I didn’t expect we’d get a magic carpet in this year’s aviation story, but when this came up, it was too good to miss! Obviously a fantasy, but really no more so than some credible seeming flights of fancy seen elsewhere in this selection.

A fantastic illustration by Winsor McCay, showing master penmanship and an ability to use an unusual angle of view very powerfully. Posted by John Gandour‎ in the Golden Age of Illustration Group on Facebook here, where Richard Berenson notes that “The original is in the Permanent Collection of the Museum of Illustration at the Society of Illustrators.” More of his work at auction seen here. Winsor is of course well known in childrens’ illustration for Little Nemo and the animated film Gertie the Dinosaur (1914).

James Kightly, Vintage Aero Writer.