Vintage semi-glossy 8.5 x 6.5 silver gelatin photo of Roald Amundsen in a half-length pose as he appeared at Spitsbergen, Norway before the start of the flight over the North Pole in 1926, signed in green fountain pen. The reverse bears a copyright stamp and press caption sheet. In very good to fine condition, with light rippling and trimmed edges. Encapsulated in a PSA/DNA authentication holder.
In 1926, Amundsen and a team of other explorers flew over the North Pole in a dirigible named Norge. The expedition left Spitsbergen on May 11, 1926, with a crew that included Amundsen and the Italian aeronautical engineer Umberto Nobile, the designer of the craft, which was the first airship to be specifically built for Arctic conditions. The airship was 106 meters long and had a capacity of 19,000 cubic meters of hydrogen gas. It was equipped with three engines and could travel at a speed of up to 100 kilometers per hour. The Norge's journey across the Arctic took three days, during which the crew encountered harsh weather conditions, including snowstorms and high winds. On May 12, the Norge crossed the North Pole, making Amundsen and his team the first people to fly over the pole. The crew then continued their journey, landing in Alaska the following day. The flight was a significant achievement in the history of polar exploration and a major milestone in the development of aviation technology.
