La Travesía de los Andes en Globo.
First-person account of the first balloon crossing of the Andes, Santiago to Uspallata, June 24, 1916, closer to a flight diary than a polished narrative. Illustrated throughout by Bradley with his own diagrams, including a fold-out map of the route and a profile chart of the peaks the balloon cleared. First and only edition; no later printing or reissue recorded. Three exemplars in the collection, identical apart from condition.
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Crossing the Andes by Balloon
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Ad for Rockets Through Space.
An advertisement for P. E. Cleator’s book: Rockets Through Space, available in this collection. Quotes the editor’s scientific advisor and the book’s preface. Includes a printed form in the last page to request copies of Cleator’s book.
V2 for Ionosphere Research.
The letter to the Editor that inspired geostationary satellites. Available in the original February 1945 issue of Wireless World “An ‘artificial satellite’ at the correct distance from the earth would make one revolution every 24 hours…”
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Arthur C. Clarke
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Extra-Terrestrial Relays: Can Rocket Stations Give World-wide Radio Coverage?
The article describing geostationary satellites. Available in the October 1945 issue of Wireless World “Using material ferried up by rockets it would be possible to build a ‘space-station’ in such an orbit…”
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Arthur C. Clarke
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Letter and BIS papers
Personal letter discusses radar work, and mentions his first science fiction stories to be published in Astounding! magazine. One signature probably a copy, the other appears to be original. The short stories are also available in this collection as original issues of Astounding! magazine.
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Arthur C. Clarke
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Rescue Party and Loophole
Clarke’s first science fiction stories in the original issues of Astounding! Magazine. April 1946 (Rescue Party, p.36) May 1946 (Loophole, p.57)
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Arthur C. Clarke
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La Victoria de las Alas: Historia de la Aviación Argentina.
Documented chronicle of Argentine aviation history by Bradley’s co-pilot on the 1916 crossing, by 1948 a brigadier in the Fuerza Aérea Argentina. This copy is a presentation copy, inscribed by Zuloaga in 1953 to the Chilean hostess who received him at Machalí, and inscribed onward by her in turn. First edition; scarcer than the revised 1958 edition issued with Fuerza Aérea backing.
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Crossing the Andes by Balloon
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L’ Astronef.
First number of this French magazine. Special section on the First Congress of Astronautics. Minutes for the First Congress of Astronautics are available in this collection.
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First Astronautical Congress
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Revista de la Asociación Argentina Interplanetaria. Vol 4. No. 15.
Announces Argentina joining the International Geophysical Year of 1957, but light on details.
The Conquest of Space.
A complete set of 50 cards issued in 1957 with Cadet Sweets in the UK. Each card depicts steps in the conquest of air and space, from balloons, and the Martin Viking rocket, to fictional moon bases.
Líneas Aéreas y Nacimiento de la Astronáutica en la Argentina.
Zuloaga’s later retrospective, carrying the story of Argentine aviation from the pioneer era into the astronautics age. Retells the 1915 record flights and the 1916 Andes crossing in the author’s own words, more than fifty years on.
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Crossing the Andes by Balloon
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Die Rakete zu den Planetenräumen.
1984 re-edition of Oberth’s foundational work. Two exemplars in the collection; one signed and dedicated by Oberth to Kyril Serafimov of the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences.