1917 Curtiss Flying Boat, Iconic 'One Small Step…' Quote
In Neil Armstrong's Handwriting Among The Lots
A special day of auctions celebrating the history of flight
and space exploration, from the earliest experiments to the present
day, was held Tuesday at Bonhams New York.
The day opened with the sale of a 1917 Curtiss MF Seagull Flying
Boat. Sourced from the Western Reserve Historical Society in
Cleveland, Ohio, this was the first time a vintage plane had been
auctioned in Manhattan. Designed by one of the leading pioneers of
American aviation and arch rival of the Wright brothers, Glenn H.
Curtiss, the Seagull represents a significant period in aviation
history. Following a round of competitive bidding this historic lot
brought $506,000 against an estimate of $300,000-$500,000.
Following the sale of the Curtiss Flying Boat, Bonhams presented
their annual Space History sale. Featuring over 290 lots, the sale
contained objects and ephemera from all of the most memorable NASA
space flight programs including Mercury, Gemini and Apollo, and the
Space Shuttle.
An Apollo 11 flight plan sheet signed and inscribed by Neil
Armstrong, 'One small step for a man - one giant leap for mankind'
far exceeded its estimate selling for $152,000 against
$60,000-80,000 to an American bidder. Given to John McLeaish, NASA
press officer, by Armstrong while both were in quarantine after the
trip, this is particularly unusual as Armstrong has said he never
wrote this phrase for anyone, and no other example has ever come to
auction.
An Apollo 11 mission patch consigned directly from Apollo 11
astronaut Michael Collins was also offered. Flown to the moon and
signed by all three Apollo 11 astronauts, the piece sold for
$85,400 against an estimate of $40,000-60,000.
With the sale taking place on the 40th anniversary of the Apollo 13
disaster, it was fitting that the emergency checklist list from
that flight was featured. Used and marked after the explosion by
the Apollo 13 crew on April 13, 1970, the document is a testament
to one of the most celebrated triumphs of American 20th century
space flight. Carrying an estimate of $20,000-30,000, the piece
brought a final price of $45,750.
Apollo 13 Damage
"A great day for collectors of all things concerned with flight, be
it from water, from land, or into space," says Malcolm Barber,
Group Managing Director of Bonhams. "We were delighted to start the
day with an exceptional result that exceeded our pre-sale
expectations for a truly remarkable aircraft - the 1917 Curtiss MF
Flying Boat. And, we were then heartened with the continued
enthusiasm from members of the space collecting community who
gathered in our mezzanine sale room here at Madison Avenue to bid
on some unique lots that were directly connected with the Apollo
space program, including the Apollo 13 emergency check list. Sold
40 years to the day of the explosion, the list made $45,750.
Bonhams continues to serve the needs of collectors around the
world, while expanding our markets globally - interesting, the sale
of the Curtiss marked the first time a vintage aircraft had been
offered for sale in Manhattan."