Lovely gilt copper medal with its ribbon.
The great steam-powered captive balloon of Henry Giffard was one of the main attractions of the Exposition universelle de 1878 in Paris.
An engineer and pioneer of aeronautics, Giffard had already made history in 1852 with the first steam-powered airship. In 1878, he created a monumental captive balloon, secured to the ground by strong cables, capable of carrying several dozen passengers to an altitude of over 500 meters.
With a volume of approximately 25,000 m³, this giant balloon allowed the public to admire Paris from the sky—an experience that was exceptional and spectacular at the time. More than 40,000 ascents were made during the exhibition.
This technical achievement illustrates the 19th century’s enthusiasm for scientific innovation and marks an important milestone in the history of aerial navigation.
