Page last modified: January 11, 2024
understanding the book description page

Cinq Semaines en ballon
Voyage de découvertes en Afrique par trois Anglais. - 1863
(January 15, 1863)

Five Weeks in a Balloon - 1869

[Voyages Extraordinaires #1 - 1 Volume - L'Afrique]

Image used with permission from
Project Jules Verne Illustrations by Bernhard Krauth, www.jules-verne-club.de

Bibliographic
Reference
French
(J-M Margot)
Jules Verne
Encyclopedia
Myers
Bibliography
Galagher
Bibliography
 
CS
V001
M20
A6

Alternate English Titles:

    Five Weeks in a Balloon 
    5 Weeks in a Balloon

Plot Synopsis (courtesy of D. Kytasaari - http://epguides.com/djk/JulesVerne/works.shtml
Dr. Samuel Ferguson and his two associates (Dick Kennedy and Joe) venture to Zanzibar in Africa. It is Ferguson's intention to explore the part of Africa that the Barth and Burton and Speke expeditions were not able to reach. The method by which he will try to accomplish this task is unique, by using a balloon called the "Victoria". 

Before we get to the Book Collecting Information details on the First "MENTION" of Five Weeks in a Balloon in the English Media, AND a review/synopsis that appears BEFORE the publication of the book in English.

Discovered April 15, 2021 by Andrew Nash

************************************************

The first mention of Five Weeks in a Balloon, EVER, in the English press has now been identified as January 31, 1863, 5 years before the first assumed appearance in 1868!

AND the review, that was originally noted as 1st appearing in December, 1868, actually appeared, with credit to its Author, in October, 1863 (actually Sept 28, 1863)

All this information appears in the Summer 2021 edition of Voyages Extraordinaires
the Newsletter of the North American Jules Verne Society!

***************************************************

First English Press Mention
of 5 Weeks in a Balloon
1863, January 31

1st mention of Five Weeks in a Balloon, EVER in the English press

Five Weeks in a Balloon - mention
Public Opinion Magazine
Vol. III (3), No 71
1863, January 31

Appearing in the "Varieties" column, "Literary" section:

Andrew Nash Discovery

1863, February 4

So similar to above, probably uses Public Opinion as its source!!!

Five Weeks in a Balloon - mention
The Uttoxeter New Era, and General Advertiser
Wednesday February 4, 1863
Uttoxeter, Staffordshire, England

1863, September 26

Ad for October St James's magazine lists Five Weeks in a Balloon (synopsis) by Sir Lascelles Wraxall, Bart.

IN:

Saturday Review
Weekly Issue No. 413, Vol XVI (16)
September 26, 1863
Page 446

Andrew Nash Discovery

1863, Oct 11 - Ad "Ad-Promotion" in Lloyds Weekly Newspaper, Oct 11, 1863 - Page 8

Andrew Nash Discovery

1863, October (on newsstands September 28)
shown:
1863 Bound Volume, August-November, Vol VIII

Five Weeks in a Balloon - Synopsis, by Sir Lascelles Wraxall - Page 315
1863 (MDCCCLXIII), October (on newsstands Sept 28)
St James's Magazine
Published for the Proprietors by
W. Kent and Co., Paternoster Row
London
New York: Willmer & Roger

IN this appearance, the author of Five Weeks in a Balloon,
IS identified as M. Berne, as in the later 1868 appearance

Andrew Nash Discovery

Ed: The Five Weeks in a Balloon synopsis, that was originaly identified as appearing in 1868, with no author credited, actually first appeard in 1863 crediting the author as Sir Lascelles Wraxall

Collection Andrew Nash

1868
First English Review/Synopsis (U.K.).


Above is the ad from the The Daily News, London

Five weeks in a Balloon is No. 4 in the list of Contents.

The first english review/synopsis of Five Weeks in a Balloon (that appears in the entry below) refers to "The London" as the source for its review.

