The first channel crossing, 1785 – Antique Print
![The first channel crossing, 1785, [between 1900 and 1947] — historic photograph](https://images.jameslantos.com/img/65/6597f226ca02-L.jpg)
(Originally scanned by the Library of Congress. Each image is professionally and digitally cleaned of artifacts such as color bars and extra borders prior to printing.)
Description
Step back in time with The first channel crossing, 1785, a historic photograph rich in period detail. Sourced directly from the Library of Congress, it represents an authentic piece of documented history.
The framed print arrives ready to hang; the unframed option suits custom framing. A fine choice for anyone who loves history, and a gift that gets noticed. Free shipping in the lower 48 states. Snapshots of the Past, founded in 2001, has served tens of thousands of customers worldwide.
The first channel crossing, 1785
Order a print
Thank you. Your order went through, and a receipt is on its way by email.
Secure checkout · SSL encryptedPowered by Stripe and PayPal
Free shipping in the lower 48 states. The checkout page shows the picture, size and price before you pay.
Jean-Pierre Blanchard and his passenger, the American physician John Jeffries, lifted off from Dover on 7 January 1785 and drifted toward the French coast, the first crossing of the English Channel by air. To stay aloft they threw out ballast and, at one point, even their clothing, before landing in a forest near Guînes. The engraving behind this copy was made in the 1780s, while the photographic reproduction dates from the first half of the twentieth century, when images of early flight were widely reproduced in aviation histories. Blanchard went on to become one of the best-known balloonists of his era.
| Created / published | [between 1900 and 1947] |
|---|---|
| Medium | 1 photographic print. |
| Genre | Engravings 1780-1790 Reproductions.Photographic prints 1900-1950. |
| Notes | Plate 49. Photograph of engraving. |
| Subjects | Blanchard, Jean-Pierre,--1753-1809--Associated objects. Balloons (Aircraft)--1780-1790. |
| Source | Library of Congress, Prints and Photographs Division |
| Original scan | 4,096 × 3,270 px · prints to 14 × 11 in at 300 dpi |
| Reference | AMZ-SOTP-HPA-181363 |
More from the Ballooning collection
Snapshots of the Past helps heritage brands, museums, historians and storytellers tell stories with history: historic prints, image licensing and historical storytelling drawn from more than 25 years of research and curation.


![[Aerial view of Boston; first photograph taken from a balloon; 1861]](https://images.jameslantos.com/img/eb/eb786f91c961-400.webp)
![[Departure of Jacques Charles and Marie-Noel Robert's 'aerostatic globe' balloon from the Jardin des Tuileries, Paris, on Dec. 1, 1783]](https://images.jameslantos.com/img/5f/5f2acefd8225-400.webp)

