Balloon flight commemorative London delftware plate circa 1785
Balloon flight commemorative London delftware plate circa 1785 - Image 2
Balloon flight commemorative London delftware plate circa 1785 - Image 3

Balloon flight commemorative London delftware plate circa 1785

Ref: 64415 Category:

£1650

Dated: 1785 London England

A rare size London delftware pottery plate commemorating Lunardi's inaugural balloon flight from Mortlake, London, in 1784. Vicenzo Lunardi was a pioneering Italian aeronaut. Born in Lucca, he arrived in England as Secretary to Prince Caramanico, the Neapolitan Ambassador. The English were sceptical about balloon flight, and so George Biggin and Vincent Lunardi, together, decided to demonstrate a hydrogen balloon flight at the Artillery Ground of the Honourable Artillery Company in London on 15 September 1784. A 200,000-strong crowd (which included eminent statesmen and the Prince of Wales) had grown very impatient during pre-flight preparations, so Lunardi decided to take off without his friend Biggin because the balloon was not fully inflated. Charmingly, he was accompanied by a dog, a cat, and a caged pigeon. The flight from the Artillery Ground travelled north towards Hertfordshire, with Lunardi making a stop in Welham Green, where the cat was set free as it seemed to be airsick. The flight ended at Standon Green End. The road junction in Welham Green near the site where Lunardi made his first stop is called Balloon Corner to this day to commemorate the landing.

Diameter: 8 inches

Current Condition: Fine

Provenance: Private Collection Surrey England

£1650    $2227

Description

A rare size London delftware pottery plate commemorating Lunardi’s inaugural balloon flight from Mortlake, London, in 1784.

Vicenzo Lunardi was a pioneering Italian aeronaut. Born in Lucca, he arrived
in England as Secretary to Prince Caramanico, the Neapolitan Ambassador.
The English were sceptical about balloon flight, and so George Biggin and Vincent Lunardi, together, decided to demonstrate a hydrogen balloon flight at the Artillery Ground of the Honourable Artillery Company in London on 15 September 1784.
A 200,000-strong crowd (which included eminent statesmen and the Prince of Wales) had grown very impatient during pre-flight preparations, so Lunardi decided to take off without his friend Biggin because the balloon was not fully inflated. Charmingly, he was accompanied by a dog, a cat, and a caged pigeon. The flight from the Artillery Ground travelled north towards Hertfordshire, with Lunardi making a stop in Welham Green, where the cat was set free as it seemed to be airsick. The flight ended at Standon Green End. The road junction in Welham Green near the site where Lunardi made his first stop is called Balloon Corner to this day to commemorate the landing.