This entry is the information for that FIRST UK publication of the review/synopsis Five Weeks In A Balloon.

synopsis* to:
Five Weeks in a Balloon
IN: The London,
Issue No. 1 of a New Series (i.e. Vol. 2)
1868, Saturday October 31
London, England

An ad for this publication appeared in:
The Daily News (London, England)
October 28, 1868, Page 8
See ad to the left
(and the Page 1 Banner)
The same ad, also appeared in
the Pall Mall Gazette (London, England)
October 28 1868, Page 15

Here is the text of that ad:

On Saturday, October 31st, price Sixpence, No 1 of a New
Series of
THE LONDON
A first-class Monthly Magazine
Contents:

  1. Cupid Greybeard. A Story by Tm Hood
  2. The Cote du Nord. By a Five Years’ Resident.
  3. Some memories. By Blanchard Jerrold.
  4. Five Weeks In A Balloon
  5. Only a Tear. By W. H. C. Nation.
  6. Earthquakes
  7. Sensation Scenery. By J. Palgrave Simpson.
  8. The School for Ballet Girls.
  9. A Story. By J. T. Williams.
  10. Here and There.

--Office: 27, Tavistock-street, Strand

Adverts discovered by Andrew Nash, October 2018

In the British Library there is a listing:

    • Title: New series. no. 1.
    • Subjects: Periodical publications.- London
    • Publication Details: London, [1868]
    • Identifier: System number: 002847694
    • Related Titles: The London: a first-class magazine.
    • Physical Description: (8º); 8vo rdabf
    • Shelfmark(s): General Reference Collection P.P.6004.goa.
    • UIN: BLL01002847694

Listing found by Philip Hollaway

*Ed: I have been unable to view this issue of The London to verify that it contains "just" the review/synopsis of Five Weeks in a Balloon. Being a MONTHLY magazine, I seriously doubt that they would publish the entire book, in serial form. The research that I have done points to this being the same text as XXXXX and that in the Sartains.

The text will NOT be the translation by William Lackland but instead by "L.W." (MORE SOON!!!)

First English Review/Synopsis (U.S.)
1868



NOTE: This article is not really a "review" of Five Weeks in a Balloon, BUT a synopsis, that reads like the articles' author thinks the story reported by Jules Berne (Verne) was REAL, and he is surprised that the regular newspapers did not pick up the story. Because of this, the "review" is a FULL synopsis of the whole story, as IF it really took place!

synopsis to:
Five Weeks in a Balloon
appearing in:
Every Saturday; A Journal of Choice Reading
1868 (December 5, Vol. VI, No. 153, pp 717-721)
Fields, Osgood & Co.
Boston

NOTE:
The Reviewer says the story is reported by Jules Berne [sic]

Fields , Osgood is a predessor to the firm James R. Osgood

Ed: According to the Jules Verne Encyclopedia the foreign source for this review/synopsis is "The London"
I have been unable to verify where they got THAT information, as it does NOT seem to be mentioned IN "Every Saturday", that I can find!!!

Read the text of this synopsis here!

Here is the first bit:

.

.

.

Book Collecting Information
Hetzel Editions:
First UK
Editon:

Five Weeks in Balloon
1870 (June 1)
Chapman and Hall
London

illustrated with 64 illustrations
Blue (and Green?) Cloth

Here is a PDF of THIS books announcement

First US
Edition:
 


Cover Detail

***First appearance of a Jules Verne Book in the English Language - go here to see earlier English appearances of a Verne short story***

