19TH CENTURY AMERICAN AVIATION POSTER.
WRIGHT, CHARLES HUBBARD, artist. The May Century. Scientific Kite-Flying Described by three Experts. General Schofield's Chapters of Secret History. [New York?: 1897.] Lithographed poster in 4 colors, 20½ x 12 inches. Laid on linen, a few tears at edges with small loss to section of margin at head and briefly touching upper border.
Although advertizing a monthly magazine, this poster is one of the first, if not the first, American posters to feature aviation. On January 22, 1897, Lieutenant Hugh D. Wise of the 9th Infantry had successfully lifted himself aloft over Governor's Island, New York, becoming, as the New York Times noted, "the first man in America and third in the world to achieve such a feat."
![19TH CENTURY AMERICAN AVIATION POSTER. WRIGHT, CHARLES HUBBARD, artist. The May Century. Scientific Kite-Flying Described by three Experts. General Schofield's Chapters of Secret History. [New York?: 1897.]](https://images2.bonhams.com/image?src=Images/live/2012-03/12/8510336-3-1.jpg&width=640&height=480&autosizefit=1 "19TH CENTURY AMERICAN AVIATION POSTER. WRIGHT, CHARLES HUBBARD, artist. The May Century. Scientific Kite-Flying Described by three Experts. General Schofield's Chapters of Secret History. [New York?: 1897.]")