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Boston, as the Eagle and the Wild Goose See It

File name: 08_02_004841

 

Box label: J. W. Black photographs: Boston

 

Title: Boston, as the Eagle and the Wild Goose See It

 

Alternative title: Bird's eye view of Boston, made by Samuel A. King and J. W. Black

 

Creator/Contributor: Black, James Wallace, 1825-1896 (photographer)

 

Date issued:

 

Date created: 1860-10-13

 

Physical description: 1 photographic print ; 9 3/4 x 7 3/4 in.

 

Genre: Photographic prints; Aerial photographs

 

Subjects: Cities & towns

 

Notes: Earliest extant aerial photograph taken in the United States from Samuel A. King's balloon while tethered over Boston Common.; Additional information: The first successful aerial photograph in America was taken in Boston on October 13, 1860. Two photographers made eight exposures from "The Queen of the Air," a balloon tethered 1200 feet above the city. Because of movement of the balloon and the use of "wet" plates, only one picture turned out well.; See: Taft, Robert. "Photography and the American scene," N. Y., 1938, pp. 186-188; Handwritten note on item verso: Original plate for this is in Museum of American Photograph in Philadelphia.

 

Provenance:

 

Statement of responsibility: J. W. Black

 

Location: Boston Public Library, Print Department

 

Rights: Rights status not evaluated.

 

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Uploaded on January 13, 2011
Taken on November 29, 2010