Sale 15BP02 | Lot 208

[FLIGHT] MEERWEIN, CARL FRIEDRICH. Die Kunst zu fliegen nach Art der Vögel

Catalogue: Rare Books, Autographs & Photographs

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Lot Details

Lot 208

... Frankfurt and Basel: H. L. Bronner and J. J. Thurnensen, 1784. First and apparently only edition. Original paper wrappers uncut. 7 x 4 3/8 inches (18 x 11 cm); 48 pp., [2] folding plates of a parafoil-like device. Fine copy, uncut.
A very rare work by an architect and engineer to the prince of Baden, who was also a pioneering inventor and aeronaut with heavier-than-air craft. There is some debate as to whether any of his devices flew, though there are indications that a 1781 ornithopter of his design relating to the device described here achieved some success at Giessen (Britannica Guide to Invention that Changed the Modern World p. 129). By repute, he survived a crash in 1784 because of a conveniently placed dung pile.

C 

Estimate: $600 - $900

Sold for $875 (includes buyer's premium)

Additional Notes & Condition Report

Any condition statement is given as a courtesy to a client, is only an opinion and should not be treated as a statement of fact. Doyle New York shall have no responsibility for any error or omission. The absence of a condition statement does not imply that the lot is in perfect condition or completely free from wear and tear, imperfections or the effects of aging.

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Estimate: $600 - $900

Sold for $875 (includes buyer's premium)

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Catalogue Info

Rare Books, Autographs & Photographs

Mon, Nov 23, 2015 at 10am EST

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