posted 06-16-2002 12:37 PM               

quote:

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Originally posted by Alan:
Could we put our digital photos of our personal collection somewhere on these collectspace webpages ?

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Its an idea I have considered, though for now I would encourage anyone interested in displaying their collection to register with (at least) one of the free hosts (i.e. Yahoo Geocities) and start their own website. Basic HTML is not hard to learn (it should not take more than a day of playing around) and the more sites which exist to display space memorabilia, the more chance we have to attract new collectors.

posted 06-16-2002 03:02 PM            

I think that might be cool so people could say, "look how cool I am" without being as tedious as setting up and (more so) maintaining a website.

posted 06-16-2002 03:13 PM               

Most of my signed photos are in photo sleeves, in a three-ring binder. That's the easy part. Some of the more "unusal" photos I have matted and framed, like Aldrin's character from the Recess caroon, or Massimino in an M-113 APC, or Gordon's Gemini EVA on the Agena....

I have a few framed things - not archival framed, as that would be too expensive. Mostly what I liked to do is take a few pieces and make a display with them (the first vacant building in Seaside that someone's willing to lend me, I'm moving more collection there!) Like I have a Mission 61H photo (or perhaps it's a Mission 61MT crew photo, since it's only of the main crew, no PSs), signed by Blaha and Coats, framed with a ISP of Sudarmono and a smaller SP of Wood, along with a write-up of the mission and a STS-29 patch (since most of the crew transferred there.) Other highlights:

framed NASA/Snoopy patches;

an Enterprise display, with a poster of Enterprise in flight, the square ALT patch, two parking passes and an autopenned crews photo;

a 51L display, with the crew and TIS patch, a Press landing pass (_not_ the one marked sample!), a parking pass, news media credential and photo authorization card. I also have, separately, the TDRS-B and Spartan Halley patches and a Chix in Space patch;

a Moron AB Shuttle Support Team patch on top of a photocopy of an STS-31R flight plan page listing the landing fields for the shuttle;

letters thanking me for donations to the Michigan Space and Science Center and Cradle of Aviation Museums;

a display entitled "Flights of Fancy: Missions That Never Were" containing an STS-3 parking pass for the landing at Edwards, signed by the crew (including a "We landed at White Sands to avoid a water landing" from Lousma); a 51D original crew decal (Jarvis-Walker); a 51E original original crew decal (orbiter Challenger, crew of 6 with Baudry no Garn); an STS-101 and -85 crew patches with the original crews (I'll have to add the STS-88 and STS-86 no apron patches); and an STS-70 Woody Woodpecker patch);

a photo of the STS-7 Challenger shadowboxed with a piece of tile from the vehicle;

another shadowbox with a largely intact (roughly 8x8) low-temp tile, unknown as to orbiter or if flown (it is marked "scrap")

and two of my articles on astronaut appearances, framed with letters of thanks for the articles and photos;

And that's just some of my collection!

posted 06-16-2002 03:45 PM               

So, I'm sort of holding off creating any type of display for another 10 years or so. Then I think my new hobby will be creating a "home museum" with museum quality displays, motion detector lighting, the whole works.

posted 06-17-2002 10:01 AM               

I have framed many pieces. As Doctor Hanson advises I have placed them in a dark area of my study and framed them with UV protected glass by the name of Denglass (it is non-glare too). I have one particular piece that I mounted in UV coated archival mylar, UV protected plexiglass and then under Denglass.

I have tried to frame or mount the pieces in some historical context. The above mentioned piece (a modern map) was mounted in a shadowbox with two antique maps so I could difference during the intervening time period.

Any unmounted or unframed pieces are placed in a locked curio cabinet for viewing. I want the various artifacts out for people to see, but not touch.

Larry McGlynn

posted 06-20-2002 08:30 PM               

First off, thanks to Robert for hosting and doing such a great job with this site. I worked for about two years at the Museum of Flight in Seattle and contacted Robert whenever we had space related events so he could post them on this site. I have to say that many of the additional opportunities to meet the early pioneers of space have come from information on this site - so Robert - thanks again.

So what do I do with my stuff? Display it! Most of my collection is in lighted glass display cabinets in my suburban home. My nickname for the place is "The Newport Way Air Museum" since that is exactly the decor I am going for. Quite a few years ago I realized what a pleasure it is to travel to new areas and visit the local air & space museums, and I've now been to over 50. I realized how much that environment was calming, inspiring, and awesome... so decided to MAKE MY HOME like that. Places like the "Air Transport Command" restaraunt in Wilmington Deleware, the Smithsonian's main gallery in D.C., the former "Blue Max" resataraunt in Seattle, etc... very inspiring!

So about 15 years ago I began to gradually allow the aviation and space artifacts to dominate my decor. Now there is an eleven foot model of the Wright Brothers 1902 glider hanging from my living room ceiling (which I built it in 1999) and an actual wooden biplane wing on the facing wall which cradles the Lindbergh and Wright Brothers artifacts.

The other two walls and glass cases in the main room are for the collection of early manned U.S. spaceflight. There are also numerous framed art pieces on the walls. I can't say enough about how nice it is to have a talented framing shop to do things right - both for presentation and preservation. Most of the cabinets contain models but the lower shelves are for books - being the heaviest they do well on the bottom. The glass cases are mostly from IKEA which has a great selction of simple, and very well built glass cabinets. Most people who see my home, or attend a BBQ for example, assume I have a bunch more stuff packed away some where, but that's the kicker, I don't. My feeling is that if I don't have it out on display, why do I have it? That may be different than many of you out there but it also helps keep my head clearer when it comes to adding MORE!

I have plans for a built in display case in my next home, so the collection has a sort of "big picture" that has been in mind for the years that I have been searching for and acquiring these items. Each piece has a story and an experience to go with it.

One final thought, any items which are signed have been done so in person and with my best attention to honoring the astronaut's situation, so it is with particular pride that all my signed pieces are a reflection of having met the people who have experienced such awesome adventures!

If any of you get to Seattle you're welcome for a visit...

posted 06-26-2002 01:14 PM               

Eventually you will enter my room through the kitchen door, down the steps past the mural I'm working on. The mural is really just a back drop for my collection, but it will lead you backward in time from the ISS and wind around the room until you reach the other side of the room to Mercury/X-15/test pilot area. Boy, it's exhausting just describing it!