Five Weeks in a Balloon
1869 (February 20)
D. Appleton and Co.
New York

illustrated with 6 illustrations
Pictorial Green, Red or Brown Cloth


from The New York Times
Saturday, February 20, 1869, Page 5

NEW PUBLICATIONS.
--------------------------
NEW PUBLICATIONS.
READY THIS WEEK.
D. Appleton & Co.,
NOS. 90, 92 AND 94 GRAND ST.,
Publish this day:
I.
FIVE WEEKS IN A BALLOON; Or, JOURNEYS
AND DISCOVERIES IN AFRICA BY THREE ENGLISHMEN.
Compiled in French by Jules Verne, from the original
notes of Dr. Ferguson; and done into English by "William Lackland," expressly for D. Appleton &
Co. 1 vol., 12mo., 345 pp.
"Five Weeks in a Balloon: is, in a measure, a satire
on English books of African Travel. So far as the ge-
ography, the inhabitants, the animals, and the features
of the country are described, it is entirely accurate. It
is, in some particulars, a survey of the whole field of
African discovery, and in this way will often serve to
refersh the memory of the reader. The mode of loco-
motion is, of course, purely imaginary, and the inci-
dents and adventures fictitious. The latter are abun-
dantly amusing, and in view of the wonderful "travel=
ers' tales" with which wwe have been entertained by
African explorers. they can scarecely be considered
extravagant; while the ingenuity and invention of
the author will be sure to excite the surprise and even
the admiration of the reader."

Above Feb 20 ad discovered by Andrew Nash

As early as February 27, 1869, some newspapers listed Five Weeks in a Balloon, with the author being William Lackland!!!

The Burlington Free Press, Burlington, Vermont,
Page 2

Note: On March 13, 1869, The New York Times ran an ad for the Appleton book, but this time, it was accidently listed as Four Weeks in a Balloon, and the author as Jules VEME.
Above, is mentioned in the Jules Verne Encyclopedia
Ed Note: Must have had a bad day "type setting"!

Other books:
1871 UK serial Five Weeks in a Balloon
1871 (serial appearance)
The Youth's Play-Hour
UK
1873 Five Weeks in a Balloon
1873 (November 29)
James R. Osgood
Boston

this "most fully illusttrated American edition" actually has 48 illustrations, arranged on twelve pages in groups of four numbered images

1874 Five Weeks in a Balloon
1874
James R. Osgood
Boston

cover illustration same as the 1873 Osgood edition

1874

Five Weeks in a Balloon
1874
Sampson Low, Marston, Low and Searle
London

Second Edition

64 illustrations by Riou
48 pp of ads dated Oct 1873
indicates "Second edition" on title page in deference to the first edition that Chapman printed in 1870

nd - circa 1875/1878


Five Weeks in a Balloon
nd - inscribed 1883
Ward, Lock, and Tyler
Warwick House, Paternoster Row,
London

The Jules Verne Library

Images courtesy of Ross Newman

1876 - but Catalogue dated Aug. 1875


A Journey to the Centre of the Earth
& Five Weeks in a Balloon

1876 - August 1875 catalogue
George Routledge and Sons
London & New York

2 title pages, BOTH with 1876 date.

Only 2 illustrations, 1 next to each title page.

therefore a "Cheaper Edition"

1876 Double Volume

August 1875 Catalogue + another undated catalogue in the back

The August 1875 Catalogue titled "George Routledge & Sons Catalogue of A Thousand Juvenile Books"
Does NOT include this book in the catalogue

All but red Image courtesy of Andrew Cox Rare Books

and detailed information courtesy of Philip Hollaway

nd - Catalogue Dec 1876

Five Weeks in a Balloon
nd - catalogue Dec (1876?)
Weldon and Co.,
40, Bedford Street, Covent Garden
London

Weldon / Goubaud publishers information

The Jules Verne Library

Jules Verne's Wonder Books

The Daisy Books

Note: Weldon and Co, seems to have only published for a short time, Dec 1875 to 1876!?)

After that, the company "became" (was bought out?) by Goubaud, that sports the same address!

Images and information provied by Phil Hollaway

nd-estimate 1875/1876
Five Weeks in a Balloon
nd - prize label 1878
Weldon and Co.,
40, Bedford Street, Covent Garden
London

Weldon / Goubaud publishers information

same spine as above

This copy must be a deluxe issue, as it has Gilt edges

Images and information provied by Phil Hollaway

1876

Five Weeks in a Balloon
1876
George Routledge and Sons
London

Every Boys Library

image courtesy Mike Vis

1876

Journey to the Centre of the Earth and
Five Weeks in a Balloon

1876
George Routledge and Sons
London and New York

Jules Verne Yellowback

2 title pages, the first containing BOTH titles, and the 2nd just Five Weeks ...

