Volume One Number One 1911

Griffith, Van M. (editor)

Aviation Vol 1 No 1 January 1911 [ includes Official Report of Los Angeles Meet ]

Los Angeles, California: Aviation Publishing Co. 1911. First Edition. 28 pages plus wrappers. 6 3/4 x 9 3/4 inches. Stapled printed wrappers. Image of Hubert Latham on the front cover. Advertising contract laid in, stamp on rear (blank) cover telling readers to "Advertise in AVIATION if you wish the trade of the Pacific Coast" Covers soiled, rear cover foreedge chewed (no loss of text, marginal). Corners chipped. fair. Wraps. [27678]


An exceedingly rare publication which lasted as far as we know for only 11 issues. OCLC notes the California Historical Society has 11 issues (Jan-Nov). Seattle Public Library has May 1911. The publication was the organ of the Aero Club of California.

In addition to reporting on the LA Meet of 1911, there is an article on the necessity of studying air currents for the purposes of aviation, and various other reports. Includes several pages of advertising as well.

Editor Van Griffith was the son of notorious industrialist "Griffith Jenkins Griffith" who shot his wife (but did not kill her) and served two years in prison for the crime. The elder Griffith was very generous to Los Angeles, donating a large swath of land for Griffith Park. He also in 1912 designated 100 acres of the park, at its northeast corner along the Los Angeles River, be used to "do something to further aviation". The Griffith Park Aerodrome was the result. Aviation pioneers such as Glenn L. Martin and Silas Christoffersen used it, and the aerodrome passed to the National Guard Air Service. (wiki)

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