Description
- A unique hand-drawn cartoon sketch by Alexander Graham Bell, the inventor of the telephone.
Alexander Graham Bell (1847 – 1922) was a Scottish-born inventor, scientist and engineer.
In 1867 he designed and patented the world's first telephone, which revolutionised global communication and changed the world.
In 1885 he co-founded the American Telephone and Telegraph Company (AT&T).
His work also included a pioneering visual speech systems for the deaf, and numerous breakthroughs in the field of aviation.
Today Bell is celebrated as one of the most important figures in the history of technology.
This unique cartoon sketch was a gift from Bell to his protege, the Canadian inventor and aviation pioneer Frederick Walker 'Casey' Baldwin.
The pair met in 1906, and in 1907 they founded the Aerial Experiment Association (AEA).
In March 1908 Baldwin made history when he became the first Canadian and British subject to pilot an aeroplane.
Bell and Baldwin also designed several experimental hydrofoil boats, and in 1919 Baldwin set a world water speed record in his own HD-4 hydrofoil.
After Bell passed away in 1922, Baldwin became the director of Graham Bell Laboratories and continued his mentor's work.
The sketch is on a single sheet measuring 5” by 7”.
At the top Bell titles it “Ye great new invention of F.W.B” (Frederick Walker Baldwin).
And below he draws a humorous cartoon, inspired by the pair's hydrofoil designs.
A drowning figure calls for help, and another rides in to the rescue. But the vehicle malfunctions, throwing the rider into the water, and both began to sink.
At the bottom Bell writes “To be continued...” and dates it “Nov. 19, 1921”.
He also signs it fondly with the initials “H.A.L” which stand for H.A. Largelamb - an anagram of Graham Bell.
(The same pen name he used to write articles for National Geographic Magazine.)
The sketch has been expertly restored, mounted and framed with a photograph of Bell.
The final display measures 19.5 by 16 inches.
A truly unique piece of scientific history from one of the world's greatest inventors.
Provenance: ex Stanley Gibbons.
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