Fragment of Muslin Fabric from 1903 Wright Flyer

01

Artifact Overview

Wilbur and Orville Wright covered the wings of their 1903 Wright Flyer airplane with unbleached muslin cloth. The tightly woven cotton fabric -- sold under the brand name "Pride of the West" -- was strong, flexible, and lightweight. This fragment is said to be from the original muslin used on the Flyer during its historic first flight of December 17, 1903.

Artifact Details

Artifact

Fragment (Object portion)

Date Made

1903

Location

On Loan - Richard Nixon Presidential Library & Museum

Object ID

2014.2.1

Credit

From the Collections of The Henry Ford. Gift of Stephen Wright and Amanda Wright Lane.

Material

Muslin
Wood (Plant material)
Glass (Material)

Dimensions

Height: 18 in
Width: 18 in
Length: 1.75 in

Inscriptions

On plaque: This muslin fabric is from the wing/ of the Wright Flyer I, which flew on / 17 December 1903./ Donated to the Henry Ford/ Museum by Shinola Detroit and/ the Wright Family.