Charles F. Durant 1805-1873 Aviation pioneer, the first native-born American to make a balloon flight in this country, using a home-made balloon to soar above Castle Garden in 1830 A relic of early ballooning, an 1870 carte-de-visite photograph of Durant with a large American flag and a balloon basket, with the legend beneath indicating that all three had ascended five miles above New York, and had later landed on the deck of the steamer Independence while the vessel was at sea. On verso He writes: "Mrs. with the respects Of C. F. Durant Jersey City, Jany. 1870". E. M. Ayers backstamp, a bit faded and toned but signature is fine. Rare!