Traditional Hot Air Balloon

Up, Up and away! This balloon is painted in colorful, bright stripes with acrylic paints and covered in a protective coat of aged varnish. Both balloon and basket are made of a heavy paper mache pulp. The basket was made big enough to hold a little doll or figurine. The bear (not included - made by Letty Worley) is on a balloon ride to nowhere...but she looks like she's having fun!

About 19"h x 9"w. Hangs from adjustable heavy duty clear line - $120

Montgolfier Inspired Hot Air Balloon

Several illustrations of the Montgolfier flight provided inspiration for the design of this hot air balloon. Made out of a sturdy paper mache pulp; including mulberry paper, charms with reflective paper, vintage gold ribbon and acrylic paints. It hangs from ceiling with adjustable heavy duty clear line. About 15" x 9" . $165 (No, it doesn't really float - just a photo trick with the help of the computer.)

History of The Hot Air Balloon

Joseph and Jacques Montgolfier developed their first hot-air balloon in 1783. Joseph and Jacques were 2 of the 16 children of Pierre Montgolfier and his wife. The two brothers worked in the family run business, a paper factory at Annonay, a small town near Lyon in France. Their experiments were inspired by the rising of a shirt that was drying above a fire. They threw scraps of paper in the fireplace, which shortly afterwards could be seen leaving the chimney. From this they mistakenly concluded that smoke, and not hot air, had the power to lift. The density of hot air is less than that of cold air and just as air rises in water (water has a higher density than air), hot air rises in cold air. Despite their mistaken belief, the brothers' experiments led to the invention of the hot-air balloon.On April 4, 1783, the brothers Montgolfier gave the first public demonstration of the hot-air balloon at Annonay. This unmanned balloon flew a distance of nearly 2 kilometres and reached a height of almost 2 metres. The balloon was made of fabric and was lined with white paper, coated with a layer of alum, which served as a fire resistant layer. The whole balloon was kept together by about 2,000 knots. (Description from http://library.thinkquest.org/28629/page22.html)

Humpty Dumpty JITB

Humpty Dumpty sat on a spring.
Humpty Dumpty has bells that ring.
When he jumps up out of his box, he'll have you exclaim,
"You sly little fox!"

Humpty Dumpty sits on a spring of "brick wall" and has poseable arms and legs. (The jingle is in his hat!) Made using a 6" cardboard box, papermache, acrylic paints, mulbery paper, beeswax and copies of childrens illustrations from Mother Goose rhymes. $70 Sold