Aerostatics. Two works of ZAMBECCARI.

ZAMBECCARI, Francesco. Descrizione della macchina aerostatica del cittadino Francesco Zambeccari bolognese.Venezia, 1803 4to; 260x190mm; binding in board. Pp. 8. 3 folded plates engraved on copper. Little tear, but nice copy. Rare edition in second issue published in Venice reprinted the same year as the Bologna edition. Extremely rare and fundamental work in which the Zambeccari describes the balloon with which on the night between 7 and 8 October 1803, starting from the Montagnola of Bologna, he made the first night ascent in Italy. The flight of the Zambeccari and its two companions ended fortunately in the sea in front of the Istrian coasts. During the ascension the spaceship climbed to remarkable heights and the low temperature caused the freezing of some phalanges of the fingers of Zambeccari which then had to be amputated. The balloon invented by Zambeccari consisted of a balloon filled with hydrogen (in the upper part), and a lower cone trunk for the hot air. In the final pages the work contains a detailed list of all the parts that made up the balloon. Bound with: ZAMBECCARI, Francesco. Saggio sopra la teoria e pratica delle macchine aereostatiche.Venezia, Leonardo Bertazzoni, 1803 4to; 258x190 mm; cardboard binding. Pp. VIII. Text in two coloums. Good specimen. Very interesting booklet on the theory and practice of aerostatic machines written by the Bolognese Zambeccari, a pioneer of aviation in Italy.