Parseval Airships; Stamped addressed photographic postcard.

Dimensions 14 centimeters by 9 centimeters. In good condition, although grubby and with creasing to one corner and ink from postmark along one edge. Sepia photograph of airborne balloon with a tangle of guyropes and mass of people beneath it. Hangars in background. The airship pioneer August von Parseval (1861-1942) worked in partnership with the engineer Hans Bartsch von Sigsfeld and the businessman August Riedinge. The "Dragonballoons" (Drachenballone), which he designed for military observation, are predecessors of the present-day blimp. Printed text in red ink in one corner ('[...] Wien 1898 | [...] | Riedinger'scher Drachenballon | (Patent Parceval-Siegsfeld). | Nr. 1 | [...]') together with short neat message in manuscript. Stamped, postmarked reverse, addressed to 'Fraulein Fanni Vesely'.