of between 500 and 600 lb., when inflated with the ordinary carburetted hydrogen. The propellers are on the principle of the screw-propeller. If two are used, they are placed one on each side of the car...This apparatus is so constructed as to have a hinge and a rotating motion, so as to obtain the necessary movements of an extended surface or fan, in all respects similar to the tail of a bird, so that the guiding or directing of the machine ma

Engraving depicting Nadar's balloon 'Le Geant' which made its debut in Paris. Dated 19th Century

Dirigible aerostat toy assembled in a tivivo. Old illustration from La Nature 1887

Tourists watching the great geyser Strokkur, Haukadalur valley, Iceland, 19th century. Near the stratovolcano Hekla. Le Strockur. Handcolored lithograph by Emile Lemaitre from Munerelles Les Phenomenes et Curiosites de la Nature (Natural Phenomena and Curiosities), Libraire Derivaux, Strasbourg, 1856.

Metallurgy: casting a bell for the clock of the New Palace of Westminster. Wood engraving, 1856.

Engraving depicting a self-luminous buoy. Dated 19th Century

Between Tunis and the desert. Jacob down based on his ass, vintage engraved illustration. Journal des Voyages, Travel Journal, (1880-81).

An engraving depicting pearl divers working in cages to protect them from shark attacks. Dated 19th century

Submarine volcanic eruption. Tourists in rowboats watching an explosive eruption. Volcan sous-marin. Handcolored lithograph by Emile Lemaitre from Munerelles Les Phenomenes et Curiosites de la Nature (Natural Phenomena and Curiosities), Libraire Derivaux, Strasbourg, 1856.

Geodetic signal towers for creating topographic map of France: Les Trois Cornes, Pic du Midi, Poney-Majou, illustration from L'Illustration, Journal Universel, No 605, Volume XXIV, September 30, 1854.

Engraving depicting a trebuchet - a war engine for projecting missiles. Dated 17th century

Third voyage of the Montgolfier balloon le Flesselles at Lyon, 1784. Woodblock engraving by Lafage after Lara from Louis Figuier's "Les Merveilles de la Science: Aerostats" (Marvels of Science: Air Balloons), Furne, Jouvet et Cie, Paris, 1868.

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.

Engraving depicting an airship designed by Gaston and Albert Tissandier. Gaston Tissandier (1843-1899) a French chemist, Meteorologist, aviator and editor. Albert Tissandier (1839-1906) a French architect, aviator, illustrator, editor, and archaeologist. Dated 20th Century

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

Lunar influence, vintage engraved illustration.

Machine mater of Rochefort, vintage engraving. Machine mater of Rochefort, vintage engraved illustration. Magasin Pittoresque 1842. Copyright: xZoonar.com/PatrickxGuenettex 10660420

Engraving depicting Ernest Pétin's flying machine: Pétin, a Paris milliner r 'designed this machine in 1850 and, although it was never built, it had many features of later actual airships, such as air screws, gas bags, and a frame to accommodate passengers and engineers. Dated 19th Century

The balloon ascent of Barral and Bixio, June 29, 1850, Paris, France, drawing, illustration from L'Illustration, Journal Universel, No 383, Volume XV, June 29, 1850.

Waterspout, vintage engraving. Waterspout, vintage engraved illustration. Magasin Pittoresque 1842. Copyright: xZoonar.com/PatrickxGuenettex 10660068

Hydrogen balloon for a military use, designed by Charles Coutelle. The hot-air balloons were used by Napoleon's army in order to keep an eye on the enemy and manage the battle. The balloons were held on the floor using wires. Messages attached to sand sacks which went through the wires were used in order to communicate with the army on the floor.

A self sufficient arial colony. Idea of Belgian scientist and balloonist Etienne Gaspard Robertson, first published in 1804. Date: 19th Century

The Norwegian expedition in Greenland, descend the Inlandsis by sledge, 1888, engraving.

Waterspout, vintage engraved illustration. Magasin Pittoresque 1842.

Divine judgment by God was passed upon Sodom and Gomorrah and two neighbouring cities, which were completely consumed by fire and brimstone. From Physique sacree, ou Histoire-naturelle de la Bible, 1732-1737, by Johann Jakob Scheuchzer (1672 - 1733), a Swiss scholar born at Zurich

Andrée's Arctic balloon expedition, 1897, (1932). Creator: Unknown.

Great Comet of 1861. Vintage lithograph illustration of sky phenomena from Picture Atlas of the Star World: an Astronomy for Everyone Atlas der Sternenwelt eine Astronomie für jedermannby Edmund Weiss. 1888

View of the surface of a mine, 19th century, with cranes, buildings, bridge, winch, huts, excavations, etc. Les mines. Handcolored lithograph by Emile Lemaitre from Munerelles Les Phenomenes et Curiosites de la Nature (Natural Phenomena and Curiosities), Libraire Derivaux, Strasbourg, 1856.

