Name/TitleBalloon used by Andre in attempt to reach North Pole
About this objectBalloon used by Dr August Salomon Andrée in an attempt to reach the North Pole in 1897.
On 11 July 1897 Andrée took off in his balloon, the Ornen (Eagle) from Spitzbergen in an attempt to fly to the North Pole. He was accompanied by two companions. All were Swedish. They disappeared into the Arctic wastes and were never seen alive again. Some thirty years later their bodies were discovered on White Island, about 300 miles east of their starting point. Their diaries revealed that they had flown over 300 miles north east before their balloon was forced down by the weight of ice accumulated on its surface. They then set out to return on foot but exhausted and out of food they died on White Island after a trek of 200 miles.
One of the many slides purchased from retailers or specifically made for illustrated lectures given by Isaac Selby between c. 1930 and c. 1955 to raise money for the Old Pioneers Memorial Fund.
This image is provided for research purposes and must not be reproduced without prior permission.For a high resolution copy of this image, contact Royal Historical Society of Victoria
Date Madec. 1897 (original image)
Inscription and MarksLabel on edge of slide: "N. Polar Exp. 1897 Dr S. A. Andree"
MeasurementsSlide: 8.3 x 8.3 cm
Image: 6.7 x 6.7 cm
Period1890-1900
Object TypeGlass slide
Subject and Association KeywordsCivil aviation
Subject and Association KeywordsBalloons
Subject and Association KeywordsExplorers and Exploration
Subject and Association KeywordsNotable flights
Subject and Association KeywordsArctic
Medium and MaterialsGelatin silver print on glass
Named CollectionImages collection
Object numberGS-OS-367
Copyright LicenceAll rights reserved
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