1915 Rare Book - The Invisible War-Plane: A Tale of Air Adventure, Illustrated

Author: Claude Grahame-White and Harry Harper. Illustrated by John de G. Bryan.
Title: The Invisible War-Plane: A Tale of Air Adventure in the Great Campaign.
Publisher: London, Glasgow and Bombay, Blackie and Son Limited, circa 1915.
Language: Text in English.
Size: 7.5 × 5 inches.
Pages: 272 pages.
Binding: Attractive and very good original publisher’s decorated cloth binding featuring a striking early aviation scene printed in color on the upper cover and spine. Gilt lettering to the spine (hinges fine, overall slightly scuffed - as shown) under a protective removable mylar cover. A bright and appealing example of this visually distinctive early aviation binding.
Content: Very good content (bright, tight and clean, rare light foxing and toning - as shown). A contemporary ownership inscription appears on the front endpaper reading “James K. Matton – Christmas 1915.” 
Illustrations: Illustrated with six dramatic black-and-white plates by John de G. Bryan depicting aerial combat scenes, airships, and early warplanes. The illustrations vividly capture the atmosphere of early twentieth-century aviation and wartime aerial encounters. Complete

Estimate: (USD 150–200).

The book: The Invisible War-Plane is an imaginative early aviation adventure set against the backdrop of the First World War, written at a time when powered flight was still a relatively new and rapidly evolving technology. The novel follows the dramatic exploits surrounding a mysterious experimental aircraft whose revolutionary capabilities promise to transform aerial warfare.

Blending suspense, technological speculation, and wartime adventure, the story reflects the fascination of the early twentieth century with aviation’s potential both for exploration and for combat. Airships, biplanes, aerial duels, and experimental flying machines populate the narrative, capturing the excitement and uncertainty of a moment when the future of flight was still largely unknown.

Published during the Great War, the book belongs to a fascinating genre of early aviation fiction that attempted to imagine the future of aerial combat. Today it offers readers both an entertaining adventure and a historical glimpse into how writers and engineers of the era envisioned the rapidly advancing world of flight.

The authors: Claude Grahame-White (1879–1959) was one of Britain’s pioneering aviators and a major figure in the early development of aviation. A celebrated pilot, engineer, and aviation entrepreneur, he gained international recognition during the first decade of the twentieth century for his daring flights and his efforts to promote the practical uses of aircraft. Grahame-White also wrote extensively about aviation, helping popularize flight at a time when it still captured the public imagination.

Harry Harper (1880–1960) was a British aviation journalist, historian, and novelist who specialized in writing about the rapidly evolving world of flight. Through his books and articles, Harper played an important role in documenting the early years of aviation and communicating its possibilities to a wider audience.