Pair of mirror knobs
Not on view
One of a set of enameled wall-hanging knobs, the gondola of the hydrogen balloon carries two aeronauts and may well illustrate the first successful flight over the English Channel. On January 7, 1785, Jean-Pierre Blanchard and Dr. John Jeffries crossed from Dover to Calais by air. To make the balloon lighter and keep it afloat, the two men were forced to dump their ballast, throw away their cork life jackets, and even Dr. Jeffries’ pants!
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