Goldberg Coins and Collectibles

Sale 33

Manuscript and Collectibles Auction

Aviators & Explorers

Lot	Photo	Description	Realized
Lot 123		Pilots of Aviation History. 15¾"x19¾" sepia-toned Photograph of the newly-constructed Empire State Building and mid-town Manhattan, with three U.S. Navy bi-planes flying across the New York City skyline, Signed by just about everyone in the history of aviation, from pioneer aviators to astronauts, including: Orville Wright, Charles Lindbergh, Amelia Earhart, Howard Hughes, Neil Armstrong, Louis Blériot, Wiley Post, Eddie Rickenbacker, Douglas Corrigan, Dr. Eckner (chairman of the Zeppelin Company), Charles Yeager, Paul W. Tibbets, Charles Conrad, Buzz Aldrin, Frank Borman, Walt Cunningham, Wally Shirra, Deke Slayton, 1930s flying aces F. de Pinedo and Sabelli, Roscoe Turner, Errol Boyd, Frank Hawks, Lt. Gen. Jimmy Doolittle, and many others. The photograph is in very good to fine condition; some edge blemishes and tears. Housed in a simple wooden frame since 1977. There are over 100 signatures on this unique aviation treasure. In addition to Amelia Earhart, other women aviators who signed were Jacqueline Cochran, Viola Gentry, Ruth Nichols, and Laura Ingalls. Famous non-aviation signatures include Britain's Prince Phillip, Barry Goldwater, New York Mayor Fiorella LaGuardia, Generals Spatz, LeMay, Westmoreland, Westover, Vanderberg, Lahm, Udet, Douglas, and Kemper; also, Admiral Richard Byrd, Admiral McMillan, baseball great Ted Williams, and "Zack" Moseley, the famous World War II cartoonist. In 1931, Major James G. Adams was the Operations Supervisor at Floyd Bennet Field, New York's first airport. During his tenure in this position, Major Adams came into contact with many aviation "greats"; it was Adams who cleared Douglas Corrigan for take-off to California when Corrigan proceeded to fly to Europe, earning him the nickname "Wrong Way" Corrigan. Major Adams (1892-1977) was a world War I fighter pilot and a World War II squadron commander. As a young lieutenant, he trained with Eddie Rickenbacker. He was an aide to General Billy Mitchell and knew General C.L. Chennault of the famed "Flying Tigers," as well as Jimmy Doolittle. As a charter member of the Daedaliens, a group of World War I fighter pilots, Adams traveled the country for speaking engagements and continued his quest for the "Greatest Collection of Signatures in Aviation History." Also included with this lot is a group of 27 photographs (14 of them are pasted front and back on 7 pieces of black paper), 4½"x2¾", c. 1930s, of some of the aviators, including Amelia Earhart, Wiley Post, Howard Hughes, Jacky Cochran, Frank Hawks, Ruth Nichols, and Roscoe Turner. Estimated Value $25,000 - 50,000. View details and enlarged photo	Unsold
Lot 124		(Aviation Archive Belonging to Clara Adams). Born in Cincinnati, Ohio, Clara Graubau Adams (1884-1971) was a cultured, intellectually curious woman who became fascinated by aviation after her first flight in 1914 and who gained renown as a "historic first flighter" or "persistent first flighter," always as a passenger. Married to wealthy industrialist George L. Adams, who owned tanneries, she had the leisure and the wherewithal to pursue her fascination. Through her family's relation to former German president Paul von Hindenburg, Clara gained access to Count Zeppelin, Dr. Hugo Eckener and other German aviation pioneers. In 1928 she was the only woman passenger on the maiden voyage of the Graf Zeppelin and became the first woman to fly across the Atlantic. In 1931, she flew in the giant flying boat, the Dornier DO-X, from Rio to New York, and in 1936, she was on the maiden flight of the dirigible Hindenberg to the United States. In 1939 she became the "fastest passenger" to circumnavigate the globe, completing the trip in 16 days. Her 1935 passport (present) lists her occupations as lecturer and writer. This archive includes four diaries and four notebooks chock-full of photographs and souvenirs of her travels. Items in the notebooks include: ten pieces of the original cover of the Graf Zeppelin, given to Clara by Dr. Eckener; sizes range from 7"x4½" to 4"2", with most in between. There are also two pieces of fabric from the U.S. Akron, 15"x5" and 48"x3¾" (from the inner shield). There