By permifsion of the Patentees, this Engraving of The First Carriage, The "Aerial," is perfectly inscribed to the Directors of The Ærial Transit Company, by Their Obedient Servants Ackermann & Co.
Object Details
- Physical Description
- Colored rotogravure print of the "Ariel," aloft over a field with observers below. A city, possibly London, is visible in the distance. William Samuel Henson, John Stringfellow, Frederick Marriott, and D.E. Colombine, incorporated the "Aerial Transit Company" under English law in 1843. Their goal was to fund the construction of a flying machine capable of carrying "letters, goods and passengers from place to place through the air." Henson built a scale model of his design, which made one tentative steam powered run down a guide wire. Unsuccessful attempts to fly the small model, and a larger model with a 20-foot wing span, happened between 1844 and 1847. In an attempt to gain investors and support in Parliament, the company engaged in a major publicity campaign using images of the Ariel in exotic locales, but the company failed to gain the needed investment.
- "London, Published March 28th 1843 by Ackermann & Co. 96. Strand."
- Credit Line
- Gift of the Norfolk Charitable Trust
- Data Source
- National Air and Space Museum
- Date
- March 28, 1843
- Inventory Number
- A20140634000
- Restrictions & Rights
- Usage conditions apply
- Type
- ART-Prints, Original
- Medium
- Print, Rotogravure on Paper, Colored
- Dimensions
- 2-D - Unframed (H x W): 32.9 × 39.7cm (12 15/16 × 15 5/8 in.)
- See more items in
- National Air and Space Museum Collection
- Record ID
- nasm_A20140634000
