Lot 366
Wise, John
Rare Books, Maps and Manuscripts
Auction: 29 August 2012 at 12:00 BST
£350
Description
A system of aeronautics, comprehending the earliest investigations. Philadelphia: J.A. Speel, 1850. First edition, 8vo, frontispiece portrait and 12 plates, original blindstamped cloth
Footnote
Provenance: Viscount Strathallan, Stobhall, Perthshire
Note: First edition of this early American history and guide to aeronautics by the legendary pioneer in the field, John Wise (1808-79). Wise's longest voyage, of 804 miles from St. Louis, Missouri, to Henderson, New York, was not surpassed until 1900 - over forty years after Wise's ascent.