posted 09-09-2004 07:42 AM
Regency-Superior's next public auction (#44) is scheduled for October 16, 2004 in Beverly Hills, California. The Space and Collectibles section will begin at 4pm, and features "many famous autographs, an impressive variety of space memorabilia from virtually all the American and Russian missions including many items actually carried into space and to the moon."Senior Vice President Alan Lipkin provided the following highlights from the 290 lots being offered. The full auction catalog can be viewed online at: http://www.regencysuperior.com/
Lot 2058 / GEMINI 3 CREW SIGNED SHORT SNORTER $1 BILL Estimate $2000
On April 12, 1965, at Grand Opening of Houston Astrodome, Astronaut Signed Dollar Bills were started. Running from Mercury 8 to Gemini III-XII and Apollo 7-11, each astronaut signed $1 bill out of his own pocket and passed them to fellow crewmen (in all cases but Mercury of course) for signature. Idea was that if astronaut forgot to bring his bill with him when astronauts gathered for drinks, heíd pay. Thus the Short Snorter Club was born. This one is signed on face by John Young and Gus Grissom.
Lot 2099 / APOLLO 11 CREW SIGNED SHORT SNORTER $1 BILL Estimate $2000
On April 12, 1965, at Grand Opening of Houston Astrodome, Astronaut Signed Dollar Bills were started. Running from Mercury 8 to Gemini III-XII and Apollo 7-11, each astronaut signed $1 bill out of his own pocket and passed them to fellow crewmen (in all cases but Mercury of course) for signature. Idea was that if astronaut forgot to bring his bill with him when astronauts gathered for drinks, heíd pay. Thus the short snorter club was born. This one is signed on face by Edwin Aldrin and Michael Collins on face and Neil Armstrong on back.
Lot 2098 / 1969 QUARANTINE MENU SIGNED BY COMPLETE CREW Estimate $7500
A unique Polaroid photo of the astronauts in line to eat during their quarantine accompanies this menu signed by Neil Armstrong, Buzz Aldrin & Michael Collins. The menu is beige colored with the Apollo 11 logo on the front (with all three signatures in black marker) & the details of this Day 6 meal on the inside. This is the first complete crew signed menu to ever appear on the market and may actually be unique. The Polaroid photo shows Michael Collins with a moustache! Outstanding condition.
Lot 2087 / 1969 FLAG FLOWN TO THE MOON ABOARD APOLLO 11 Estimate $10,000
Approximately 6"x4" silk flag carried to the moon on this historic mission. Inscribed & signed by Command Module Pilot Michael Collins - Carried to the Moon on Apollo Eleven, July 1969-Michael Collins CMP. The ultimate in collectible space memorabilia flags. This flag is in pristine condition and is from the personal collection of astronaut Michael Collins.
Lot 2089 / 1969 NEIL ARMSTRONG, MICHAEL COLLINS & BUZZ ALDRIN AUTOGRAPHS Estimate $3000
Apollo 11 insurance cover signed by all three of the crew members on this launch dated cover. The cover has the cachet of the MSC stamp club and is cancelled at Houston, TX. The signature are extremely clear in blue marker. Extremely fine condition. Ex-Michael Collins collection.
Lot 2101 / 1969 FLOWN MOON NAVIGATIONAL MAP Estimate $5000
Circular ascending node lunar chart with the North Declination on one side & the South Declination on the other. This white plastic crate with black lettering was used by mission commander Charles Conrad during the historic mission. Ex-The Charles Conrad collection.
Lot 2135 / 1972 FLOWN APOLLO 17 PATCH Estimate $5000
Signed on the back by mission commander Gene Cernan & hand notated by him FLOWN ON APOLLO XVII also on the reverse. Mission patches that were actually carried to the Moon are quite scarce & desirable. Pristine condition. Ex-The Gene Cernan Collection.
Lot 2156 / 1980s-2000s THE ULTIMATE SHUTTLE CREW COLLECTION Estimate $30,000-$35,000
Fantastic holding of over 110 Official NASA photos (almost all lithos), all but 7 are not personalized. The collection begins with the earliest of the ALT (Approach & Landing Tests) and continues through STS-106. Included are the really rare unpersonalized lithos including STS-51L (The Challenger Crew with Scobee, Smith, Onizuka, McCauliffe, Jarvis, Resnik & McNair), STS-7 (Crippen, Hauck, Fabian, Ride & Thagard), STS-9 Young, Shaw, Garriott, Parker, Lichtenberg & Merbold) all with choice, very dark signatures. All other flights for the period are included. Never before has such a complete lot been offered. Condition is not only above average, this collection contains some of the finest quality signed crew photos we have ever seen. A wonderful opportunity to acquire a complete (no STS-107) shuttle collection of the highest quality without having to search for years. No need to settle for second best. The International Space Station signed crew photos also included.
Lot 2168 / 1985 JUDY RESNIK'S NAME PLATE & NASA PATCH Estimate $2000-$3000
The 3"x2" black leather name plate from the Johnson Space center and the red, white & blue ëextended vectorí patch off one of her uniforms. Sent to the consignor on October 10, 1985 as noted on a pair of signed 3"x5" white cards. One card reads: "Dear Ken, As you requested on this card, I have sent to you by separate mail, one of my NASA patches I have worn, my mission patch and leather name plate I hope they help out in your collection, Best, (signed Judy Resnik)." Unique memorabilia of this tragic mission.
Lot 2214 / c.1950s RARE EARLY SPACE DOG PHOTO BOOK Estimate $6000-$8000
Specially made presentation book (13"x9.5"x1.25") for Soviet scientist Venyamin Mikhailovich Rozhdestvensky containing 27 black and white 7.5"x5.75" photos, mostly dogs that flew in space but also rats, guinea pig and frogs that also ventured upward. Each photo is captioned in Russian with translation included for each caption. Dogs include Zhemchuzhnaya (three early flights), Otvazhnaya (five flights), Ryzhaya, Malyok, Laika, Belka and Strelka and many other famous animals. Material from days of animal flight testing is extremely rare. Cover little worn as expected but completely unique book. Insides in excellent condition. Ex-Rozhdestvensky.
Lot 2290 / 1983 "EARTH IS WATCHING" BY ALAN BEAN Estimate $75,000-$100,000
Astronaut Jack Schmitt is painted as he pauses for a moment in the shadow of a large boulder to put a 500-millimeter telephoto lens on his Hasselblad camera. It may take him a few minutes because it calls for precise manipulation of lens and camera, yet Jack must perform the task in relatively clumsy gloves. The gloves make subtle finger motion awkward or impossible. The telephoto lens was along on Apollo 17 to photograph distant objects or places too far away to travel in the rover during the limited time on the lunar surface. For example, a series of photos of North Massive where we are now shows that this boulder was originally located 500 meters up to the left but broke and slid slowly down during the last 4 billion years or so is not your typical avalanche. The tires of the Rover are not made of rubber but rather a combination of spring wires woven into tire shape. The TV camera on the Rover is being directed from mission control in Houston. It was great for us viewers on Earth but a mixed blessing for Jack. It was about this time that mission control again reminded him to lower his gold visor. Jack felt he was a better geologist when he was looking only through the clear Lexan visor. The painting is acrylic on masonite and measures 36"x24" and is professionally framed to 40"x28". Our understanding is that the artist, Astronaut and Moonwalker Alan Bean currently charges about $135 per square inch for his paintings, at that price this painting would bring over $116,000.
posted 09-09-2004 07:42 AM
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