Jean Pierre Blanchard attempts to cross the English Channel

(Aviation) A 13 1/2 x 9 5/8 in. print entitled “Grand Aeorstatic Balloon” (London: R. Wilkinson, 1784). A wonderful illustration demonstrating the popular excitement over Jean Pierre Blanchard’s flight over London and the south of England. Following the success of the Montgolfier brothers, Blanchard (1753 – 1809) is considered the first ‘professional’ balloonist flying numerous exhibition flights over Paris in 1783 and 1784. In the latter year, Blanchard would move to London where he would stage the first balloon crossing of the English Channel in January 1785. In 1792, Blanchard would come to the United States and become the first person to ascend in a balloon in the Western Hemisphere in a demonstration in Philadelphia viewed by George Washington.

The present view depicts one of Blanchard’s abortive attempts to cross the English Channel. In this demonstration, according to the lengthy description beneath, “…M. Blanchard on Saty. Octr. 16th 1784 ascended from the Royal Military Academy at Little Chelsea, a fourth Time into the Atmosphere accompanied by the ingenious Mr. [John] Sheldon – at Ten Minutes after Twelve, the two gallant adventurers preceded by two small Ballons [sic] as Signals, after taking leave of their generous Host & a numerous circle of Nobility & Friends, arose with the most majestic grandeur & wafted by the prayers & plaudits of upwards of Four Hundred Thousand Spectators in Eighteen Minutes were lost in Æther – after a number of astonishing maneuvers & Evolutions the Travelers made a stop at Sunbury, where for the expediting the Machine the gallant Sheldon (unwillingly) descended & left his friend to pursue alone his Journey through ‘the tractless void.’ who after passing over Guilford Farnham &c. about 3 o’clock in the afternoon finding the day too far spent to cross the Channel to Brest after hovering a considerable Time over Portsmouth the Isle of Wight &c. &c., alighted at Rumsey near Southampton and amidst universal acclimations finished the most extraordinary journey by a sublunary being–” Only several months later, Blanchard would make his successful Channel crossing.

Matted, hinged at left margin, light soiling, else fine.

(EXA 4079) $2,000