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National Air and Space Museum Archives
Krainik Ballooning Collection, 1859-1934
Summary
- Collection ID:
- NASM.1990.0009
- Creators:
-
Krainik, Cliff
- Dates:
-
1859-1934
- Languages:
-
English.
- Physical Description:
-
3.19 Cubic feet2 shoeboxes; 3 flatboxes
- Repository:
This 19th and 20th century ballooning memorabilia collection contains the following items, which have been meticulously inventoried: 112 stereoscopic photographs; 107 photographs; 84 postcards, trade cards, valentines, and similar items; 80 prints; and 23 miscellaneous items.
Scope and Contents
Scope and Contents
The Krainik Ballooning Collection contains 112 stereoscopic photographs; 107 photographs; 84 postcards, trade cards, valentines, and similar items; 80 prints; and 23 miscellaneous items all pertaining to 19th and 20th century ballooning. Highlights of the stereoscopic photographs include: views of T.S.C. Lowe's balloons during the Civil War; views of the Nadar and Godard balloons; balloons during the Boer War, Russo-Japanese War, and WWI; and views of the airships
Ganymede
, Great Western
, Phantom Balloons
, Buffalo
, Madame Carlotta
, and The Aerial
. The photographic portion of the collection features Matthew Brady's views of Lowe's balloons during the Civil War; views of the balloon Madam Carlotta
before and during flights; smoke and gas balloon inflation and flights; and portraits of T.S.C. Lowe and other pioneers of ballooning. The collection also contains lithographic cards printed in Germany, whimsical advertising trade cards incorporating popular ballooning motifs and events, and 19th century woodcut illustrations from various periodicals concerning all aspects of ballooning. Other items include a small broadside for the
Grand Balloon Ascension of CARLOTTA
and a contract for smoke balloon ascensions. A few non-archival items, such as medals for Lowe's balloon, City of New York
, and Giffard's giant captive balloon, 1878
, were accessioned with this collection and subsequently transferred to curatorial collections. Note: The digital images in this finding aid were repurposed from scans made by an outside contractor for a commercial product and may show irregular cropping and orientation in addition to color variations resulting from damage to and deterioration of the original objects.
Arrangement note
Arrangement note
This collection has been arranged, first, in chronological order based on the Krainik inventory number that was assigned by the donor (K#), and then by size.
Biographical / Historical
Biographical / Historical
The Krainik Ballooning Collection was amassed by Clifford and Michele Krainik, experts in 19th and early 20th century historical photographs, negatives, and ephemera. This collection of 19th and 20th century ballooning memorabilia contains 112 stereoscopic photographs; 107 photographs; 84 postcards, trade cards, valentines, and similar items; 80 prints; and 23 miscellaneous items.
Administration
Author
Allan Janus (1991); Amanda Buel (2017)
Immediate Source of Acquisition note
Clifford Krainik, Purchase, 1989, 1990-0009, NASM
Processing Information
This collection was rehoused by Allan Janus in 1991. A paper inventory was provided by the Krainiks. The collection was re-processed and an EAD finding aid encoded by Amanda Buel in 2017.
Using the Collection
Conditions Governing Access note
No restrictions on access
Preferred Citation
Krainik Ballooning Collection, Acc. 1990-0009, National Air and Space Museum, Smithsonian Institution.
Conditions Governing Use
Material is subject to Smithsonian Terms of Use. Should you wish to use NASM material in any medium, please submit an Application for Permission to Reproduce NASM Material, available at Permissions Requests.
Keywords
Repository Contact
National Air and Space Museum Archives
14390 Air & Space Museum Parkway
Chantilly, VA 20151
NASMRefDesk@si.edu
