Balloon Style B3

B3 - The First Replica

        Leather Balloon

This balloon is a replica of an actual hot air balloon, the more distant balloon as shown in the photo on the right.  The photo you see in the image is the photo from which I derived The Leather Balloon logo.

The first leather balloon of this style was completed August 16, 2018, and is the first balloon replica I had made.  Each gore has a tooled line down the center, giving the effect of twice as many gores than there actually are.  Semi-gores are painted a pattern of black, gold, black, red.  

The envelope and the gondola are hand-stitched.

The balloon is approximately 6 ¾” from the bottom of the skirt to the top of the dome cap.  The gondola and cage measure 2” high, and are suspended by 4 riggings that are 1” long.  Therefore, the total height of the balloon is approximately 9 ¾”.  The envelope is 5” wide at the equator.

The entire balloon is suspended by 5 strands of stretchy cord which is 2 ¾” relaxed, and 3 ¼” with the weight of the balloon.

The entire stand is 24 ¾” tall.  The base is of redwood and cherry wood.