Kitecraft

Charles M. Miller

Reprint of scarce 1911 First Edition

Gustav's Library Vintage Reprint

This is a  reprint of the original 1911 first edition of Charles M. Miller book;  Kitecraft & Kite Tournaments. 

This isn't a subject that one sees very often from this early period.  It was published a mere 7 years after the Wright Brothers first powered flight!  This Manual Arts book discusses model aeroplanes, hot air balloons, gliders and kites with many designs that are definitiely inspired by the Arts and Crafts movement .

Kites were a big thing in my childhood and since I came along a little later in my family's life I had a lot of uncles and aunts who were born in the early years of the 20th century.  I can still remember my Aunt Emma telling me how to make a parachute messenger for my kite in the early 1960's.  None of my classmates at school had ever heard of these and pretty soon everyone was sending them up and seeing how far they would go when released from a couple of hundred feet in the air. 

It's amazing how much knowlege can be lost over a period of less than fifty years!

The  rubber band powered model aeroplanes are pretty interesting and there are even geared ones that can use multiple strands of rubber for longer flights.   Hot air balloons are described as well as gliders.  All in all, this is quite an enjoyable and instructive book and is quite scarce. 

Softbound, approximately 6" x 8", page perfect bound book is printed on smooth, heavyweight paper to best display the many diagrams and illustrations..  $14.95    

Charles M. Miller

Arts & Crafts Designs 

Aerial photography in 1911? You bet ... from a kite!

Designs for hot air balloons

 

Fancy messengers ... just like Aunt Emma told me about!

Model planes  of 1911

Bird kites

 

 

Gliders

It's mentioned that young ladies would participate in kite tournaments as well!

That reel will hold a few yards of string!