This issue of Scientific American dates to July 8, 1911, during the magazine's 67th year of publication. The cover photograph shows an aerial view of Leipzig as seen from the Parseval III, a German semi-rigid airship developed by Major August von Parseval. The Parseval airships were notable in the pre-WWI era for their practical military and civilian applications across Europe, making this image a genuinely significant document of early aviation history.

Interior advertising highlights articles on aviation theory, the Wright Aeroplane, Louis Bleriot and his aircraft, the Farman Biplane, and the Santos-Dumont Monoplane. A back-page ad promotes Grover Cleveland Loening's newly published "Monoplanes and Biplanes," a foundational aeronautical text. The issue shows honest wear consistent with 114 years of age, with intact pages and readable content throughout. Published by Munn and Co., 361 Broadway, New York, at 10 cents per copy.