Collection of 19th-Century Aerial Photographs and Issue of THE CENTURY ILLUSTRATED MONTHLY MAGAZINE de Doughty, John G - 1886

n.p.; New York: n.p.; The Century Co, 1886. Very good overall. Collection of 12 early aerial photographs, taken from an untethered balloon and later published with the photographer's narrative in 1886. Photographer John G. Doughty and balloonist Alfred E. Moore's 1885 flight marked only the second time in US history that photographs had been taken from an untethered balloon (the first untethered balloon photographs, taken over Boston in 1860, suffered from gas exposure to the negatives, and achieved mixed results) and so represent some of the earliest aerial photographs ever taken. Following in the footsteps of Thomas Baldwin's 1786 AIROPAIDIA, the first book to contain illustrations of the ground from a balloonist's view, Doughty's images of Winsted, Connecticut manage to convey both a sense of artistry and the naive excitement of a child with a camera on their first trip on an airplane.
Doughty and Moore's balloon ascents are brought to life in Doughty's narrative, published in THE CENTURY ILLUSTRATED MONTHLY MAGAZINE (provided), where he rather comically recounts his utter terror at the idea of flight: "If a balloon was mentioned in my presence, my heart would give a fearful throb... if I glanced up at a cloud floating high overhead, the thought would instantly come 'Perhaps I may go higher than that cloud!' and I would grow sick and faint." Doughty's photographs, including four from this set of 12, illustrate the article, as well as engravings based on his original images. An important moment in the history of photography. 10.25'' x 13'' (mats); 4.25'' x 7.5'' (photographs); 9.5'' x 6.5'' (periodical). 12 black-and-white albumen photographs, including two mirrored duplicates, expertly hinged onto white mats. THE CENTURY ILLUSTRATED MONTHLY MAGAZINE with brown pictorial wrappers, illustrated in black-and-white, [208] pages. Wrapper with some edgewear, a bit of loss to spine ends; occasional soiling to leaf margins. Photographs with light edgewear, some with loss to corners; some with toning to edges. Clean and bright overall.