Between 1898 and 1905, Alberto Santos Dumont began his conquest of the skies using balloons and airships.
Eight original, period photographs of Santos Dumont's balloons and airships.
Authors: Rol & Cia, Branger.
France, 1898-1905.
Approximately 12 cm x 17 cm.
Notes in French on the back.
Perfect condition.
Alberto Santos-Dumont began his pioneering career in aviation with balloons and airships, becoming one of the most emblematic figures in the history of aeronautics. In 1898, he made his first flight with the balloon Brasil, the smallest ever built at the time. But it was with his airships that he achieved worldwide fame: between 1898 and 1905, he built and piloted several numbered models, such as No. 5 and the famous No. 6, with which he achieved a historic feat on October 19, 1901—circling the Eiffel Tower and returning to the starting point in the Parc de Saint-Cloud in less than 30 minutes, winning the Deutsch de la Meurthe Prize. This event was widely reported and consolidated his reputation as the first to demonstrate that it was possible to control an airship flight precisely and practically, right in the center of Paris. These achievements with balloons and airships were the technical and symbolic foundation that would lead him, a few years later, to the development of the first heavier-than-air aircraft.
The photos depict historical moments in Santos Dumont's career with his balloons and airships in the early 20th century, including balloon No. 6, with which he won the Deutsch Prize in 1901, and airship No. 16, one of his last attempts to combine lightness and control. The images reveal rare scenes of preparation, inflation, and takeoff, with technical details such as engines, metal structures, and visible ballast, as well as the striking presence of Santos Dumont alongside engineers, military personnel, and curious onlookers. They are notable for visually documenting the transition between traditional balloons and the first motorized airships, solidifying the importance of the Brazilian aviator as a pioneer of air navigation.