Ascension of Blanchard in Nuremberg on November 12, 1787. Old illustration from La Nature 1887

Experiments with torpedo shells - explosion of a 440 pounder, USA Civil War

Centrifugal pumps from Coignard and Cie, Vaugirard, Paris, illustration from L'Illustration, Journal Universel, No 1063, Volume XLI, July 11, 1863.

An eruption of Mount Etna at night, possibly in 1787. Coloured mezzotint by J.-M. Mixelle after A. d'Anna.

This 1891 "The Triad of Progress" shows the advancements being made during what is known as the Industrial Revolution.

First balloon crossing of English Channel, 7 January 1785 by Jean-Pierre Blanchard, French inventor, and American Dr John Jeffries from Dover to Guines, 2 hours 30 mins. Chromolithograph c1883. Aeronautics Aviation Ballooning

Engraving depicting the making of a balloon's ascent from the Villette gas works in Paris. Dated 19th Century

An engraving depicting a sectional view of the seabed of the English Channel, showing the workings on the English side of the Channel Tunnel near Dover. Dated 19th century

Earth from Mars, vintage engraved illustration. Magasin Pittoresque 1877.

Engraving depicting the Osservatorio astronomico di Norimberga. Dated 18th Century

McClure's Ship Investigator at it's Farthest Point East by unknown artist

Waterhozen at sea near Sicily, 1827, Félix Achille Beaupoil Saint-Aular, After L. Mazzara, 1827 print Several waterhoses at sea, observed at the island of Stromboli near Sicily on 27 June 1827. print maker: Franceafter drawing by: Italyprinter: Paris paper whirlwind, cyclone, hurricane, typhoon, tornado at sea Sicily

View of the New Geyser on Iceland, 1811. Scottish scientists near columns of water and steam erupting from the ground. Copied from an illustration by Scottish geologist Sir George Steuart Mackenzie in his Travels in the Island of Iceland, 1811. Handcoloured copperplate engraving from Carl Bertuch's Bilderbuch fur Kinder (Picture Book for Children), Weimar, 1815. A 12-volume encyclopedia for children illustrated with almost 1,200 engraved plates on natural history, science, costume, mythology, etc., published from 1790-1830.

Descent of Jean-Pierre Blanchard's hydrogen balloon, 2 March 1784, near Paris. Balloon with parachute and flapping wings. Handcolored engraving from Louis Figuier's "Merveilles de la Science: Les Aerostats," Paris, 1870.

Illustration from De la Terre a la Lune by Jules Verne, 1865. Artist: Unknown

Saturn's rings observed from the surface of the planet. Date: late 19th century

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

Lord Rosse's great 72-inch (1.828m) diameter reflecting telescope of 1845, called the Leviathan of Parsonstown. Mounted between two brick walls, it could move only in a north-south direction. The Earth's rotation provided movement in an east-west direction. Engraving from 'A Handbook of Descriptive Astronomy' by George F Chambers (Oxford, 1890). William Parsons, 3rd Earl of Rosse (1800-1867).

$Astronomy: a large refracting telescope, and projection of the transit of Venus. Wood engraving.$

Engraving depicting the interior of the Nice Observatory, an astronomical observatory located in Nice, France on the summit of Mont Gros. France. Dated 19th Century

A mixture of fish, octopus, crabs, sea horses and shellfish on the sea bed. Date: 1880

Interesting Record Of First Balloon Absent Ever Made In England: This interesting woodcut shows an interesting record of the first public exhibition of ballooning ever to be made in this country in 1783.Although for some years before experience had been going ahead on the continent out in England with a balloon was on November 25th 1973, when a balloon rose for the first time from English soil at the Artillery Ground in London. Count Zambeccari, on ***** who happened to be in London, made a balloon of oil-silk, 10-feet in diameter and weighing 11-lbs. It was publicity shown for a four days, and on the 25th was three-quarters filled with hydrogen, and launched from the Artillery ground at 1 o'clock.September 24, 1964. (Photo by Keystone).