Images courtesy of Andrew Cox Rare Books

1876
Wonderful Travels
Containing:
A Voyage to the Centre of the Earth and
Five Weeks in a Balloon

1876
Ward, Lock and Tyler
London

Jules Verne Yellowback

6 colour plates

Images courtesy of Andrew Cox Rare Books

nd?

Wonderful Travels
Containing:
A Voyage to the Centre of the Earth and
Five Weeks in a Balloon

nd?
Ward. Lock. and Tyler. (on cover)
Ward, Lock & Co., Warwick House, (inside on Title page)
Dorset Buildings, Salisbury Square, E.C.
London

Jules Verne Yellowback

6 colour plates ?

Spine different from above

Image courtesy of Jonathan Frost Rare Books Ltd.


Five Weeks in a Balloon
1876
George Routledge and Sons
London and New York

also inscribed 1877

Every Boy's Library

Jules Verne Yellowback

Images courtesy of Andrew Cox Rare Books

nd-circa 1875-1878
Five Weeks in a Balloon
nd-circa 1875-1878
Ward, Lock and Tyler
Paternoster Row
London

Ward, Lock & Tyler - Yellowback

1877
Five Weeks in a Balloion
1877
J B Lippincott
Philadelphia
1877 Five Weeks in a Balloon
(1877)
Goubaud & Son
London

The Jules Verne Library as "the Daisy Books"

nd-1877


Voyage to the Centre of the Earth and
Five Weeks in a Balloon

nd-circa 1877 (by ads)
Goubaud & Son
39 Bedford St, Covent Garden, W.C.
London

Weldon / Goubaud publishers information

dark green cloth with gilt titles

The Jules Verne Library

publisher's adverts

Journey (as on title page)-179pp + 1p advert
Five-222pp + 14pp adverts

1877
Five Weeks in a Balloon
1877 (September 20)
G. Munro
New York

Seaside Library, No. 68
28 pp, 1 illustration

1879
Five Weeks in a Balloon
1879
Sampson Low
London

Cheaper Edition

nd - circa 1878 /1879

The Wonderful Travellers:
Containing: A Journey into the Interior of the Earth
& Five Weeks in a Balloon

nd-circa 1878/1879
Ward, Lock & Co., Warwick House
Dorset Buildings, Salisbury Square, E. C.
London

OR
Ward, Lock and Co.,
London: Warwick House, Salisbury Square, E.C.
New York: Bond Streeet.

The Family Gift Series

Some Images courtesy of Philip Hollaway

1879


Five Weeks in a Balloon
1879
George Routledge and Sons
Broadway, Ludgate Hill
London
416 Broome Street
New York

Every Boys Library

1881

Five Weeks in a Balloon
1881
John Wurtle Lovell
New York

the only thing unique about this book, is that instead of the publisher listed as:

John W Lovell

it is listed as

John Wurtele Lovell

Many of Lovells books around 1880 1881 were identified like this

Five Weeks in a Balloon
nd (circa 1880)
Sampson Low, Marston, Searle & Rivington Ltd
London

Jules Verne's Works
Low's Authorized & Illustrated Edition

nd (circa 1880) 
Five Weeks in a Balloon
nd (circa 1880)
Sampson Low
London

"Pears Soap" Edition - Plain

Five Weeks in a Balloon
nd (circa 1880)
Sampson Low
London

"Pears Soap" Edition - Banner

Five Weeks in a Balloon
nd
Ward Lock
London

Jules Verne Library

nd-inscr 1883
Five Weeks in a Balloon
nd-inscribed 1883
Hurst & Co
New York
1884
Five Weeks in a Balloon
1884
Sampson Low Marston Searle & Rivington
London

Authors Illustrated Edition

nd (circa 1885)

Five Weeks in a Balloon
nd (circa 1885)
American News Co
New York 

Peoples Edition
Gray, Brown and Red shown
Note: one inscribed 1890
also with publisher American Publishing Co.

