Provenance: Previously in the Hornby Collection. Bathyany Theodore Count Theodore Bathyany is described as a technician. His dates are uncertain but he was already active in the latter part of the 18th century. It is recorded that on September 17, 1797, the Bathyany Boat, was all the talk in Vienna. Count Bathyany's deepest interest was for all matters relating to technical discoveries. He was also a connoisseur and enjoyed working. I-Iis primary concern was to be useful to his country' s industry and to this end he would be capable of spending large amounts of money. For a long time he worked on the idea of an engine which would be able to go up the river without oars, nor anything else of the sort. As early as 1793, he was granted a privilege for 20 years towards an engine that would sail up the river. This was given the name of "New Royal Privilege. Ship Construction and Navigation Company ". The inauguration trip Look place on the Danube close to Brigitte Nau. The event attracted large crowds as everyone in the area came to admire the new technological wonder. When the engine started into motion without the slightest difficulty, wild applause rose from the crowd. The celebrated geographer and writer Max Baron de Liechtenstein is said to have had a part in this experiment. This account was written by Mr. Frantz Graffer in Vienna in 1846; he failed, however, to report both the outcome of this event and what happened later. Ref.! Text Die Griift llatthyaszisclae Waffernzafclaine, Wiener Dofenstiide, published in German in the Dictionary of 1856.