Engraving depicting the Great Comet of 1843. Dated 19th Century

Engraving depicting the Great Comet of 1744. Dated 18th Century

An engraving depicting the great equatorial telescope housed at the Royal Greenwich Observatory. Dated 19th century

Description of the boats, with the various instruments employed in the capture of the sperm whale, page 154, 1839, Whales, Sperm whale hunting

French project for a dirigible balloon : by an unidentified inventor Date: circa 1785

THE EXCAVATIONS UNDER FLOOD ROCK, HELL GATE, 1880, USA, America, 19th century engraving

A woodcut engraving depicting Mersenne (left) and Petit's experiment to prove the rotation of the earth: a ball fired from a vertical cannon did not fall back down the barrel. Marin Mersenne (1588-1648) a French polymath. Pierre Petit (1598-1677) a French astronomer, physicist, mathematician and instrument maker. Dated 17th century

Gas microscope. / Fashion June 20, 1840. (Registered Title) | Fashion. (Title of the whole)

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

Eruption of Mount Aetna in 1669, 1809. Thomas Sutherland (British, 1785-aft 1825). Aquatint;

Engraving depicting locals helping Tissandier to shake snow off his balloon. Gaston Tissandier (1843-1899) a French chemist, Meteorologist, aviator and editor. Dated 20th Century

Vnutrennost' urty sidiachikh Koriakov. Yurt interior of sedentary (as opposed to nomadic) Koriakovs.. Bulychev, Ivan Dem'ianovich. Prints, Drawings. 1856. General Research Division. IAkutskaia oblast (R.S.F.S.R.), Okhotsk (Sea of, Region) , Description and travel, Natural history , Okhotsk, Sea of, Region, Siberia, Eastern (Russia) , Administrative and political divisions

Circulation of water between sea and mountains. Blue-tinted flows are mountains to sea, black represents subterranean flows from sea to mountains. From Athanasius Kircher 'Mundus Subterraneous', 1665. Jesuit scholar.

Cordouan and its island in the sixteenth century, vintage engrav Cordouan and its island in the sixteenth century, vintage engraved illustration. Earth before man 1886. Copyright: xZoonar.com/PatrickxGuenettex 10647663

Engraving depicting Mangin arc lamps used to flood light the grounds of the Exposition Universelle, Paris, France.

'The Enterprizing Lunardi's Grand Air Ballon', 1784. Artist: Unknown

The circulation of water between the sea and the mountains, vintage engraved illustration. From the Universe and Humanity, 1910.

Geologist and artist studying the hexagonal basalt prisms near the ruined abandoned district of Ferento, Viterbo, central Italy. Basaltes prismatiques de Ferento: territoire de Viterbe. Copperplate engraving from Scipion Breislaks Traite sur la Structure Exterieure du Globe, Treatise on the Exterior Structure of the Globe, Jean-Pierre Giegler, Milan, 1822.

H. Conybeare's apparatus for laying submarine telegraph cables using flexible frames built in segments. 1859

Annular eclipse of the Sun, caused by the Moon passing between the Earth and the Sun at a distance which makes the Moon cast a shadow smaller than the Sun's disk. From 'The Beauty of the Heavens' by Charles F Blount (London, 1845). Coloured lithograph.

Engraving depicting a hot-air balloon fitted with a parachute. Dated 19th Century

Crater of Vesuvius after its eruption

Cross-section showing position of Thames and M.I. Brunel's double arched masonry tunnel (1825-43) I.K. Brunel acted as site engineer. Still used by electric trains. German aquatint c1830.

Engraving depicting the interior of the Royal Observatory, Greenwich, an observatory situated on a hill in Greenwich Park, overlooking the River Thames. Dated 19th Century

Views of the volcano Mount Etna erupting from a two craters, 1669. Gas and debris spewing in the sky, molten lava and magma flowing down the mountain, fires and flames rising from houses in the town in the valley. Copperplate engraving by John Shary from Abraham Rees' Cyclopedia or Universal Dictionary of Arts, Sciences and Literature, Longman, Hurst, Rees, Orme and Brown, London, 1820.

First manned flight in a hydrogen-filled balloon, built by Jacques Charles and Nicolas-Louis Robert in the Tuileries, Paris, France, 1 December 1783. 36 km covered in 2 hours and 5 minutes. Aviation Aviation Ballooning Flying, Europe

Mineral extraction: using water to expose gold-bearing rock at the Transvaal gold fields. Wood engraving, 1889.

Pileworms that affect the dyke platforms, 1731. The discovery of the pole worms that affect the dyke-de-platforms, 1731. Three copies of the pileworm in the foreground.

Montgolfier balloon of the Abbot Laurent-Antoine Miollan and Janinet, built in Luxembourg, July 1785. Woodblock engraving from Louis Figuier's "Les Merveilles de la Science: Aerostats" (Marvels of Science: Air Balloons), Furne, Jouvet et Cie, Paris, 1868.

Guiton de Morveau 1737-1816, French chemist, who made the first flight in a steerable balloon on June 12, 1784. Chromolithography, approx. 1883. Aviation, aviation, balloon driving, flying

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