Antique Fine Art & Weaponry, Jan. 6th, 2024
Lot 367:
The First Carriage, The "Ariel". 1843. Size: 17 3/4" x 15 3/8", image 13 3/8" x 11".A fanciful imagining of the first airscrew-driven aeroplane design, created by William Henson (1812-1888). Based on the aeronautical principles of George Cayley, Henson’s "Ariel" was a model machine with a wingspan of 20 feet, powered by a steam engine. Henson tested the machine at Bala Down, near Chard, England, from 1845 to 1848, without success: "Ariel" couldn’t sustain its lift after leaving the ramp. Defeated, he emigrated to the U.S. in 1848. This aquatint, published March 28, 1843, likely served the role of investors’ prospectus: "By permission of the Patentees, this Engraving of The First Carriage, The ‘Ariel, ‘ is respectfully inscribed to the Directors of The Arial Transit Company." While Henson’s experiments were carried out in Somerset, the image apparently shows the "Ariel" soaring over London’s Hampstead Heath, with St. Paul’s clearly in the background. Very rare. ~ . Detailed condition reports are not included in this catalog. For additional information, including condition reports, please contact us at [email protected]
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