Five Weeks in a Balloon
nd-1886?
George Routledge
London

Jules Verne Library

1887
Five Weeks in a Balloon
1887
Worthington and Co
New York

Franklin Edition


Five Weeks in a Balloon

Franklin Edition, circle

1887
Five Weeks in a Balloon
1887
Pollard and Moss
New York

Five Weeks in a Balloon
nd-ad1887
J B Lippincott
Philadelphia
nd
Five Weeks in a Balloon
nd
Richard Butterworth and Co
London
1888

Five Weeks in a Balloon
1888
Sampson Low Marston Searle & Rivington
London

Authors Illustrated Edition

1889
Five Weeks in a Balloon
1889 (from ads)
George Routledge
London

Every Boy's Library

paperback

nd (inscr 1889)
Five Weeks in a Balloon
nd (inscr1889)
Butler Bros
New York & Chicago
nd (circa 1890)


Five Weeks in a Balloon
nd (circa 1890) - also bookplate 1905
Sampson Low 
London

New and Cheaper Edition

Love the Brilliance of the cover

nd (circa 1890)
Five Weeks in a Balloon
nd circa 1890
Hurst and Co
New York 

Arlington Edition

nd (circa 1890)

Five Weeks in a Balloon
nd
William L Allison Company
New York

Arundel Edition

nd (circa 1890)
Five Weeks in a Balloon
nd (circa 1890)

Penny Popular Novels, #24

Five Weeks in a Balloon
nd (circa 1890)
Librairie Larousse
13-17 rue Montparnasse,
Paris 6e

Actually:
Stead's Publishing House
39 Whitefriars Street, E.C.
London

The Librairie Larousse info is on a sticker, stuck on the front page and on the title page. Under the sticker on the title page is the Stead's Information.

Stead's Library
Penny Popular Tales

Collection Andrew Nash

1892
Five Weeks in a Baloon (sic)
1892
R Worthington
New York

note baloon mispelled

Five Weeks in a Balloon
nd
Ward, Lock & Bowden
London

Victorian Verne Vignette Series

Image courtesy of Andrew Cox Rare Books

nd-inscribed 1893
Five Weeks in a Balloon
nd-inscribed
Ward, Lock, Bowden & Co.
London, New York, Melbourne

Images courtesy of Andrew Cox Rare Books

1893


Five Weeks in a Balloon
1893
Sampson Low
London

Authors Illustrated Edition
190 pp

Pears Soap Edition

nd (inscribed 1893)
Five Weeks in a Balloon &
Journey to the Centre of the Earth

nd (inscribed 1893)
Hutchinson and Co
London
nd-inscr 1896

Five Weeks in a Balloon
and Journey to the Centre of the Earth

nd-inscribed 1896
Hutchinson & Co.
25, Paternoster Square
London

Images courtesy of Andrew Cox Rare Books

nd - circa 1900

The Wonderful Travels
containing:
Around the World, Five Weeks, and Journey to the Interior
nd (seen with 1900 Prize plate)
Ward, Lock & Co., Limited,
Warwick House, Salisbury Square, E. C.
London
New York and Melbourne

Part of a 5 Volume Set, with Henry Austin Illustrations

3 B+W Illustrations by Henry Austin (incl Frontice)

The Fronticepiece image is replicated on the cover

Five Weeks in a Balloon
nd-Book Plate 1905
Sampson Low
London

Green - New and Cheaper!


Jules Verne different from above 1899 dated edition

352 pages

nd (inscr 1907)
Five Weeks in a Balloon
nd-inscribed 1907
Chatterton Peck Co
New York
nd (circa 1912)
Five Weeks in a Balloon
nd (circa 1912)
Sampson Low
London

Art Deco Style

nd 
Five Weeks in a Balloon
nd
Ward Lock and Co
London 

Jules Verne Series (Sea Serpent)

nd

Five Weeks in a Balloon
nd
George Routledge and Sons Limited
London

& E F Dutton & Co.
New York

Torch Series

nd - circa 1914 to 1916
.
Gilt Title on Spine

Five Weeks in a Balloon
nd-circa 1914 to 1916
Sampson Low, Marston & Company,
Limited
London and Edinburgh

