Hot Air Gallery

A view of the balloon of Mr. Sadler's ascending with him

4072603 A view of the balloon of Mr. Sadler's ascending with him and Captain Paget of the Royal Navy from the gardens of the Mermaid Tavern at Hackney on Monday, August 12, 1811 (colour lithograph) by English School, (19th century); Private Collection; (add.info.: James Sadler (1751-1828) was the first english balloonist, also a chemist and pastry chef.
Ballooning displays were popular in London pleasure gardens after Lunardi in 1784. This flight set off at 3 p.m. from Mermaid Gardens, Church Street and descended near Tilbury Fort, Essex, at 4.20 p.m.
The print appeared nine days later.
); English, out of copyright

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Sophie Blanchard in the basket of her balloon during her Milan flight in the presence

4072602 Sophie Blanchard in the basket of her balloon during her Milan flight in the presence Napoleon, 1811 (lithograph) by Rados, Luigi (1773-1840); Private Collection; (add.info.: Marie-Madeleine-Sophie Armand (1778-1819) French aeronaut and the wife of ballooning pioneer Jean-Pierre Blanchard. She was the first woman to work as a professional balloonist throughout Europe, entertaining Napoleon Bonaparte (here at the "FA©te de l'Emperor" in Milan on 15 August 1811) who promoted her to the role of "Aeronaut of the Official Festivals"
); out of copyright

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Experiment at Versailles of the Montgolfier brothers with the flight in a '

CHT259908 Experiment at Versailles of the Montgolfier brothers with the flight in a Montgolfiere hot air balloon of a cock, a duck and a sheep on the 19th September 1783 (coloured engraving) by French School, (18th century); Bibliotheque des Arts Decoratifs, Paris, France; (add.info.: Vol en Mongolfiere d'un coq, un canard et un mouton; Experience des freres Montgolfier a Versailles devant le roi et sa cour; in the presence of king Louis XVI (1754-93) and the court; gravure de l'epoque chez Le Noir;); A© Archives Charmet; French, out of copyright

© © Archives Charmet / Bridgeman Images