Nadar

1864 · 182678 — Various publishers in or near Brussels: c.1864. The Brussels ballooning buzz Scarce material capturing the excitement generated by the launch of Le Géant 6000 cubic metres in size and equipped with a huge cabin to celebrate Belgian National Day. As much a publicist as an aviator Nadar turned the event into an epic spectacle the crowds teeming behind barriers. He shared a passion for the skies with Jules Verne who drew on Nadar's exploits for his writings. Born Gaspard-Félix Tournachon Nadar 1820-1910 was also a pioneering photographer taking some of the earliest aerial shots of Paris. Le Géant was commissioned from the balloonist Eugène Goddard in 1863 and was first launched in Paris in October of the same year in front of 80000 people. A second launch drew half a million people setting the stage for the scenes in Brussels. Among those struck by the sight was Jules Verne who had established Societe d'aviation with Nadar in 1862. Verne based Five Weeks in a Balloon 1863 on Le Géant and Nadar appeared as the character Michael Ardan in Verne's From the Earth to the Moon 1865. The publications give information on the balloonist's background and his visit their excitable tone sometimes crossing over into satire. a Le Ballon Le Géant et Nadar Pérégrinations Accidents Notices biographiques etc. etc. Brussels: P. J. Leemans 1864. 8 pp. original illustrated wrappers. b Nadar et le Ballon Le Géant. Saint Josse-ten-Noode: Renaut-Ledeganck c.1864. 8 pp. original yellow illustrated wrappers. c Nouvelle Ascensions du Géant. Relation du Voyage et la Chanson de Nadar. Brussels: Sorriaux c.1864. 8 pp. original self-wrappers unstitched. d Voyage Comique de M. Nadar. Circumnavigation Aérienne effectuée par M. Nadar en 4 Heures at 15 Minutes le 26 September 1864 à bord du ballon le Géant. Brussels: J. Sacré c.1864. 8 pp. original self-wrappers unstitched. 4 works octavo each 8 pp. Text in French. Each wrappers or self-wrappers stitched or unstitched see note. Housed in custom blue quarter cloth folder. One work with price on front cover changed in contemporary hand in pencil. Light creasing and toning: a near-fine collection of fragile material. hardcover