Authors Copyright Edition

Colour Onion Dome / Taj Mahal Cover

nd - circa 1916 to 1920

Black Title on Spine

Five Weeks in a Balloon
nd-circa 1917
Sampson Low, Marston & Company,
Limited
London and Edinburgh

Authors Copyright Edition

Colour Onion Dome / Taj Mahal Cover

nd (circa 1920)
Five Weeks in a Balloon
nd
Ward Lock
London

Wisteria Cover

nd (circa 1920)

Five Weeks in a Balloon
nd (circa 1920)
Sampson Low
London

Plain Outline Big Ship Cover

Five Weeks in a Balloon
nd
Sampson Low
London

Small Ship Cover

1921
Five Weeks in a Balloon
1921
Ward Lock and Co Limnited
London and Melbourne

DJ Shown too!

nd
Five Weeks in a Balloon
nd
Ward Lock and Co
London
1935
Five Weeks in a Balloon
nd (inscribed 1935)
Sampson Low
London 

Dust Wrapper Shown

nd
Cover

Title Page:

Five Weeks in a Ballon
nd
Haldeman-Julius Company
Girard, Kansas

On the title page:
An Abridged Translation of Jules Verne's
Stirring Romance by
Charles J. Finger

Little Blue Book
Pocket Series No. 482
Edited by E. Haldeman-Julius

1954
Five Weeks in a Balloon
1954
Didier Publishers
New York 

Shown with Dustjacket

1959
Editor: When I created the Fitzroy Checklist (PDF) I determined that there was NO "Bernard Hanison" ONLY publication, and that only the "Bernard Hanison WITH ARCO Publications" existed.
MY copy is "Bernard Hanison WITH ARCO Publications" and the Spine HAS an Arco Logo (See entry below)
I FOUND this image of Five Weeks, with a Bernard Hanison Spine Logo!
is ONLY the DJ Different or is there a TRUE Bernard Hanison example!?

Five Weeks in a Balloon
1959
Bernard Hanison
London 

253 pages

Fitzroy Edition

Base of Dustjacket Spine - BH (in circle) & Bernard Hanison

1959
Five Weeks in a Balloon
1959
ARCO Publications with Bernard Hanison
London 

253 pages

Opposite title page, a list of "First Titles" (3)
and "In preparation" (9 titles including Abandoned not published seperately)

Copyright 1959 by Arco Publications

Back of Dustjacket ad for The Fitzroy Edition of Jules Verne
ARCO PUBLICATIONS
with
BERNARD HANISON
29 Great Portland Street, London, W.1.

Fitzroy Edition
Dustjacket unclipped 12s 6d net

Base of Dustjacket Spine - AP (in circle) & ARCO PUBLICATIONS (in rectangle)

Collection Andrew Nash

1959
Five Weeks in a Balloon
(1959)
Associated Booksellers
Westport, Conn. 

Fitzroy Edition
Dustjacket

1958
Five Weeks in a Balloon
1958
W G Bebbington
London

Shown in Dustjacket

2015
Edition Magnifique certificate zoom

Five Weeks in a Balloon
Wesleyan University Press
2015
Middletown, Conn

First complete English translation of Verne’s debut novel from 1863

Early Classics of Science Fiction Series

Contents of this volume:
396 pages
81 illustrations

  • Introduction: Verne Takes Off
  • Five Weeks in a Balloon: Journey of Discovery by Three Englishmen in Africa (translated by Frederick Paul Walter)
  • Notes on the Translation
  • Gallery of Heroes
  • Notes
  • Bibliogrpahy
  • Jules Gabriel Verne: A Biography
  • About the Contributors

ISBN-10: 081957547X
ISBN-13: 978-0819575470 (Hardcover Buy from Amazon )

Collection Andrew Nash

Selected French Editions

1952
Cinq Semaines en Ballon
1952
Hachette
France

Bibliotheque Verte
dustjacket shown

Uncatalogued:

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