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Our October 2010 exhibition showcases a large group of original photographs of the 1909 Reims meeting.

This was the first international meeting in the history of aviation and was organized by Marquis de Polignac and the Aero Club de France. The first Gordon Bennett Cup for airplanes was also held at Betheny during this historical meeting.





Start
Out of about 100 "pilots" interested in taking part in the meeting, only 25 were actually able to register with a machine actually able to fly. Each pilot could present more than one airplane, so the total number of airplanes registered for the meeting was about 40. Most of the famous early pilots including Wright, Santos Dumont and Bleriot, are present although some had to withdraw before the meeting. This first international meeting was a success proving the reliability and speed of airplanes over balloons. The main winners were Curtiss who won the Gordon Bennett Cup, Latham who won the altitude competition and Farman who won the distance competition.




A new exhibition is added every 2 to 3 months, depending on our inventory and new acquisitions.
The subjects we plan to showcase next are the French Second Empire and World War II Japanese propaganda photos.


PAST EXHIBITS:


Anonymous... and Small... - July/August 2010

James Robertson: Türkiye’de fotografin öncüleri - April 2010

Le Mont-Blanc: Tourisme et Photographie - January 2010

Les Freres Seeberger: Regard sur la France de l'Entre-deux-guerres - November 2009

19th Century Photographers Business Cards - September 2009

Vieilles Tiges & Aeronauts Autographs - July 2009

Droles d'Oiseaux ~ Silly Birds - April 2009

Floral and Botanical Still Life - January 2009

Vienna Aristocracy in Charity Play - Atelier Adele

Jules Richard, Jean Agelou - La Magie du Relief

Charles A. Lindbergh, the Lone Eagle in Belgium

Early Theatre Portrait Gallery - December 2007

Dialogue de Sourds - October 2007

Flying Pioneers: Pre-WWI Aviation - July/August 2007

Early Operatic Portrait Gallery - May 2007

French Aeronaut in Pre-Soviet Russia - March 2007

Childhood on the Lower East Side - January 2007

Racing Driver Memories, 1909-1913 - November 2006

French intervention in Mexico, 1862-1867 - September 2006








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