By Gertrude Bacon
London   John Long
9" by 5.5" [4], 5-358pp
The first edition of Gertrude Bacon's biography on the fascinating life of her aeronaut father. Illustrated profusely throughout.
By Gertrude Bacon

1907 The Record of an Aeronaut Being the Life of John M. Bacon

London   John Long
9" by 5.5" [4], 5-358pp
The first edition of Gertrude Bacon's biography on the fascinating life of her aeronaut father. Illustrated profusely throughout.
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: 1.5kgs / : 657P35

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Description

First Edition, Illustrated, Leather Binding

The first edition of this work. This work is an octavo. Illustrated with a frontispiece, and forty-one plates. Collated, complete. A biography of the aeronaut and astronomer John Mackenzie Bacon, written by his daughter, Gertrude Bacon. Bacon had been interested in aeronautics and astronomy since he was a child, and in 1888 he became a fellow of the Royal Astronomical Society. He made his first balloon ascent from the Crystal Palace on the 20th August 1888. In 1899 he and Getrude narrowly missed a fatal accident when their balloon was ascending in South Wales. In 1902 he crossed the Irish Channel in a balloon, an accomplishment which had only been achieved once before in 1817. On this journey, he photographed the sea, proving that the sea bottom was visible. Some of these photographs are in this work. He published his work 'By Land and Sky' in 1900, discussing ballooning, and 'The Dominion of the Air' in 1902, being a history of aeronautics. Gertrude Bacon was an aeronautical pioneer, accomplishing many 'firsts' for women in aeronautics. She popularised aeronautics, and promoted flying as a field for women. Gertrude often accompanied her father on expeditions in balloons, and in expeditions to film solar eclipses. Her works are 'Balloons, Airships and Flying Machines', 'All About Flying', and 'Memories of Land and Sky'. Prior owner's ink inscription to the recto to the front free endpaper, 'J. D. M. Tinline, 1909, No. 16. A'. From the library of the Irish international hot air balloonist Wilf Woollett. The first edition of a biography on a pioneering aeronaut.

Condition

In a half morocco binding with cloth boards. Externally, smart. A few light marks to the boards. The odd spot to the fore edge. Prior owner's ink inscription to the recto to the front free endpaper. Internally, firmly bound. Pages are bright and generally clean with only the odd spot.

Near Fine

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