Shimmering Hot Air Balloon Glass Ornament

With a playful nod to one of France’s most eccentric souls - Gaspard-Félix Tournachon - this Shimmering Hot Air Balloon Glass Ornament seems ready to float among the clouds! A contemporary and close friend of bohemian writers, artists, composers and philosophers alike, Tournachon - given the nickname Tournader (and later Nadar) by his friends, was fully immersed at the intersection of art and science in late 19th century Paris. Alternately artist, journalist, photography, inventor, showman and adventurer, Nadar became an avid photographer in the early days of the medium photography and combined this with an obsession of air balloon technology to pioneer the art of aerial photography over the skies of Paris.

After years of hitching a ride to capture grand aerial shots, Nadar commissioned the world's largest hot air balloon, his own 196-foot floating ship named Le Géant.  He traveled extensively (and ostentatiously) with as many as a dozen passengers at one time, becoming a close confidante of Jules Verne and later the inspiration for the writer's Five Weeks in a Balloon and From The Earth to The Moon.

Ready to indulge your own flights of fancy, this gleaming ornament has been produced with a golden mirror-like finish that brilliantly reflects ambient light and color. Each balloon tops a golden-hued passenger basket and casts a unique glow. With its exuberant and celebratory presence, this romantic balloon ornament is sure to bring the spirit of innovation and grand adventure to your tree.

9"L x 4" in diameter. Each ornament has a unique reflective surface that varies in tone. Please allow us to select one especially for you.