are approximately 250 photographs of varying sizes, contained in three notebooks, with some 30 items signed by Clara including her passport, leaflets, brochures, flyers, postcards, and photographs. Many photographs document Clara's own flights and some of the early aviators with whom she flew; Thea Rasche, Opal Kunz, and Pauline Avril inscribed and signed photos to her. A 1933 TLS with holograph note from Augustus Post invites Clara to go around the world with him the next summer. Two photo postcards of the Graf Zeppelin are signed by Dr. Hugo Eckener, and there are 12 photos of Felix von Luckner ("The Sea Devil") who would sink 14 Allied ships in World War II. The four leather-bound diaries cover much of the years 1913 through 1919 and contain aviation news: seeing pilot Lincoln Beachy fall to his death during a monoplane exhibition (1915), going up in a plane with Marjorie Stinson (1917), going over 2,000 feet in the air with Capt. Walter Johnson (her 3rd trip up--"intensely thrilling"), visiting various aviation schools and exhibitions, as well as news of World War I, the Spanish influenza epidemic, and Jack Dempsey winning the world championship. This is a treasure trove that must be seen to be appreciated. Estimated Value $5,000 - 10,000. View details and enlarged photos	Realized $3,120
Lot 125		Byrd, Richard E (1888-1957) Admiral, U.S. Navy; polar explorer. Typed Letter Signed "R.E. Byrd" on Navy Department / Bureau of Aeronautics letterhead, 1p, 10½"x8", Washington, 1942 Nov. 9. Very good; a couple of penciled notes. To Harry Chandler of the Los Angeles Times saying "I…learned you had an editorial setting California straight on this 'Pensacola Admiral' business. I really appreciate it greatly…." Estimated Value $150 - 200. View details and enlarged photo	Realized $180
Lot 126		Lindbergh, Charles (1902-1974) Piloted his single-engine monoplane "Spirit of St. Louis" in the first solo non-stop flight across the Atlantic in 1927, becoming a national hero. Sepia Photograph Postcard Signed at upper left. Fine; a few skips in the ink. The photo shows Lindbergh shaking hands with an unidentified man outside his home. Captioned "Col. Lindbergh at home, Little Falls, Minn." Estimated Value $1,000 - 1,500. View details and enlarged photo	Unsold
Lot 127		Lindbergh, Charles A (1902-1974) Pioneer aviator; in 1927 became the first person to fly solo non-stop across the Atlantic. Photograph Signed in black ink, 10"x8", n.p., n.d. Fine; light toning, one pinhole and small tear in upper border, and a couple of small tape remnants on verso. A smiling, full-length portrait of the youthful flyer, dressed in his aviator's suit, standing in front the Spirit of St. Louis (the name of the plane is not visible). Estimated Value $800 - 1,000. View details and enlarged photo	Realized $1,208
Lot 128		Wright, Orville (1871-1948) Built with his brother Wilbur and piloted the first motor-powered plane to successfully fly, December 17, 1903, near Kitty Hawk, N.C. Document Signed as Chairman of the National Aeronautic Association of U.S.A. Inc., being Aviator Certificate No. 7862, issued to Ladonace A. Hilles, January 3, 1931. One small smudge across "W" in "Wright," and light tonng, else very good. The pilot signed below his photo. Estimated Value $1,000 - 1,500. View details and enlarged photo	Realized $1,035
Lot 129		International Early Aviation. Lot of four items; two groups of signatures from aviators, one Byrd signature and one Byrd picture postcard. 1). Russian aviators, the first to fly from East to West (Moscow to New York, October 1929) on the airplane Land of the Soviets. Signatures in Cyrillic script of S.A. Shestakov, S. Fufaev, Philip E. Bolotov, and Boris Sterligov. Seattle, October 18, 1929, one page, 5½ x 8½ in. One corner missing, one vertical and four horizontal creases, minor surface soil. 2). Signatures of Charles Kingsford-Smith, J.P. Saul and John S.W. Stannage, part of the crew of the Southern Cross, n.p., n.d., one page, 6 x 4 in. One vertical fold, one corner chipped and loose. 3). Signature of Richard Byrd ("RE Byrd"), n.p, n.d. 4 x 2½ in. Accompanied by a picture postcard and a letter from Byrd's camp. All items very good. An exceptional lot of pioneering aviators. Estimated Value $75 - 100. View details	Realized $54