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Author
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Topic: Armstrong autograph at Chaucer Auctions
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NicDavies
Member Posts: 56
From: Tobermory, Argyll, Scotland
Registered: Jan 2019
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posted 10-10-2022 08:13 AM
   
Interesting Neil Armstrong autograph up for sale in a couple of days; property of a London taxi driver who transported Armstrong in 1970. |
Jonnyed
Member Posts: 576
From: Dumfries, VA, USA
Registered: Aug 2014
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posted 10-12-2022 06:40 PM
Hhmmm?!... the Apollo 11 crew was in London to visit the Queen in October of 1969, NOT 1970. Is this taxi driver claiming that Armstrong was subsequently in London during 1970 for some reason (anyone know?) and he drove him around? Some layover or perhaps speaking engagement? 1969 vs. 1970 seems like a problem without further info. Also, not sure what the Aug. 2022 handwritten-piece accomplishes except for providing "a story." Could be true but also could have been fabricated by anyone. I have a lot of skepticism and it would be nice to see a photo of the other side of the paper with the "credit jobs." Signature almost looks too good for being over 50 years old and no explanation of how it was preserved. Could be a true, quaint story but sure starts out with some questions doesn't it? |
hbw60
Member Posts: 291
From:
Registered: Aug 2018
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posted 10-13-2022 02:34 AM
Personally, I think it's probably authentic. It's true that the Apollo 11 World Tour was in 1969, not 1970. But the letter never states that the entire crew was present, or that Neil was planning to see the queen. He states that he was simply taking him to a hotel.If this was purported to have been signed in 1969, I'd actually trust it far less. I can't imagine Neil hailing a taxi at any point during the tour, which was so tightly scheduled and so highly managed. So it'd make a lot more sense for Neil to be taking a cab during a personal trip the following year. Also, it looks like an absolutely perfect example of his signature to me. The little flair at the end is atypical, but the signature and handwriting look spot-on to me. I agree that the letter is more of a nice anecdote than it is a hard piece of evidence for authenticity. But with a Zarelli COA on top of that, I think it's a really lovely set for a really good price. |
Rick Mulheirn
Member Posts: 4490
From: England
Registered: Feb 2001
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posted 10-13-2022 04:37 AM
I am not involved with the sale of this piece in any way, but I would not attach any great significance to the date of the signing. It is my understanding that Neil visited the UK on a regular basis. On his passing a friend of Neil's commented… "Neil typically visited the UK a couple of times a year."For what it's worth, in my opinion the signature looks legit. |
stsmithva
Member Posts: 2059
From: Fairfax, VA
Registered: Feb 2007
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posted 10-13-2022 04:57 AM
I looked around a little, and Armstrong visited the Soviet Union in May of 1970, and Germany in August of that year. I didn't find mention of a stop in England, but there is a 1970 BBC interview with Patrick Moore. I don't have time to watch the whole thing now, but it looks like it was filmed in England.
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OWL
Member Posts: 189
From: United Kingdom
Registered: Aug 2007
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posted 10-13-2022 10:26 AM
The story could well be true. I used to have an office at a former secret RAF research base at Twinwoods Bedfordshire. I donated some funds to the Historical society, which was run by a couple of senior engineers that worked at the base. They told me that Neil Armstrong was test flying some aircraft there in 1970 whilst with NASA and then showed me photos of him at the base. Bedford is very close to London so the story seems quite plausible. In my opinion on the evidence of the photo the signature looks good. |
tlifan2
Member Posts: 54
From: Palm Coast, Florida
Registered: Feb 2014
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posted 10-13-2022 07:53 PM
The autograph looks authentic to me. I compared it to the one Neil graciously signed for me and they look very similar. |
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