Rare 18thC Enamel Air Balloon Mirror Tiebacks

Rare Pair 18thC Scenic Enamel on Copper Air Balloon Tiebacks!

This rare pair enamel on copper tiebacks are decorated with a scene of a hot air balloon flying over ships in the water. It has Blanchard written above the scene. Jean Pierre Blanchard made his first successful ascent in a balloon he built himself on March 2, 1784. On January 7, 1785 Blanchard and Dr. John Jeffries, an American physician, made the first flight over the English Channel, traveling from Dover, England to Calais France. We believe the scene on these tiebacks is a depiction of that very flight over the English Channel. They date from the 18th Century and measure 2 + 1/8 inches tall by 1 + ¾ inches across and are 2 + ¾ inches long front to back. They are in excellent condition with the exception that one has a very faint hairline that starts before the letter B in Blanchard and runs down diagonally across through the basket of the balloon. It is faint, but if you look closely, you can see it on the tieback on the left in the photo.

Shipping, Handling, and Insurance Charges will be paid by Buyer.

For domestic (USA) shipping we offer only USPS Priority Mail, unless item is over 25lbs, at this point we will offer UPS Ground.

Important Notice for International Customers: Due to the inability to track packages out of country using USPS Parcel Post Service, we now offer USPS Priority Mail Internationalor USPS Express Mail Internationalas the ONLY methods for international shipping.
We apologize for any inconvenience, but we have had too many problems arise from not being able to track or prove that an item was shipped once it leaves the country.

We accept Money Orders, Personal Check and payments through PayPal. Orders paid by personal check, must allow additional time for check to clear before item is shipped.

PayPal—eBay's service to make fast, easy, and secure payments for your eBay purchases!